Frequently asked questions

A Location Check is an instant, automated preliminary screening of a site's TABC alcohol-permit distance requirements. It measures distances from your site to nearby religious institutions, public hospitals, schools, and designated day-care alcohol-free zones, and gives you a score with an explanation.

It is not a certified survey, a legal opinion, or a guarantee of permit approval. It's a preliminary eligibility estimate designed to catch problems early — before you sign a lease or file an application. PermitsDesk is a private software service, not a government agency.

Two methods, matched to the facility type. For religious institutions and public hospitals, distance is measured door to door. For schools and day-care alcohol-free zones, it's measured property line to property line.

Under the hood we use PostGIS geospatial queries against county parcel data, verified facility locations, and building-entrance data. Every measurement is drawn on an interactive map so you can see exactly what was measured.

Some situations don't resolve cleanly from data alone: a measurement that lands close to a threshold, an entrance we had to estimate, a facility whose status is uncertain (recently closed, relocated, or newly opened), or gaps in parcel data. In those cases the result carries an "estimated" or "manual review recommended" confidence level, and we suggest a professional review before you rely on it.

Our staff re-verify the facilities, entrances, parcels, and measurements around your site and prepare a written report. The target turnaround is 7 business days. To start the review we need your EIN document, the owner's driver license, and property-owner contact information — you'll be prompted to provide these when ordering, and the clock starts once everything is in.

After a 30-day free trial, the subscription is $29.99 per location per month with unlimited portal usage for each subscribed location. Optional services: Location Check review $599, new permit application $499, permit renewal $250. Adding permits you already hold is free. See Pricing for details — prices may be adjusted and promotional codes exist.

The trial gives you full access for 30 days with no charge. Cancel before it ends and you pay nothing. After the trial, you can cancel any time and won't be billed again. Adding or removing locations mid-cycle is prorated on your invoice.

Documents are encrypted at rest, stored privately outside any public web root, and are never publicly accessible. Downloads go through signed, expiring links, and access is limited to authorized members of your organization — with access logged. Sensitive items like EIN documents and driver licenses are treated with the same care.

Owners see everything across the organization — every location, permit, document, and invoice. Managers are assigned to specific locations and see only their assigned location's permits, warnings, and documents. You can add or remove managers at any time.

No — and be wary of anyone who promises that. Our service targets cover the work we control: preparing, submitting, tracking, and following up. Government agencies process applications on their own timelines, which vary by agency and workload and are separate from our targets. What we do is make sure nothing stalls on your side — no missing documents, no forgotten follow-ups, no missed renewal windows.