What Temporary Permits Cover One-Time Events, Festivals, and Fundraisers

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For an organization without a TABC license, the temporary permit for a one-time event is the Nonprofit Entity Temporary Event Permit (NT). It lets a qualifying nonprofit sell alcohol at an event it sponsors for up to 10 consecutive days, costs $50 per day, and should be applied for at least 10 business days ahead. Businesses that already hold an on-premise permit, and wineries and distilleries, do not use the NT; they sell at events under their own permits by filing a notification or getting a temporary event approval from TABC.

Who can get an NT

Chapter 30 of the Alcoholic Beverage Code limits the permit to a “nonprofit entity,” defined in Section 30.01 as:

  • a nonprofit corporation;
  • a nonprofit charitable, civic, or religious organization;
  • a political party or political association supporting a candidate or a ballot measure;
  • a fraternal organization with a regular membership in continuous existence for more than five years; or
  • a person or group subject to recordkeeping requirements under Chapter 254 of the Election Code.

A for-profit promoter or a business without a license cannot use it.

What the permit allows

  • Sales at the event. The holder may sell, for consumption on the event premises, any alcoholic beverage that is legal to sell where the event is held (Section 30.02), at an event it sponsors such as a picnic or celebration (Section 30.03).
  • Spirits from a local distributor. Any distilled spirits sold must be bought from the holder of a local distributor’s permit (Section 30.05).
  • Auctions. The holder may auction alcohol for consumption off the premises to raise money for its purpose, but only donated spirits or wine, only if no taxes are owed on the beverages, and without paying anyone a commission to run the auction or arrange donations (Section 30.06). TABC uses a separate auction form for this.
  • No newspaper notice. The Code’s publication requirement for permit applicants does not apply to the NT (Section 30.07).

Applying

As of September 26, 2026, TABC’s temporary event authorizations page sets the process:

Item Requirement
Form L-NT, filed in AIMS or on paper
When at least 10 business days before the event starts
Fee $50 per day of the event
Late filing late fees of $300 to $900
Length up to 10 consecutive days; longer events need a separate application for each 10-day period, filed together
Approval the organization must wait for TABC approval before selling or serving

The permit shows on its face the dates it is valid (Section 30.04).

Fundraisers in a dry area

Section 30.09 allows a narrow exception for dry areas. A nonprofit corporation may receive an NT for its own fundraising event in a dry area, but only in the county where it is located, for an event lasting no more than eight hours, and only once per calendar year.

When the seller already has a license

  • Bars, restaurants, and other on-premise retailers sell at events away from their premises under their own permits, filing a File and Use Notification for small private events or obtaining a Temporary Event Authorization for others.
  • Wineries and distilleries have their own festival and event authority in their permits, subject to TABC’s notification process.

An event organizer that is not a nonprofit and has no license can bring in a licensed caterer or retailer to handle the alcohol under that business’s permit.

This article is general information about Texas alcoholic beverage law, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Statutes and TABC rules change; confirm current requirements with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the relevant city or county, or a licensed Texas attorney before acting.

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