What Licensing Solutions does

Licensing Solutions, Inc., doing business as Liquor License Pros, is a privately held professional services firm founded in 2005 and headquartered in Ocoee, Florida. The company specializes in buying, selling, transferring, and renewing liquor licenses on behalf of restaurants, bars, hotels, resorts, retailers, and other alcohol-selling businesses operating primarily in Florida, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, with the ability to assist in additional U.S. states. Its service portfolio covers the full license lifecycle — from initial due diligence and application preparation through acquisition, transfer, ongoing compliance, and renewals — and includes an affiliated Florida financing program that connects buyers with partner lenders offering up to 90% financing of license value. The firm is led by President and Owner Mary Anne Ferrell (26+ years of liquor licensing experience) and a small team of four named professionals, including senior staff with prior tenure at the Florida DBPR AB&T Licensing Division and Osceola County government.

The firm generates revenue through three primary streams: transaction fees on brokered license purchases and sales, project-based professional services fees for consulting and due diligence, and affiliate referral commissions from affiliated Florida financing lenders. Quote-based, non-standardized pricing is the norm, with no publicly disclosed fee schedule, and the go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, anchored by a website free-consultation call-to-action, SEO content on state-specific licensing, and direct phone/email engagement. The customer base spans more than 1,000 cumulative clients over the firm's history, with a visible concentration in enterprise restaurant and hospitality brands such as Darden Restaurants (a ~130-restaurant portfolio served since 2013), Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Buffalo Wild Wings, P.F. Chang's, BJ's, Miller's Ale House, Pollo Tropical, Nordstrom, AMC Theatres, Aloft Hotels, and ThinkFoodGroup / José Andrés. The business is not technology-enabled; it operates as a boutique regulatory intermediary whose defensibility rests on institutional relationships with government licensing authorities and prior regulator-side expertise held by its team.

Name

Licensing Solutions

Legal name

Licensing Solutions, Inc.

Website

https://liquorlicensepros.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Licensing Solutions, Inc. is a privately held Florida-based professional services firm that buys, sells, transfers, and renews liquor licenses for restaurants, hotels, retailers, and hospitality operators across Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Liquor License Brokerage & Consulting Services

NAICS

Other Legal Services (54119)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Licensing Application Preparation & Management (MPAEAOAB)

Keywords

• Liquor license brokerage
• Alcohol beverage licensing
• License consulting services
• Liquor license transfers
• License renewal compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocoee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Liquor License Brokering: Facilitates the purchase and sale of liquor licenses between buyers and sellers, earning fees or commissions for matching parties and managing transactions. The company identifies available licenses, negotiates prices, and completes transfers.
2. Financing Services: Affiliated with Florida financing lenders to provide loan products for liquor license purchases, earning referral fees or commissions from partnered lenders.
3. License Renewal Services: Ongoing renewal and compliance monitoring services to maintain client licenses in good standing, providing recurring service revenue.
4. License Consulting: Comprehensive consulting including application preparation, representation at hearings, due diligence reports, and regulatory guidance for one-time or project-based fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Licensing Solutions, Inc. is a professional services and brokerage firm that helps business owners buy, sell, transfer, and renew liquor (alcohol beverage) licenses across Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other U.S. states. The firm provides end-to-end licensing support including consultation, application preparation, due diligence reporting, representation at hearings, and an affiliated financing program for liquor license purchases. Revenue is generated through per-transaction brokerage fees, consulting fees, and referral commissions from affiliated Florida lenders.

Product overview

Licensing Solutions, Inc. is a service-based firm providing a unified suite of liquor license consulting services rather than a software platform. The core offering encompasses six integrated service modules: Buying a Liquor License, Selling a Liquor License, Acquisitions & Transfers, License Renewals, License Consulting, and Due Diligence Reports. An ancillary Florida Financing program rounds out the portfolio. These services work together to guide clients from initial license identification through acquisition, transfer, and ongoing compliance renewal, with Due Diligence Reports providing the critical information foundation for buying decisions and License Consulting offering comprehensive regulatory guidance throughout the process.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buying a Liquor License Assists clients in identifying, evaluating, and acquiring the appropriate liquor license for their business location and type, including negotiating purchase prices and resolving issues with taxes or liens. Intended for hospitality and retail operators needing to buy a license.
• Selling a Liquor License Helps license owners maximize value through experienced brokers and a network of qualified buyers, managing the sale process across multiple states including verification of debts and liens. Intended for license holders exiting the market or transferring ownership.
• Acquisitions & Transfers Facilitates the purchase, direct issue, or transfer of liquor licenses to new owners or locations, managing the complete paperwork process end to end. Intended for owners changing locations or transferring to a new entity.
• License Renewals Monitors license statuses and submits proper applications and fees on time to maintain compliance and avoid late fees or cancellation due to non-renewal. Intended for any license-holding operator needing recurring compliance support.
• License Consulting Provides comprehensive guidance through forms, applications, hearings, inspections, and regulations, including representation at city meetings and coordination with licensing authorities. Intended for clients needing expert regulatory navigation for any licensing scenario.
• Due Diligence Reports Delivers comprehensive reports identifying critical information including license availability, costs, legal requirements, local restrictions, zoning requirements, and application timelines. Intended for prospective buyers evaluating license feasibility before purchase.
• Florida Financing Affiliated financing program offering loans for Florida liquor license purchases with competitive rates, flexible terms, up to 90% financing of license value, no credit checks, and quick closings. Intended for Florida-based buyers needing capital to fund a license purchase.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped over 1,000 restaurants, resorts, and alcohol-selling businesses

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• OpenGov: Government technology company providing licensing, permitting, and regulatory management software to state and local agencies — a potential disintermediation vector for traditional licensing consultants.
• Accela: Government technology platform for licensing, permitting, and regulatory workflows, used by alcohol beverage control agencies in several states — could compress the manual advisory layer over time.
• CivicPlus: Government technology vendor offering permitting, licensing, and citizen engagement software used by municipalities — represents a structural disruptor if alcohol licensing authorities adopt self-service portals that reduce reliance on human brokers.

Direct peers

• Dickinson Wright PLLC: Full-service law firm with a dedicated alcohol beverage law practice that handles licensing applications, transfers, and regulatory matters for restaurants, retailers, and producers — competes for similar enterprise hospitality and retail clients.
• Lerman Law Group: Boutique law firm specializing in alcohol beverage law and licensing, serving restaurants, retailers, and wholesalers across multiple states — a direct competitor in the licensing application and transfer services market.
• Husch Blackwell LLP: Major U.S. law firm operating one of the largest alcohol beverage practices in the country, providing licensing, regulatory compliance, and transactional services to alcohol industry clients — directly competitive with Licensing Solutions' core offering but at higher price points and broader legal scope.

Broad incumbents

• Akerman LLP: Major U.S. law firm with an alcohol beverage and hospitality practice that handles licensing, permits, and regulatory compliance for restaurant and hotel clients across multiple states.
• Tyler Technologies: Large-scale provider of software and technology services to the public sector, including regulatory and licensing platforms for state and local governments — broad incumbent shaping the underlying regulatory infrastructure.
• Manatt, Phelps & Phillips: National law and consulting firm with a recognized alcohol beverage practice covering licensing, regulatory, and policy matters — broader portfolio player with overlapping capabilities in alcohol regulatory work.
• Womble Bond Dickinson: Transatlantic law firm with an alcohol beverage practice offering licensing and regulatory counsel to hospitality clients — competes for higher-end, multi-jurisdiction licensing mandates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LicensingPros

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Licensing Solutions