If you’ve booked an event venue recently, you’ve probably seen a line in the contract that says something like:

“All caterers and bartenders must be licensed and carry liability insurance. Proof required.”

It’s not just red tape. Across the country, more venues are tightening their policies and insisting that anyone serving food or alcohol be properly licensed and insured — especially when alcohol is involved.

Here’s why that’s happening, and what it means for you as a host.

1. Venues Are Protecting Themselves from Alcohol-Related Liability

Serving alcohol automatically raises the stakes. If a guest is overserved and later causes an accident or injures someone, multiple parties can be pulled into a claim or lawsuit — including the venue, the caterer, and sometimes even the host.

To reduce that risk, many venues now require:

• Caterers and bartenders to carry liquor liability insurance
• Proof of coverage (a certificate of insurance) before the event date
• Vendors to name the venue as an additional insured

Why? Because liquor liability insurance can help cover things like third-party injury, property damage, and legal defense costs when an alcohol-related incident occurs. Without it, the venue’s own insurance — or the host’s — may be forced to take the hit.

Requiring licensed, insured vendors is one of the most effective ways for venues to transfer risk away from themselves.

2. Licensing Shows Training, Compliance & Professional Standards

Licensing isn’t just a piece of paper. In many states, bartenders and alcohol caterers must:

• Complete responsible alcohol service training
• Pass exams or certification programs
• Follow state and local rules on serving, ID checks, and service limits

For venues, working with licensed vendors means:

• Better control over alcohol service
• Lower chances of overserving or serving minors
• Documented compliance if something is ever questioned later

When a venue lets an unlicensed caterer serve alcohol on their property, they’re effectively taking on extra risk with no proof that the vendor understands the rules.

3. Insurance Is Becoming a Standard Vendor Requirement

These days, it’s common for venues to require all vendors to carry liability insurance — not just those serving alcohol. But when alcohol is in the mix, the expectations are even higher.

For catering companies and mobile bartending services, this usually includes:

• General liability insurance – for slip-and-fall or non-alcohol-related incidents
• Liquor liability insurance – for incidents tied directly to alcohol service

If your caterer is serving alcohol without proper liquor liability coverage, the venue may refuse to allow bar service at all. Some will cancel the event if the correct documents aren’t provided by a certain deadline.

4. Venues Want Predictable, Professional Partners

Venues know which vendors make their lives easier — and which ones cause problems.

Licensed, insured caterers tend to:

• Communicate clearly
• Understand venue policies and restrictions
• Provide the right documentation on time
• Train their staff in responsible service and event etiquette

For the venue, that translates to fewer surprises, fewer emergencies, and fewer headaches. So it makes perfect sense that they require (and prefer) vendors who treat events like a real, regulated business — not a side hustle.

5. What This Means for You as a Host

If you’re planning an event, especially one with alcohol:

• Expect your venue to require licensed, insured caterers and bartenders.
• Ask your bar/catering team upfront if they carry liquor liability insurance and can provide a certificate.
• Budget accordingly. Professionals with proper coverage may cost more than “friend of a friend” options — but the protection is worth it.

You’re not just paying for food and drinks; you’re paying for peace of mind.

Hosting with Confidence: We Literally Wrote the Book on It

If all of this feels a little overwhelming, you’re not alone. Social host liability, vendor insurance, venue requirements — it’s a lot to keep track of.

That’s exactly why we literally wrote the book on it.

Our eBook, Liquored and Liable: 3 Steps to Mitigating Criminal and Civil Social Host Liability when Serving Alcohol at Private Events, breaks this down in plain language and gives you three clear, practical steps to protect yourself when alcohol is part of your event.

Purchase our eBook here!

If you want to be the host with the most and the least liability, grab the eBook before your next event — and pour with confidence.