In an effort to expedite and streamline the acceptance of renewal applications during this health emergency, the Liquor Enforcement Division (LED) has created an online portal to accept payments. The portal can be found here: https://secure.colorado.gov/
What does this mean?
The LED is introducing the option for licensees to submit renewal applications via email to dor_liqlicensing@state.co.us. Instead of giving the Local Licensing Authority a check for the payment of state renewal fees, licensees may go online and pay those fees or mail a check to the LED. This option is not mandatory, and if your office chooses to conduct business as usual to process renewal applications, please continue to do so. This is truly a business choice.
There is a transaction fee for licensees to be able to pay using a credit card online, which goes to our state vendor. The fee is equal to [(renewal fee+$0.75) x 2.25 %)] + $0.75. Payments made via echeck are charged a flat $1.00 fee.
We will approve renewal applications once we receive the paperwork and payment and determine the licensee meets the standard criteria. We will then mail or email a renewed license to your office. The dates reflected on the license will be the standard original issuance date plus one year from the renewal year. If and when your office approves the locally issued liquor license, you are free to issue both licenses, as is currently the standard practice. Additional payment options do not mean that retail licensees don't have to submit their renewal paperwork to the Local Licensing Authority prior to submitting to the state. The LED will message this clearly to licensees.
At this time, licensees do not have the option to upload the renewal paperwork through our payment portal. They may email the paperwork to the LED at dor_liqlicensing@state.co.us, mail it to the LED at 1697 Cole Blvd., Suite 200, Lakewood CO, or submit the application through your office.
For state-issued licenses, licensees can email or mail their renewal paperwork. Once the state receives the paperwork, the licensees will be provided with a URL to go online and make their payment if a check has not already been provided.
It is our hope this process relieves some of the burdens of processing renewals while large numbers of your staff may be working remotely. We believe this process will also speed up the turnaround time that Local Licensing Authorities commonly wait after they approve and send renewal applications to our office. The LED will re-evaluate this process at the end of the current health emergency to determine if it was successful. If successful, it may be implemented indefinitely.
This online payment option is currently only extended to renewal applications. Should this change in the future, the LED will make additional notifications. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us at dor_led@state.co.us, or by calling (303) 205-2300. Remember that the faster renewals are turned in to the LED, the faster we can assist you with returning an approved license.
Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division