Opening a bar, restaurant, brewery, or any other retail liquor establishment, will bring no shortage of challenges before you open the doors and sell your first drop. Many of these challenges, like the type of license you will seek and where the licensed establishment will be located, will be resolved early in your quest. However, you will eventually have the formidable task of submitting an application to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) for your permission to sell alcohol in the commonwealth. Some license applicants will submit "transfer" applications while others may be filing for new licenses, however all of these applicants will be subject to similar requirements and, once licensed, will be subject to ongoing review.

As a liquor licensee in Pennsylvania, investigations of your business will be primarily from two main sources. The first level of investigation, initiated by the PLCB, begins immediately following your submission of an initial transfer or other application to the PLCB. The other variety of investigation, handled by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement (BLCE), occurs after you are approved and open for business, and pertains to your operations and compliance with the Liquor Code. Knowing the differences between the various investigatory bodies and what they investigate will make you more likely to get approved and less susceptible to citations and suspensions once you open.