NJ A1535

Seasonal retail consumption license holders in New Jersey may surrender their license to the issuing authority and convert it to a plenary retail consumption license, allowing year-round alcohol sales instead of being limited to summer (May 1-November 14) or winter (November 15-April 30) seasons

The conversion fee is calculated based on the average sales price of plenary retail consumption licenses sold in the municipality during the two preceding years, with a maximum cap of $250,000

If no licenses were sold in the prior two years, the fee is based on the average of the last three plenary retail consumption licenses sold; related party and de minimis sales are excluded from calculations

Municipalities cannot prohibit license holders from converting or restrict converted licensees from exercising the same privileges as existing plenary retail consumption license holders, including operating on the same days and hours

The bill does not increase the total number of consumption licenses available since seasonal licenses already count toward the municipal limit of one license per 3,000 residents