Bar or bar run by an association

Verified 16 May 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You run an association and you want to run a bar or a bar? You can operate a bar permanently if you respect the regulations of the bars. You can temporarily open a refreshment bar in certain circumstances only. We present you with the information you need to know.

Temporary bar

The rules differ according to whether it is a bar at a sports facility or at a fair or exhibition or at an event organized by the association itself or whether it is a bar reserved for members.

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Alcohol-free snack bar

The combination may freely open a temporary bar, if no alcoholic beverages are served.

Beverage with alcohol

In a sports arena (stadium, gym, etc.), the association cannot sell or distribute alcoholic beverages.

However, temporary derogations may be granted to offer Group 3 alcoholic beverages (i.e. beverages below 18° of alcohol: wine, beer, crème de cassis, etc.) and for a maximum of 48 hours.

The derogations concern the following associations:

  • Approved sports associations, up to a maximum of 10 authorizations per year
  • Associations organizing tourist events, up to a maximum of 4 authorizations per year
  • Associations organizing events of an agricultural nature, up to a maximum of 2 authorizations per year

The derogation must be requested from the mayor of the municipality in which the beverage outlet will be located.

General case
Who shall I contact

The request must at least be addressed to him 3 months before the planned date of the event. It must specify the date and nature of the planned event and the operating conditions of the beverage outlet (opening hours, categories of beverages concerned).

In the event of an exceptional occurrence, the request may be made at least 15 days before the expected date.

Failure to comply with the prohibition on the forcible or fraudulent introduction of alcoholic beverages into a sports arena shall be punishable by a fine of €7,500 and one year in prison.

The opening of bars and bars does not involve any particular action with the tax administration.

However, the revenues generated by this activity may have to be counted as lucrative (i.e., money-making) revenues. They are subject to declaration and taxation:

  • from the first euro, if they occupy a preponderant share in the budget of the association,
  • or above the €76,679 annual, if incidental.

It is therefore necessary to determine whether the activity can (or cannot) be classified as non-profit making.

The association can open a temporary bar at a fair or exhibition and serve any type of beverage if the following 3 conditions are met:

  • The fair or exhibition is organized by the State, a public authority or a association recognized as being in the public interest
  • The association received a favorable opinion from the general curator of the exhibition or fair
  • The association made a request at least 15 days in advance to the mayor of the municipality concerned (or, in Paris, to the police department of Paris) to open a temporary drink outlet, accompanied by the favorable opinion of the curator-general of the exhibition or fair.
General case

A template is available:

Application to open a temporary associative bar in a fair or exhibition

Who shall I contact
In Paris

The application is to be made online only:

Application for authorization to open temporary drinking establishments (in Paris only)

The opening of bars and bars does not involve any particular action with the tax administration.

However, the revenues generated by this activity may have to be counted as lucrative (i.e., money-making) revenues. They are subject to declaration and taxation:

  • from the first euro, if they occupy a preponderant share in the budget of the association,
  • or above the €76,679 annual, if incidental.

It is therefore necessary to determine whether the activity can (or cannot) be classified as non-profit making.

The association can open a temporary bar to sell drinks in groups 1 (soft drinks) and 3 (drinks below 18°) provided that you have obtained the authorization of the mayor of the municipality in which the beverage outlet will be located.

The association can obtain Maximum of 5 annual authorizations.

General case

A template is available:

Application for the opening of a temporary community bar on the occasion of a fair, sale or public celebration

Who shall I contact
In Paris

The application is to be made online only:

Application for authorization to open temporary drinking establishments (in Paris only)

FYI  

In the departments of Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Martinique, the prefect can authorize the sale of drinks of 4me group (drinks of more than 18°) up to a maximum of 4 days per year.

The opening of bars and bars does not involve any particular action with the tax administration.

However, the revenues generated by this activity may have to be counted as lucrative (i.e., money-making) revenues. They are subject to declaration and taxation:

  • from the first euro, if they occupy a preponderant share in the budget of the association,
  • or above the €76,679 annual, if incidental.

It is therefore necessary to determine whether the activity can (or cannot) be classified as non-profit making.

If the temporary bar is reserved for members (associative pot, 3è half-time, reception-buffet, etc.), there is no no particular steps to take, or specific regulations to be followed.

The opening of bars and bars does not involve any particular action with the tax administration.

However, the revenues generated by this activity may have to be counted as lucrative (i.e., money-making) revenues. They are subject to declaration and taxation:

  • from the first euro, if they occupy a preponderant share in the budget of the association,
  • or above the €76,679 annual, if incidental.

It is therefore necessary to determine whether the activity can (or cannot) be classified as non-profit making.

Permanent Bar

The combination may freely open a permanent bar if no alcoholic beverages are served.

The opening of bars and bars does not involve any particular action with the tax administration.

However, the revenues generated by this activity may have to be counted as lucrative (i.e., money-making) revenues. They are subject to declaration and taxation:

  • from the first euro, if they occupy a preponderant share in the budget of the association,
  • or above the €76,679 annual, if incidental.

It is therefore necessary to determine whether the activity can (or cannot) be classified as non-profit making.

The rules differ depending on whether the venue is open to the public or reserved for members:

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Place open to the public

The association can open a permanent bar offering alcoholic drinks to be consumed on site of 3me category provided you get a 3rd category beverage debit license.

Tableau - The different types of licenses depending on the nature of the beverages

Type of beverage

Beverage delivery

for consumption on site

Beverage delivery

take away

Restaurant

Group 1: beverages non-alcoholic

Over-the-counter

Over-the-counter

Over-the-counter

Group 3: non-distilled fermented beverages (wine, beer, cider, perry, mead) and natural sweet wines, blackcurrant cream, fruit or vegetable juices containing up to 3° of alcohol, liqueur wine, wine-based aperitif, port wine, strawberry liqueurs, raspberries, blackcurrants or cherries with a rate less than or equal to 18° of alcohol

License III, known as restricted license

Small take-away license

Small restaurant license

Groups 4 and 5: rums, tafias, distilled alcohols and all other alcoholic beverages with a more than 18° of alcohol (gin, vodka, whisky, etc.)

License IV, known as large license or full-service license

Take-away license

Restaurant license

The association must also respect the rules on display, display, hygiene and safety at outlets for drinks.

Place reserved for members

If the leaders of the association open a permanent bar exclusively for their members, no action is to be taken if the following 2 conditions are met:

  • The opening of the bar is not intended to make a profit
  • The drinks on offer belong to groups 1 and 3 of the official beverage classification

Otherwise, the association is considered to be engaged in a commercial activity and must hold a 3rd category beverage debit license.

The opening of bars and bars does not involve any particular action with the tax administration.

However, the revenues generated by this activity may have to be counted as lucrative (i.e., money-making) revenues. They are subject to declaration and taxation:

  • from the first euro, if they occupy a preponderant share in the budget of the association,
  • or above the €76,679 annual, if incidental.

It is therefore necessary to determine whether the activity can (or cannot) be classified as non-profit making.

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