TTB Priority Goal

Improved Business Qualification/Permitting Process

Growth in the alcohol beverage industry increased the volume of new alcohol producers, contributing to a significantly higher workload and delayed permit approvals. Peaking at roughly a 120-day turnaround in Fiscal Year 2016, these delayed approvals caused new businesses to wait months before they could begin producing and selling their products while having already made significant investments in their operations.

To address service delays, TTB reviewed its permit approval processes, applications, and online systems, with a focus on streamlining the permit application process for prospective industry members.

TTB established a goal to reduce average approval times for alcohol and tobacco business permits by at least 20 percent (96 to 75 days) and achieve the 75-day standard for 85 percent of applicants by September 30, 2019. The Department of the Treasury adopted this as an agency priority goal (APG) for fiscal years 2018-2019. 

In FY 2019, TTB achieved the first prong of its priority goal target to reduce average permit times to 75 days, and in FY 2021, TTB surpassed the second prong, for 85 percent of applicants.

Since establishing this priority goal, TTB reduced average approval times for alcohol and tobacco business permits by 65 percent (from 96 to 34 days), and as of FY 2021, is meeting the 75-day service standard for 92 percent of applicants.  For current permit service levels, see TTB Permit Application Processing Times.

Visit TTB Annual Reports or 2018-2019 APGs (Performance.gov) for more information on this APG.

Page last reviewed: October 18, 2018
Page last updated: November 19 2021
Maintained by: Office of Strategic Planning and Program Evaluation