Who sets closing time, what a TABC permit costs, how loud you can play, what the bill and the team cost, and the nights that fill the city, for anyone running a club, lounge or bar in Houston.
What the State of Texas and the City of Houston ask of a licensed room, from the end of service to the door. Liquor licenses come from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
Without a Late Hours Certificate, Texas ends mixed beverage sales at midnight. The certificate adds midnight to 2 a.m. on any day in a city of 800,000 or more, which includes Houston. Sunday’s hours begin with midnight to 1 a.m., then run from 10 a.m. to midnight, and drinks served from 10 a.m. to noon need food. Once service ends at 2 a.m., drinking in a public place is an offense from 2:15 a.m. The sound lane shows Friday and Saturday for a commercial establishment: Sunday to Thursday the permitted hours end at 10 p.m. and the extended hours run from 10:01 p.m. to 2 a.m. Outdoor amplified sound is barred from 2:01 a.m. to 7:59 a.m.
State law does not require staff to be certified, but TABC strongly recommends it and many employers ask for it. A certificate is valid for two years and the online course takes about two hours.
MoreIt protects the permit. If an employee sells to a minor or an intoxicated person, TABC takes no action against the permit when every seller and their managers were certified within 30 days of hire and the employer has written policies.
Source: Texas Alcoholic Beverage CommissionThe Texas Department of Public Safety regulates guard companies and security officers. Unarmed staff the venue employs directly are generally exempt, but staff supplied by an outside guard company are registered through that company.
MoreAn employee who carries a firearm needs a commission. Uniformed in-house staff who deal with the public can lose the exemption, so check your own case.
Source: Texas Statutes (public.law mirror)Anyone buying alcohol must be 21. TABC accepts driver’s licenses from any state, U.S. passports, military ID and other state or federal IDs.
MoreNo rule to scan IDs at an on-premises bar turned up. For off-premises sales, a seller is protected when the scan showed a valid ID and a buyer of 21 or older.
Source: Texas Alcoholic Beverage CommissionIt authorizes selling spirits, wine and beer for drinking on the premises. A conduct surety bond is required, and the permit lasts two years.
MoreA bar that wants food service apart from this also holds a Food and Beverage Certificate, which needs restaurant status or alcohol at 60% or less of sales.
Source: TABC permit typesA mixed beverage permittee with this certificate may sell between midnight and 2 a.m. on any day. It is open in cities and counties of 800,000 or more, which includes Houston.
MoreWithout it, service ends at midnight. The fee is for two years, on top of the permit.
Source: Texas StatutesAfter applying to TABC, send copies of the application to the City’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs department for location approval. Annual City fees range from $10 to $1,000 by the type of TABC license.
MoreA new TABC license also needs a certified survey of distances to schools, daycares, hospitals and religious institutions, dated within 60 days of the TABC application. The City says its certification process changed in September 2025 and what changed wasn’t confirmed.
Source: City of Houston, Administration and Regulatory AffairsA Certificate of Occupancy from Public Works and Engineering is required, and operating without one is a violation. A Food Dealer’s Permit is needed where it applies.
MoreThe City says permit requirements are set by TABC and enforced by the City of Houston.
Source: City of Houston, Administration and Regulatory AffairsA new on-premises location not licensed for drinking in the last two years posts the 60-Day Sign outdoors for 60 days before TABC can issue the permit.
MoreOther signs: a complaint sign near the door or till, a pregnancy health-risk sign at each restroom exit in English and Spanish, and a human trafficking sign. Higher-revenue bars also post a red handgun warning at each entrance.
Source: Texas Alcoholic Beverage CommissionMixed beverages sell from 7 a.m. to midnight Monday to Saturday. With a Late Hours Certificate, a permittee may also sell from midnight to 2 a.m. on any day.
MoreHouston has no city closing time of its own in the research, so the state hours apply.
Source: Texas StatutesOn Sunday mixed beverages sell from midnight to 1 a.m. and from 10 a.m. to midnight. Drinks served between 10 a.m. and noon need food.
MoreThis is the standard schedule. The Late Hours Certificate adds midnight to 2 a.m. on any day.
Source: Texas StatutesIn areas with extended hours, drinking or holding a drink to drink in a public place is an offense from 2:15 a.m. to 7 a.m. It is a Class C misdemeanor.
MoreThe last call is 2 a.m. and the room should be clear 15 minutes after. Registered hotel guests are exempt in hotel bars.
Source: Section 105.06Chapter 30 lets a commercial establishment play sound at 75 dBA from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. After that, to 2 a.m., it is limited to 68 dBA measured from a non-residential complaint and 58 dBA from a residential one.
MoreA Commercial Establishment Permit is required for any commercial establishment within 300 feet of a residence that plays amplified sound that can be heard outside. Sound is measured from the complainant’s property line.
Source: City of Houston, Administration and Regulatory AffairsThe maximum fine for a sound citation is $2,000. Houston Police enforce the limits and the City’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs department issues the permits.
MoreComplaints go to the non-emergency line, 713-884-3131. The permit fee and processing time weren’t confirmed.
Source: City of Houston, Administration and Regulatory AffairsSelling spirits, wine and beer to drink on the premises takes a Mixed Beverage Permit from TABC, the City of Houston’s location approval, and a Late Hours Certificate if you want to serve to 2 a.m. The steps run in this order.
Complete onboarding in TABC’s Alcohol Industry Management System and choose the retail tier. Paper forms take longer.
Source: TABC stepsRegister with the Texas Secretary of State and the Comptroller, which each give a certification you will need.
Source: TABC stepsSource: TABC license FAQsSend copies of the TABC application to the City’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs department. Add a Certificate of Occupancy and, for a new license, a certified survey of distances to schools, daycares, hospitals and religious institutions dated within 60 days of the application. Annual City fees depend on the license.
Source: City of Houston, Administration and Regulatory AffairsA new on-premises location not licensed for drinking in the last two years posts the 60-Day Sign outdoors for 60 days before TABC can issue the permit.
Source: Texas Alcoholic Beverage CommissionSend a complete, signed and notarized application with the required certifications and signs. Answer any TABC request within 10 business days.
Source: TABC stepsAsk for the Late Hours Certificate to sell from midnight to 2 a.m. Houston is over 800,000 people, so it is open to you.
Source: TABC permit typesSource: Texas StatutesTABC says a new license can take 30 to 35 days from a complete application.
Source: TABC stepsIssued by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
General information, not legal advice. Laws and license conditions change and vary by venue. Confirm with TABC or the City before acting on it.
How a table’s bill adds up once tax and a service charge are on it, and what guests pay at the door.
| Minimum spend | $1,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Service charge 20%, added by the venue | $200.00 |
| Mixed beverage sales tax 8.25% of the spend | $82.50 |
| Guest pays | $1,282.50 |
| Tip the guest chooses to add | No tax |
Texas charges an 8.25% mixed beverage sales tax on spirits, beer, wine, non-alcoholic mixers and ice served to drink on the premises. The customer pays it and the seller passes it on.
Source: Comptroller sales taxA separately stated mandatory gratuity is not taxable when it is 20% or less of the price of the drinks and goes to servers, bartenders and similar staff. Any part paid to owners, cooks, cashiers or dishwashers is taxable, and over 20% makes the whole charge taxable.
Source: Comptroller FAQThe venue also owes a 6.7% mixed beverage gross receipts tax on its drink sales. It is the venue’s cost: it can’t be added as a separate charge to the guest, though the amount may be shown on the receipt.
Source: Comptroller mixed beverageFood on the same bill carries the ordinary sales tax, 8.25% in Houston: 6.25% state plus 2% local.
Source: Comptroller city ratesRough estimates for tickets and bottle-service tables, from public listings and venues’ own pages.
$20 to $50
Typically about $30
No Houston venue publishes a club night price on its own page, so this is generalised from the lowest club night tickets published in Miami and New York, with Chicago’s door cover as the floor. Headliner and holiday nights cost more.
$300 to $1,200
A typical table, about $800
One Midtown lounge publishes section minimums from $300 on a Saturday for table tops to $1,200 for doubles, checked against published minimums in Chicago, Las Vegas and Miami. Before tax and a customary 20% gratuity; Friday sections at the same room run higher and are left out of the high end.
Figures are estimates from the sources and samples listed. They change often and may be wrong. Check with the venue or the relevant authority before relying on them. Venues and events named here aren’t affiliated with VenueStack and haven’t endorsed this guide. Price sources: LOV3 HTX.
Hourly wages for the roles a night runs on, and the rules on tips.
| Role | Range, low to high | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Bartenders$8.06 to $27.58 | $10.95 | |
| Servers$8.41 to $22.74 | $10.61 | |
| Hosts$7.73 to $17.41 | $12.85 | |
| Security and door$13.30 to $23.14 | $17.05 | |
| Cooks$11.83 to $18.45 | $16.85 | |
| Managers$22.35 to $47.49 | $29.90 |
Minimum wage $7.25 an hourSource: U.S. Department of Labor
Bar: lowest to highest wage reported. Dot: median. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Texas follows the federal rules: a $7.25 minimum wage, and for tipped staff a $2.13 cash wage with a tip credit of up to $5.12 an hour, when the employee gets more than $20 a month in tips. No higher city rate was found.
Source: U.S. Department of LaborA mandatory gratuity or service charge is not taxable when it is separately stated, 20% or less of the price of the drinks, and paid to servers, bartenders and similar staff. A tip the customer adds is not taxed.
Source: Comptroller FAQ
The nights that fill a room, or empty it, month by month.
The morning after New Year’s Eve, and a long weekend when it falls near one.
A long weekend.
A long weekend.
About three weeks of citywide crowds and nightly concerts, with hotels full.
Official siteNot a day off, but a hook for Texas theme nights, and it often falls in rodeo season.
A bar night whatever the weekday.
Free crowds downtown, with parties in Midtown and Montrose.
Weeknight trade downtown and in EaDo, with the postseason in October when they qualify.
An industry crowd at NRG Park, with corporate nights and full hotels.
Official siteA long weekend.
The biggest weekend for Montrose and downtown LGBTQ+ bars, with a parade and festival downtown.
A long weekend when it falls near one, with themed events.
A fireworks night and a long weekend.
No city-wide dates
The last long weekend of summer, with football starting.
Game-day trade and tailgates around NRG Stadium.
Pre- and post-game trade downtown near the Toyota Center.
A long weekend.
Costume nights, and one of the top nights of the year.
The night before is a big night, and Thursday itself is slow.
A slow period.
The biggest ticketed night of the year.
Houston’s nightlife districts and the rooms each is known for.
Between Downtown and the Museum District, and called Houston’s most popular nightlife scene.
A glittering, fresh-faced crowd swarms an eclectic mix of luxurious lounges, honky tonks and wine bars.
An eclectic neighborhood of art, culture, food and vibrant nightlife, just west of downtown.
Pro sports, the Theater District and an eclectic bar scene, from classic haunts to cocktail bars.
A mix of ethnic shops, restaurants, bars and art galleries.
Uptown Park’s mix of restaurants and bars beside designer shopping.
Who lives in and visits the city. These describe Houston and its metro area, not any venue’s guests.
Sell tickets, take table bookings with deposits, run the guest list and check guests in at the door, in one place. Built for clubs, lounges and bars.
State law does not require staff to be certified, but TABC strongly recommends it and many employers ask for it. A certificate is valid for two years and the online course takes about two hours. If an employee sells to a minor or an intoxicated person, TABC takes no action against the permit when every seller and their managers were certified within 30 days of hire and the employer has written policies.
Apply for a Mixed Beverage Permit through TABC’s online system, then send copies of the application to the City’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs department for location approval. The steps are onboarding, registering the business with the Secretary of State and the Comptroller, the City’s approval with a Certificate of Occupancy and a distance survey, the 60-day sign for a new on-premises location, and a complete notarized application. TABC says a new license can take 30 to 35 days from a complete application.
At midnight, or at 2 a.m. with a Late Hours Certificate, which is open to Houston because it has over 800,000 people. Sunday’s hours begin with midnight to 1 a.m., then run from 10 a.m. to midnight, and drinks from 10 a.m. to noon need food. Drinking in a public place is an offense from 2:15 a.m. to 7 a.m. when extended hours apply.
Mixed beverages sell from 7 a.m. to midnight Monday to Saturday. With a Late Hours Certificate, a permittee in a city or county of 800,000 or more may also sell from midnight to 2 a.m. on any day. Smaller places were not covered in this guide.
Texas charges an 8.25% mixed beverage sales tax on drinks served to drink on the premises, paid by the guest. Food on the same bill carries the ordinary sales tax, 8.25% in Houston: 6.25% state plus 2% local. The venue also owes a 6.7% mixed beverage gross receipts tax on its drink sales, which it can’t add as a separate charge to the guest.
TABC charges $5,300 for a new Mixed Beverage Permit and $2,650 to renew it, valid two years. A Late Hours Certificate is $1,100 and a Food and Beverage Certificate is $1,100. The City of Houston adds annual fees of $10 to $1,000 depending on the license. The TABC fees come from its chart effective 1 September 2021.
Chapter 30 lets a commercial establishment play amplified sound at 75 dBA from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. After that, to 2 a.m., it is limited to 68 dBA measured from a non-residential complaint and 58 dBA from a residential one. Outdoor amplified sound is barred from 2:01 a.m. to 7:59 a.m. The maximum fine is $2,000.
A Commercial Establishment Permit is required for any commercial establishment within 300 feet of a residence that plays amplified sound that can be heard outside. The City’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs department issues it and Houston Police enforce the limits. The permit fee and processing time weren’t confirmed.
The Department of Public Safety regulates guard companies and officers. Unarmed staff the venue employs directly are generally exempt, but staff supplied by an outside guard company are registered through that company, and an employee who carries a firearm needs a commission. Uniformed in-house staff who deal with the public can lose the exemption.
Texas follows the federal rules: a $7.25 minimum wage, and for tipped staff a $2.13 cash wage with a tip credit of up to $5.12 an hour, when the employee gets more than $20 a month in tips. No higher city rate was found. In the Houston metro area, BLS data for May 2025 puts the median bartender wage at $10.95 an hour, before tips.
Not when it is a separately stated mandatory gratuity of 20% or less of the price of the drinks, paid to servers, bartenders and similar staff. Any part paid to owners, cooks, cashiers or dishwashers is taxable, and over 20% makes the whole charge taxable. A tip the customer adds is not taxed.
Two taxes apply to a mixed beverage permittee. The guest pays the 8.25% sales tax on drinks. The venue pays a 6.7% gross receipts tax on its receipts and can’t add it as a separate charge to the guest. Both are due on the 20th of the month after the period, even with no sales.
VenueStack publishes this guide for general information. We take care to keep it accurate and list our sources and review dates, but we can’t guarantee it is complete, current or correct, and we aren’t responsible for decisions made on it. Nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. Prices, minimums and wages are estimates from the samples described and don’t represent any particular venue. Venues, events and organisations named here aren’t affiliated with VenueStack and haven’t endorsed this guide.
Data gathered in October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
New YorkNew York, United States
Closing time, getting an SLA liquor license, temporary permits, the noise code, sales tax on service charges, door staff, wages and the year’s big nights.
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MiamiFlorida, United States
The state closing default and city hours, quota and restaurant liquor licenses, City of Miami and Miami Beach business licenses, sales and resort tax, door licensing, wages and the year’s big nights.
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ChicagoIllinois, United States
Closing times and the Late Hour license, the City and state liquor licenses, the amusement license and tax, BASSET training, sales tax, the tipped wage and the year’s big nights.
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