Legislation establishing a Historic Distillery License for sites listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places was signed into law this past week by Gov. Phil Murphy, state officials announced. The story first appeared in the Shore News Network.
The bill, S3813, was sponsored by state Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-13) and state Sen. Vin Gopal (D-11) and permits eligible historic properties to distill and sell alcoholic beverages on-site and off-site.
“Now that it’s signed into law, this new license will give historic sites the flexibility to grow alongside our craft distillery industry while both honoring our past and creating new experiences and revenue streams that support local economies,” O’Scanlon said.
Under the law, license holders may sell up to five liters of distilled spirits per person for off-site consumption and provide up to three samples a day per customer on premises. The annual fee for the license is $1,000.
The measure is designed to support small businesses and encourage tourism at historically significant locations across the state.
The law went into effect immediately upon signing, and qualifying sites may now begin applying for the license through state regulatory channels.
The New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of the state’s historic resources deemed significant at the local, state, or national level. It’s modeled after the National Register and includes buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts that reflect New Jersey’s cultural heritage.
