New system brings better convenience, accessibility to 4,300 businesses and organizations with alcohol licenses or permits
Salt Lake City, UT – The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS) announced a major shift for how businesses and organizations maintain records, make payments, and manage their alcohol licensing. The new DABS Online Licensing & Permitting System enables businesses and others to maintain all alcohol licensing and permitting using a fully integrated, web-based system; eliminating long drives to the DABS administrative office to deliver applications and make payments.
“The new system is a game changer for business owners, event organizers, and everyone who interacts with the DABS to legally manage their operations,” said Tiffany Clason, DABS Executive Director. “This long-overdue system will save businesses and organizations a lot of time while improving transparency in interacting with the department and providing safe, reliable, consistent record keeping.”
To support those getting started in the new system, including the 1,200 Utah restaurants that must renew licensing by September 30, 2023, Clason says the department is hosting two virtual demonstrations, on August 22 and August 30, to walk users through the system. Registration for the demonstrations is accessed through the DABS website.
Clason says that prior to launching the new system, the DABS collaborated with industry representatives to listen to their perspectives on the project.
“The new system is a huge improvement for business owners who want to operate legally and safely with little red tape getting in the way.” said Michele Corigliano, Executive Director of the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association (SLARA). “I appreciate that the DABS is building strong partnerships and taking steps to better support those in our industry.”
There are currently 4,300 entities with licensing or permitting from the Utah DABS, says Clason. This includes all businesses and organizations that sell or produce alcohol in the state of Utah. In preparation for the new system, stacks of paper records were scanned into digital files so that each owner or manager can access their records online and continue using the system moving forward.
Clason says now those licensed and permitted with the DABS will have transparent, consistent records of all applications, payments, and correspondence with the department.
To get started, Clason says businesses and organizations need to create an account in the new system and follow the steps to match existing records to their account portal. Information and tutorials are available on the DABS website.
“I’m proud of our team who worked long hours to get the new online licensing & permitting system up and running,” says Clason. “The new system improves efficiency both within the department and for Utah business owners who can now interact with the department from the convenience of their phone or other devices.”
The new system also brings changes to how DABS compliance specialists perform audits. Clason says now the compliance checks will utilize tablets so that information will be added to the digital system in real time, improving transparency and consistency for both department staff and businesses that receive audits to maintain licensing.
Clason says the new online system and IT improvements reflect Governor Cox’s goal for streamlining and modernizing government, and his goal for enhanced focus on customer service.
The new system was first announced when funding became available for it in the 2021-2022 Utah legislative session. The online system is one of several service improvements the DABS promised to initiate. Those include the help desk which launched earlier this year and other projects still in development and implementation phases, including IT infrastructure in state liquor stores, a new Click & Collect: Buy Online, Pickup In Store program, and a wine subscription program.
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