What does the Temporary Auction Permit allow?
The Temporary Auction Permit allows the sale of beer, spirits and wine through an auction conducted by a professional auctioneer. The auction may be conducted in person or online. The alcohol must be obtained from individual collectors, package stores, cancelled restaurant permits, or cancelled café permits.
Who can apply for a Temporary Auction Permit?
Only an auctioneer can apply for this permit. The auctioneer must be the applicant and the backer of the permit. An “auctioneer” is a person who regularly provides professional auctioning services. An auctioneer cannot hold any other type of liquor permit.
I want to do an auction as a fundraiser. Do I need this permit?
NO. This is only for professional auctioneers conducting auctions for profit. If you want to accept donations of alcohol or buy alcohol to auction as a fundraiser for your noncommercial group, please apply for a Temporary Noncommercial Permit.
Where and how can the auctioneer source the alcohol?
The alcohol for auction must be carefully sourced and maintain the manufacturer’s original intact seal. It can be obtained from package stores, cancelled restaurant permits, cancelled café permits, and individual collectors. “Individual collectors” are people not affiliated with any other liquor permit in Connecticut. More specifically, individual collectors cannot be a backer or permittee, an employee, or a director or officer of any backer of another Connecticut liquor permit.
The auctioneer may buy the alcohol from the above-mentioned authorized sources. The auctioneer also may accept alcohol on consignment from the above-mentioned authorized sources. Note that if the item is obtained from a package store, the price paid to the package store and starting consignment bid cannot be less than the minimum bottle price for that item.
Can the auctioneer offer tastings of items being auctioned?
Yes, provided notice is provided to the Department at least thirty days before the auction. Tastings cannot exceed more than ten uncorked or open cans or bottles at any one time. The auctioneer must ensure that minors and intoxicated persons do not receive tastings. Municipalities may preclude the offering of tastings by local ordinance.
What happens with alcoholic products sold during the auction?
The auctioneer is responsible for delivering the product to the winner of the auction. The auctioneer must verify that the winner is not a minor or intoxicated at the time of receipt. The auctioneer may ship the item to a consumer in Connecticut by using a licensed transporter and following shipping label requirements.
What happens with alcoholic products not sold during the auction?
The auctioneer must return the item(s) to where it was sourced within 10 days from the end date of the auction.
What are the hours I’m allowed to run the auction under this permit?
You may run your auction during the following times: Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
How long does the Temporary Auction Permit last?
Effective October 1, 2025,this permit can last up to twelve days. This permit cannot be renewed. Every new auction requires a new permit, and each auctioneer can apply for up to twelve permits in a single calendar year.
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