Montana Special Event Liquor Permit: Cost, Rules & How to Apply
Quick answer
A nonprofit selling beer and wine at a one-off event in Montana needs a special permit from the Department of Revenue. It costs $10 per day, a group can hold up to 12 a year, and local law enforcement must sign the application first. Hard liquor is limited to fraternal organizations.
Permit at a glance
- Permit name
- Special permit — beer and table wine
- Issuing agency
- Montana Dept. of Revenue
- Fee
- $10 per day
- Max per calendar year
- 12 per nonprofit
- Nonprofits only
- Yes
- Police sign-off
- Required
- Last verified
- Jun 7, 2026
Permit types
Four kinds of special permit.
| Permit | Who can apply | Fee | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| beer and table wine | Nonprofit organizations (501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) civic leagues, 501(c)(6) chambers of commerce, accredited Montana post-secondary schools, charities raising funds for a person in need) | $10 per day | 12 |
| all beverages | Fraternal organizations only | $20 per day | 3 |
| wine produced by a licensed winery | Licensed Montana wineries only | $10 per day | 12 |
| beer and table wine, sports season | Certain qualified sporting events (professional sports organizations, junior hockey teams) | $1,000 per season | 1 |
all beverages: Licensed veterans' or fraternal organizations may hold 3 permits per calendar year and unlicensed ones 12, per the Department of Revenue's yearly limits table. Unlicensed organizations apply on Form SPVetFr.
wine produced by a licensed winery: Applied for on Form WinSpec.
beer and table wine, sports season: One permit covers an entire season.
Does your event qualify
Fundraisers, fairs and races. Not private parties.
The Department of Revenue lists these as qualifying events: rodeos and fairs; fundraisers for a person in need; fundraising races; community fundraising events hosted by a nonprofit.
A private wedding where the hosts pour for invited guests and nobody pays for a drink is not on that list, and the permit is built for groups selling alcohol, not for couples. If a venue or caterer runs the bar, it sells under its own state license, so ask which license it holds.
Each permit covers one described area of the event. Drinks may be sold and consumed only inside it; off-premises sales are not allowed. The area can include bleachers or grandstands if you describe them on the application.
How to apply
4 steps, in order.
- Confirm the event qualifies: a rodeo or fair, a fundraiser for a person in need, a fundraising race, or a community fundraising event hosted by a nonprofit.
- Define the exact serving area (it may include bleachers or grandstands). Alcohol can be sold and consumed only inside that area, with no off-premises sales.
- Have your local law enforcement agency sign the application to grant permission for the event.
- Submit through the Montana TransAction Portal (TAP) or on Form SPECPERM to the Department of Revenue.
Montana does not publish a filing deadline on its special permits page. Contact the Department of Revenue for current processing times before you print tickets.
Also on the hook
Training and liability.
Server training (RASS)
Montana law requires every licensee to make sure that employees who sell, serve or deliver alcohol, and their immediate supervisors, complete responsible alcohol sales and service training within 60 days of hire, then every 3 years (MCA 16-4-1005). If you hire a licensed caterer or bar service for a Helena wedding, its bartenders fall under this rule.
Who is liable if a guest drives drunk
Montana's MCA 27-1-710 limits liability for anyone who furnishes alcohol, licensed or not. A furnisher can be held liable only if the guest was underage (and the furnisher knew or made no reasonable age check), was visibly intoxicated when served, or was forced or misled into drinking. Notice of intent to sue must be sent by certified mail within 180 days of service, and the suit filed within 2 years. Classification: limited (only for minors, visibly intoxicated guests, or forced/misled drinking).
FAQ
Questions people ask.
How many special permits can a nonprofit get each year?
Most eligible nonprofits can hold 12 per calendar year. That covers 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) groups, accredited Montana colleges and charities raising money for a person in need. Licensed veterans' or fraternal organizations are limited to 3.
Can a special permit holder sell liquor or cocktails?
Only fraternal organizations can get an all-beverages permit. The standard nonprofit permit covers beer and table wine only, and the winery permit covers wine the winery made.
Who signs off on a special permit in Helena?
Montana requires your local law enforcement agency to sign the application before you send it to the Department of Revenue, so contact the agency that covers your event site early.
Do bartenders at a Montana event need training?
Employees of a licensed business who sell or serve alcohol must complete responsible alcohol sales and service training within 60 days of hire and renew it every 3 years.
Planning in Helena
Next steps.
Sources
- Montana Department of Revenue — Special Permits · State agency (revenue.mt.gov), checked Jun 7, 2026
- MCA 16-4-301 (special permits) · State statute (mca.legmt.gov), checked Jun 7, 2026
- MCA 16-4-1005 (licensee training) · State statute (mca.legmt.gov), checked May 15, 2026
- MCA 27-1-710 (civil liability) · State statute (mca.legmt.gov), checked Sep 16, 2026
General information, not legal advice.