If you sell alcohol in Austin, your signs are either working for you or working against your wallet. This guide spells out Austin 2026 TABC signage requirements for venues so you can post the right alcohol permit postings, put them in the right spots, get the right bilingual versions, and update them when your permit, ownership, or layout changes. You keep the drinks cold. We’ll keep you out of hot water.
TABC Signs You Actually Must Post
Texas does not mess around with alcohol rules, and TABC-required postings are not decorative. They’re legally required, inspector magnets, and the easiest fines you’ll ever avoid. Here’s what bars, restaurants, clubs, and tasting rooms with on-premises service in Austin must have up and visible.
Your TABC License Or Permit
Every licensed or permitted location has to display the current TABC license or permit where the public can see it. Front entry area, host stand, or near the primary point of sale works. If customers can see the cocktail list, they should be able to see your permit. Pro tip: frame it, keep it clean, and replace it when you renew so you are not flashing last year’s paperwork.
The Complaint Sign
Texas wants your customers to know how to complain about you. The official TABC Complaint Sign includes TABC’s contact info and must live in a prominent place customers naturally see, like the main entrance or at the register or bar POS. TABC’s current template is sized 8.5 x 3.5 inches. Use the official artwork so you are not guessing on wording. You can grab the current version from TABC and have us print it on durable stock so it does not curl like last week’s receipt. See the rule and template on the TABC Sign Requirements page: tabc.texas.gov/laws/sign_requirements.asp.
The Pregnancy Health Warning
If people drink on-site, the health risk warning that addresses drinking during pregnancy must be posted at the restroom egress. That means it belongs on each restroom exit door, visible as guests leave. TABC’s standard layout is typically 8.5 x 11 inches. Post one for each restroom that serves your patrons. Use the official English and Spanish version so no one debates wording during an inspection.
The Red 51 Percent Handgun Sign
If TABC classifies your business as a 51 percent location because you make 51 percent or more of revenue from on-premises alcohol sales and you do not have a Food and Beverage Certificate, you must post the red handgun warning sign at each public entrance. The numeral “51%” must be solid red, block style, and at least five inches high on a contrasting background. If your status flips above or below 51 percent, your signage changes with it. Do not confuse this with 30.06 or 30.07 signs, which are property-choice notices and not TABC-mandated. The 51 percent sign is mandatory if TABC says you are 51 percent.
Human Trafficking Awareness Sign
Certain TABC license and permit holders, including many on-premises locations without a Food and Beverage Certificate, must post the Human Trafficking Awareness sign where the public and staff can see it. TABC issued updated versions in 2022, and they provide English and Spanish artwork. If TABC changed your permit mix or you added or dropped an FB certificate, you might have turned this requirement on or off without realizing it. Get the current template and instructions from TABC: tabc.texas.gov/laws/sign_requirements.asp.
The 60-Day Application Notice
Opening a new spot, moving, or dealing with certain ownership changes? You probably owe the public a 60-day pre-licensing notice sign at the location. TABC uses this as part of the application process, and missing or misposting it can slow approvals. If the sign has to face the street, make it big enough and weatherproof. When in doubt, ask your TABC rep and post it early.
Placement And Size Specs
Inspectors are not shy about nitpicking placement or size. If a sign belongs at an entrance, it has to be visible before entry. If it belongs at restroom egress, it has to be seen when guests exit. Here’s how to nail the basics without turning your walls into a ransom note.
The license or permit should be publicly visible. Front of house wins every time. The Complaint Sign needs to be obvious in a point-of-decision zone like the entrance or the bar’s main POS. The Pregnancy Health Warning has to be on the outside of each restroom door so people leaving see it. The 51 percent sign must be at every public entrance, not just the front door. That includes a side patio gate customers use or a back entrance you opened to handle brunch lines. Human Trafficking signs must be conspicuous for customers and staff, and TABC’s official instructions will tell you if restrooms are required for your license type.
Size matters because the law literally specifies heights and layouts. The complaint sign is 8.5 x 3.5 inches. The health warning standard prints at 8.5 x 11 inches and uses TABC’s required colors and text. The 51 percent sign’s red numeral must be five inches high with the whole sign readable from a reasonable approach distance at the door. Use the official PDFs and do not freelance the copy or colors. If you need outdoor durability, we will match the template line-for-line and put it on UV-stable, scratch-resistant material so the red stays red and the inspector smiles for once.
| Required Sign | Who Needs It | Placement | Typical Size/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TABC License or Permit | All licensed premises | Publicly visible indoors | Current certificate, framed or protected |
| Complaint Sign | On-premises sale/service | Prominent spot like entrance or POS | 8.5 x 3.5 in, TABC template, English |
| Pregnancy Health Warning | On-premises consumption | Each restroom exit door | 8.5 x 11 in, English and Spanish |
| Red 51 Percent Sign | 51 percent locations without FB | Each public entrance | “51%” five inches high, red on contrast |
| Human Trafficking Sign | Certain permits, often without FB | Conspicuous to public and staff | Use TABC’s current bilingual template |
| 60-Day Application Notice | New, move, some ownership changes | Exterior, visible to public | As instructed by TABC for your case |
For the official specs and downloadable artwork, start at TABC’s Sign Requirements hub: tabc.texas.gov/laws/sign_requirements.asp. When TABC updates a sign, use the new version. They did this in 2022 for the Complaint and Human Trafficking signs, and inspectors still flag the old ones.
Bilingual Rules That Trip People Up
Some signs must be bilingual, some are English only, and guessing wrong gets expensive. The Pregnancy Health Warning and Human Trafficking signs require English and Spanish versions. The standard TABC art for these is set up bilingual or is available in both languages. The Complaint Sign, per the TABC template, is English only. The red 51 percent sign provided by TABC uses a bilingual layout, which is what you should post if your business is a 51 percent location. If you are ever unsure, you do not rewrite the sign. You use the official PDF from TABC and put it where TABC says it goes.
What Triggers Sign Updates?
Think of your required postings like your menu. When your business changes, so do the signs. Here are the events that typically flip requirements on or off.
Permit changes or ownership changes are the biggest trigger. Say you had a Restaurant Mixed Beverage Permit with a Food and Beverage Certificate and you drop the FB certificate. Your 51 percent status could change and the Human Trafficking sign may become required again. Or you add an FB certificate and your 51 percent sign might go away. Either way, the day your paperwork changes is the day your signage plan changes.
Revenue changes matter because TABC sets 51 percent status by revenue from on-premises alcohol sales. If a bar pivots into a food-forward concept and falls below the threshold, TABC may remove 51 percent status and you must remove the red sign from entrances. If your menu swings back to heavy pours and late-night sales climb, 51 percent status can kick back in, and so must your red signs. Do not self-declare. Check your TABC status and follow their direction.
Floor plan changes quietly cause a lot of violations. If you add a side patio gate for weekend crowds, that is a public entrance now. Each entrance requires the 51 percent sign if you are a 51 percent location. Split a restroom into two single-occupants? That is two restroom exits that each need the Pregnancy Health Warning. Remodels, expansions, new patio doors, and reconfigured restrooms should always trigger a quick signage audit.
Regulatory updates are not frequent, but they matter. In 2022, TABC rolled out updated Complaint and Human Trafficking signs and told the industry to switch. Using the old version after an update is treated like not posting at all. Subscribe to TABC industry notices, and when they refresh a sign, print the new art the same week. You can find updates at tabc.texas.gov/news/articles/industry-notice-new-required-signs-2022/.
Common Mistakes Inspectors Catch
We print for hundreds of Austin venues each year, and we see the same five facepalm mistakes over and over. Fix these and you’ll make your next inspection boring, which is the goal.
Old versions of required signs are still up months or years after TABC updates them. If your Complaint Sign includes an outdated URL or phone number, it has to go. Tiny or homemade 51 percent signs on flimsy paper get people cited. The numeral has to be at least five inches high and the whole sign must be visible before you cross the threshold. Restroom pregnancy warnings posted inside the stall are wrong. They belong on the exit door where guests are leaving, not where they are scrolling their phones.
Entrances without required postings happen when teams forget about patio gates and service doors that guests now use. If customers use it, it is a public entrance. Missing Human Trafficking signs are common after ownership or certificate changes. If you are unsure whether your permit mix requires it, check TABC or ask us to review your permits and we will point you to the right TABC page for confirmation.
Compliance Checklist For 2026
Do a quick lap around your space with this in hand and fix what needs fixing before your next busy weekend:
- Is your current TABC license or permit posted where customers can see it?
- Is the official TABC Complaint Sign posted near the entrance or at the POS and sized 8.5 x 3.5 inches?
- Are Pregnancy Health Warnings on every restroom exit door in English and Spanish?
- If you are a 51 percent business, is the red 51 percent sign at every public entrance with “51%” five inches high?
- If your permits require it, is the Human Trafficking sign posted with the current TABC artwork?
- Did you add or remove entrances, or change restroom layouts, and move or add signs accordingly?
- Did any permits, ownership details, or your FB certificate change this year, and did you update signs the same week?
Ordering Compliant Signs In Austin
You can print basic TABC signs from PDFs, but inspectors do not love sun-faded paper curling off your glass door. We produce TABC-compliant signs that match the official layouts at the correct sizes on durable material. For the 51 percent sign, that means rigid aluminum or thick acrylic with high-contrast red, UV-stable inks, and pre-drilled holes so it mounts clean at every entrance. For restrooms, we recommend PVC or polycarbonate with vandal-resistant hardware. For the Complaint Sign, we stock premium adhesive backers so it stays put near your POS without peeling when the barback wipes it down for the tenth time tonight.
Need the 60-day application notice outside while you build out? We print big, legible versions that survive Austin sun, wind, and surprise thunderstorms. We also offer quick-turn installs, curbside pickup, and templated bundles so a new restaurant can grab every required posting in one go without piecing it together from random printouts.
If your permit mix is unusual, we will walk your floor plan, review the official TABC Sign Requirements page with you, and map locations for each posting. We can also build a sign map you keep on file, so if staff moves anything during a shift, your next manager sees exactly where it goes back.
FAQs
Do I need the red 51 percent sign?
Only if TABC classifies your business as a 51 percent location based on revenue from on-premises alcohol sales and you do not have a Food and Beverage Certificate. TABC tells you your status. If you are 51 percent, the red sign is mandatory at each entrance. If you are not 51 percent, you do not post it.
Where exactly should I put the Complaint Sign?
Post it in a prominent spot customers naturally see, like near the main entrance or at the cash register or bar POS. Do not hide it behind tip jars or tap handles. Use the current 8.5 x 3.5 inch TABC template in English.
Does the Pregnancy Health Warning go inside the bathroom?
It belongs on the exit side of each restroom door so people see it when they leave. Posting it inside stalls or on interior walls does not meet TABC’s placement guidance for on-premises consumption locations.
Which signs have to be bilingual?
The Pregnancy Health Warning and the Human Trafficking Awareness signs require English and Spanish versions. TABC’s official art covers that. The Complaint Sign is English only per the current TABC template. The 51 percent sign provided by TABC uses a bilingual layout and should be posted as provided if your business is 51 percent.
We added a patio gate for weekend traffic. Do I need to post another 51 percent sign?
If customers use that gate as an entrance and you are a 51 percent business, yes. The red 51 percent sign has to be at each public entrance, not just the front door. Same rule if you add a host-controlled side entrance for events.
If we get a Food and Beverage Certificate, can we remove the 51 percent and Human Trafficking signs?
An FB certificate can change your required postings. Many restaurants with FB are not 51 percent, so the red sign is not required. The Human Trafficking requirement also depends on your exact permits and whether you hold FB. Always verify on TABC’s Sign Requirements page or with your TABC representative before removing anything.
Are 30.06 or 30.07 handgun signs required by TABC?
No. Those are property-choice notices under Texas law if you want to prohibit licensed carry on non-51 percent premises. The only handgun sign TABC mandates is the red 51 percent sign for 51 percent locations. Do not substitute 30.06 or 30.07 for the red sign.
What happens if TABC updates a sign template?
You replace yours with the new version. TABC updated the Complaint and Human Trafficking signs in 2022 and expects businesses to use the current artwork. Inspectors can treat old versions like missing signage. Always download from the official page at tabc.texas.gov/laws/sign_requirements.asp.
Can I design my own signs if I match the wording?
For required postings, do not rewrite anything. Use TABC’s official PDFs to make sure text, language, layout, and size are correct. If you need different materials or sizing for durability, we will reproduce the official art exactly at the correct scale on compliant materials.
Smart Moves For Staying Compliant
Set a yearly calendar reminder to audit signage the same week you prep for permit renewal. Keep a digital folder with your current sign PDFs from TABC. When you remodel, add a door, or change permits, add a five-minute sign review to the project checklist. Store a printed site map that marks exactly where every required sign goes so closers and openers can verify placement. And make one manager the signage owner so it is not a group project that never gets graded.
If you want backup, we offer a quick signage audit service for Austin venues that have on-premises permits. We check your posted signs against the current TABC requirements, flag what is missing or outdated, and print-install the fixes. You get photos and a simple placement diagram for your records. It is cheaper than a citation and way less annoying than arguing with an inspector about font sizes.
Here are the official places to verify everything you read here and download the current artwork straight from TABC:
TABC Sign Requirements
TABC Industry Notice About New Required Signs
TABC Retailer Resources
If your bar or restaurant is in Austin and you need compliant signs that do not look like they were printed in a hurry on the office inkjet, we have you covered. We match the TABC templates, we know the placements, and we install fast. You keep pouring. We will keep the inspectors happy.