Private Events, Bartending Services, & Food Trucks

Information on Private Events, Bartender Licenses, Bartending Services, and Food Trucks

Wedding Receptions and Other Private Events

No liquor license is required for private events such as wedding receptions, baby showers, birthday parties, holiday gatherings, retirement parties, family reunions, and other similar gatherings, subject to the following:

• No alcoholic beverages may be consumed by minors under the age of 21.
• The private event is not open to the public and is by invitation only.
• Guests must not be charged to attend the event – guests cannot be charged for food, beverages, entertainment, or anything in order to attend the event.
• Guests must not pay for the alcoholic beverages.
• Guests may bring their own alcoholic beverages or the person hosting the private event may purchase the alcoholic beverages from a licensed retailer, such as a liquor store, grocery store, or convenience store.

A business with a liquor license that has been issued a Catering Permit by the Liquor Control Commission may serve alcoholic beverages at a private event that is not located on the licensee’s premises, subject to the following:

• No alcoholic beverages may be consumed by minors under the age of 21.
• The person hosting the private event must purchase and pay for all of the alcoholic beverages in advance from the licensee with the Catering Permit.
• The licensee with the Catering Permit must deliver and serve the alcoholic beverages to the guests of the private event.
• The employees of the licensee that are serving the alcoholic beverages must have completed an approved server training program.
• Guests must not be charged to attend the event – guests cannot be charged for food, beverages, entertainment, or anything in order to attend the event.
• Guests must not pay for the alcoholic beverages.
• Any alcoholic beverages left over at the end of the private event must remain with the host of the event and cannot be returned to the licensee.

A nonprofit organization that holds a Club license, such as a veterans’ post with a large hall or event space, may host a wedding reception or other event at which it sells and serves alcoholic beverages to the guests if the licensee obtains a Special License and places its Club license into escrow for the duration of the event.  The licensee must sell and serve all alcoholic beverages at the event and must retain all profits from the sales of alcoholic liquor.  Alternatively, a Club licensee may charge a usage fee for its hall or event space for a private event at which the host of the event will be supplying the alcoholic beverages to guests for free or the guest will bring their own alcoholic beverages, if the Club licensee places its license into escrow for the duration of the event.  If a member of the Club licensee wants to utilize the hall for an event, the member may purchase the alcoholic beverages from the Club licensee for the event to be served to the guests of the event and the license would not need to be placed into escrow.

No Bartender License Required In Michigan

Unlike some other states, in Michigan bartenders and servers do not need a license to serve alcoholic beverages at a bar, restaurant, hotel, manufacturer’s tasting room, or other licensed business that sells alcoholic beverages.

However, Michigan law does require the successful completion of an alcohol server training program by the following persons serving alcoholic beverages:

• Supervisory personnel for each shift at an on-premises licensee.
• Any employee of a licensee with a Catering Permit that will deliver and serve alcoholic beverages purchased from the licensee at a private event.
• Any employee of a licensee that will be delivering an alcoholic beverage to a customer at a location off the licensed premises.
• Any employee between the age of 17 and 18 that will serve alcoholic beverages for an on-premises licensee.

Unlicensed Bartending Businesses / Mobile Bartending Services

There is no license for bartending businesses or mobile bartending services for private events in Michigan.  A person or company may provide bartending services for a private event, subject to the following:

• The bartender cannot purchase alcoholic beverages for or provide alcoholic beverages to the host of the private event.
• The bartender may charge the host of the private event for the bartending services, supplies, and nonalcoholic items, but must not charge the host for any alcoholic beverage products.
• The bartender may only serve the alcoholic beverages or mix drinks using alcoholic beverage products purchased by the host of the private event from a business with the appropriate off-premises liquor licenses.
• The bartender may make suggestions to the host for which alcoholic beverage products to purchase from the off-premises licensee.
• The bartender may offer different prices for the bartending services to the host of the event based on the various types of alcoholic beverages to be served.
• The bartender cannot charge the guests of the private event for the alcoholic beverages served and no cover charge may be charged for alcoholic beverages.

If person or company is providing bartending services for a nonprofit organization that has been issued a Special License, the nonprofit organization must purchase all the alcoholic beverage products to be used at the event.  The nonprofit organization may sell the alcoholic beverages to patrons via ticket or cash bar.  The bartender would provide bartender services only and all proceeds from the sale of alcoholic beverages would go to the licensed nonprofit organization.

Food Trucks

A food truck cannot be issued a liquor license in Michigan, as liquor licenses for the sale and service of alcoholic beverages must be issued for a fixed licensed premises and cannot be mobile.  A food truck that is part of a mobile bartending service as described above may provide bartending services at a private event subject to the guidelines noted above. A food truck that is located on the licensed premises of an on-premises licensee (located within the licensee’s outdoor service area) may serve alcoholic beverages sold by the licensee, subject to the following:

• If the licensee holds a Class C license, the licensee will need to obtain an Additional Bar Permit to allow for alcoholic beverages to be sold and served from the food truck located on its licensed premises.
• If the food truck is owned and operated by someone other than the licensee, the food truck operator may not retain any of the gross sales or net profits from the alcoholic beverages sold and served from the food truck unless the licensee has a Participation Permit naming the unlicensed food truck operator as an unlicensed participant. The licensee must obtain an Additional Bar Permit if it holds a Class C license.
• If the food truck is owned and operated by someone other than the licensee and it is only selling food on the licensed premises, the licensee must have approval from the Commission for a concession agreement for food service for the food truck.  No alcoholic beverages may be sold or served from the food truck under this sort of arrangement.  If the food truck is not located within the licensed premises and is not selling or serving alcoholic beverages, no licenses or permits are required from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.