Drink, food and hospitality license

According to the Law “Vergunningwet BES” operational licenses are required for the trade in beverages and food as well as the provision of housing with operation against compensation.

The following licenses are included:

  • Hotel License
  • Association/Club License
  • Liquor License
  • Restaurant A License
  • Ice House License
  • Beer License
  • Bar License
  • Liquor whole sale License
  • Accommodation License
  • Restaurant B/Snack License
  • Sales through vending machines
  • Make music, screenings or other performances to the public

Description of the categories of the 'Vergunningwet BES'

Art. 10) Hotel license: Gives the holder the right to run a hotel (an accommodation with service for ten guests or more) which sells retail beverages with a high and low percentage of alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks, ice fit for consumption or a similar product and/or food for consumption on the spot.


Art. 12) Association/ Club license: Gives the holder the right to sell retail beverages with a low percentage of alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks, ice fit for consumption or a similar product and food only to members of the Club house and their potential members. The consumption needs to take place on the spot for which the license is valid.


Art. 14) Liquor license: Gives the holder the right to sell retail beverages with a high percentage of alcohol. The beverages need to be consumed elsewhere.

Art. 17.1) Restaurant A license: Gives the holder the right to sell retail non-alcoholic drinks, ice fit for consumption or a similar product and food, which is prepared in the kitchen on the spot. The consumption needs to take place on the spot.


Art. 18) Icehouse license: Gives the holder the right to sell retail non-alcoholic beverages and ice fit for consumption or a similar product for consumption on the spot.


Art. 15) Beer license: Gives the holder the right to sell retail beverages with a low percentage of alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks and ice fit for consumption or a similar product. The consumption needs to take place on the spot.


Art. 11) Bar license: Gives the holder the right to sell retail beverages with a high percentage of alcohol for consumption on the spot or elsewhere as well as beverages with a low percentage of alcohol, non-alcoholic beverages and ice fit for consumption or a similar product for use on the spot.


Art. 13) Liquor wholesale license: Gives the holder the right to sell wholesale beverages with a high percentage of alcohol. The beverages may not be consumed on the spot.


Art. 16) Accommodation license: Gives the holder the right to run an accommodation (maximum of nine guests) and sell retail beverages with a low percentage of alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks, ice fit for consumption or a similar product and/or food for consumption on the spot. The beverages can only be sold to the guests and/or their visitors.

Art. 17.2) Restaurant B license/Snack license: Gives the holder the right to sell retail beverages with a low percentage of alcohol, non-alcoholic beverages, ice fit for consumption or a similar product and food which can be prepared easily in the kitchen on the spot. The consumption needs to take place on the spot.


Art. 45) Sales through vending machines: For retail sale through vending machines of food, non-alcoholic drinks, for consumption ice cream or similar item on the public highway or in a public place, for use on site, the written permission of the Executive Council is required.


Art. 52) Make music, screenings or other performances to the public: The holder is forbidden in a publicly accessible place, without the written permission of the Executive Council, to hear the local head of police, to make music, screenings or other performances to the public, to give or to allow, or occasion to give dance or to allow dancing.

The License Request Procedure and Granting

An application form can be obtained by the Unit Licenses, located on Kenniproad 15.

The form must be filled in completely, and all necessary documents must be enclosed. Incomplete applications will not be processed. The authorization to grant, refuse and withdrawal of a license lies by the Executive Council, the granting process will take maximum 45 working days.

The license is valid only:

  • For the person to whom it is granted
  • For the in the license mentioned location