Opening a Convenience Store in Arkansas: Licenses & Permits

Arkansas allows beer and wine in convenience stores, but not spirits, and many counties and areas are dry. Wine is sold under a permit that requires a minimum food inventory. Below is who issues what, and how each rule shapes the store you design.

Licenses and permits at a glance

Fuel tanks: DEQ Regulated Storage Tanks

The Division of Environmental Quality's Regulated Storage Tanks office, part of the Department of Energy and Environment, regulates underground tanks:

• 7-day notice: a licensed installer files the 7-Day Notice Form, which DEQ must receive at least seven days before installation of any tank component begins (Rule 12.506).
• Licensed contractors: anyone who installs, repairs, upgrades, closes or tests a tank system must be licensed by DEQ for that work.
• Registration and fees: register regulated tanks on the UST Notification Form, and pay the fees for new tanks before fuel can be delivered. A new owner of an existing store must register and pay before receiving fuel, and within 30 days of purchase.
• Operators: every facility designates at least one certified Class A, B and C operator. One person may hold all three classes.
• Trust fund: most Arkansas tank owners use the Petroleum Storage Tank Trust Fund to meet financial assurance requirements.

Alcohol: beer and wine, no spirits

Arkansas alcohol permits come from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the Department of Finance and Administration. In-state retail applications aren't online; ABC provides them by phone or email.

• Beer: the beer off-premises permit covers beer and malt liquor under 5% alcohol by weight (3 CAR §1-201). Stronger malt liquor needs a liquor permit.
• Wine: convenience stores can use the small farm wine retail off-premises permit. A small farm wine convenience store must show at least $7,500 of food inventory for human consumption (§2-701). The separate grocery store wine permit caps alcohol at 20% of gross sales, requires small farm wine on the shelf and applies only in counties where retail alcohol sales were authorized as of January 1, 2017.
• Spirits: not allowed. A package store can't be run as part of a grocery, general merchandise or other unrelated business (§1-303), and retail liquor stores can't be within 1,000 feet of school or church property.
• Wet and dry areas: Arkansas has wet and dry counties and areas, and ABC publishes a wet/dry map.

Tobacco and vapor

Arkansas Tobacco Control issues the retail permits:

• All-inclusive retail permit (form ATC-R1): covers tobacco, vapor, alternative nicotine and e-liquid. The form lists a $100 fee and requires a notarized application. There is also a vapor-only permit (ATC-R8).
• Renewal: all permits expire June 30 and must be renewed every year.
• Directory: since September 1, 2025, it's illegal to sell disposable vapor products or e-liquids that aren't on Arkansas Tobacco Control's manufacturer directory (Ark. Code §20-65-204).

Food service: the Department of Health

The Arkansas Department of Health permits food that needs temperature control. Plan review is required for a new or remodeled facility. The fee is 1% of the project cost, with a $50 minimum and a $500 maximum. Plumbing plans are reviewed separately under the state plumbing code.

Sales tax, fuel pumps and lottery

• Sales tax: the DFA Sales and Use Tax section issues the sales tax permit through ATAP (Arkansas Taxpayer Access Point). The fee is $50 and processing can take up to two weeks. The business location can't be a PO box.
• Fuel pumps: the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Standards registers the service agencies that work on pumps. Its petroleum laboratory enforces fuel quality through unannounced inspections.
• Lottery: the Office of the Arkansas Lottery licenses retailers for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery under its retailer rules.

What this means for your store design

• Check wet or dry status first. If the site can't sell alcohol, the cooler wall and beer cave space goes to other categories. Check during site selection.
• Plan grocery shelving if you want wine. The small farm wine permit requires $7,500 of food inventory, which needs real gondola space, not just a snack aisle.
• No liquor department. Spirits can't be sold in the store, so all alcohol space is beer and wine.
• Budget for plan review. Food plan review costs up to $500, and plumbing plans are reviewed separately, so have both drawn early. See food service build-outs.

Local approvals

Your city or county also controls zoning, building permits, fire inspections and signs. Our construction checklist covers the local steps.

For Arkansas store design, see convenience store design in Arkansas and walk-in cooler services in Arkansas.

Sources

• Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality, Regulated Storage Tanks: notification and 7-day notice forms, fees, licensing and operator training.
• Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division, applications page, FAQs and ABC rulebook (3 CAR, January 14, 2025 version).
• Arkansas Tobacco Control, applications and forms (October 2025).
• Arkansas Department of Health, food protection FAQ.
• Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, sales and use tax registration.
• Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Standards.
• Office of the Arkansas Lottery, retailer rules (effective December 1, 2023).

This page summarizes official sources as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Fees and rules change, so confirm each one with the agency before you apply.