Special Designated License (SDL)

A Special Designated License (SDL) is a license for a special event whereby alcoholic liquors will be sold.

Only current retail liquor license holders and 501(c) Non-Profit Organizations can apply for a SDL.

Fees

Lancaster County's SDL fee is $80 per application. Fees are required to be paid at the time of application - R-08-0051 (PDF).

Non-Caterer Liquor License Applicants Limitations

Non-caterer liquor license applicants are limited to 6 SDLs per calendar year. This includes consecutive days used on one application. For example, July 4 through July 9 equals 6 days.

Requirements

Prior to applying for a SDL, please carefully review the following County requirements:

  • The SDL application and County fee ($80 per application) must be filed in the County Clerk's office no later than 21 business days (excluding holidays) prior to the date of the event.
  • The SDL application is then forwarded to the following County offices/departments for review:
    • Building and Safety Department
    • City-County Planning Department
    • Lancaster County Engineer's Office
    • Lancaster County Sheriff's Office
    • Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department
  • Applicants will receive copies of any agency comments/recommendations as they become available.
  • Once all agency recommendations have been received, the SDL application will be scheduled for formal action by the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners. Applicants will be notified in writing of the meeting date/time and are encouraged to attend in order to address any questions or concerns regarding the event. Failure to do so could delay approval of the application.
  • Following County Board action, the SDL recommendation form will be mailed to the applicant. It is the applicant's responsibility to complete the application and return it to the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission (LCC) at least 10 business days prior to the event - no exceptions. Please refer to the 10-day SDL calendar for applicable deadlines.
  • Following approval by the LCC, the SDL will be forwarded to the County Clerk's Office for distribution.

Further Information

For more information on Special Designated Licenses, please visit the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission website, or please contact them at:

Nebraska Liquor Control Commission
301 Centennial Mall South
P.O. Box 95046
Lincoln NE 68509-5046

Phone: 402-471-2571