Downtown Kissimmee businesses must obtain a special city permit if they want to serve alcohol past midnight.
The change, part of Ordinance #25-09 approved unanimously by the Kissimmee City Commission in July, requires restaurants, microbreweries, tasting rooms, and specialty retail shops in the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area to apply for an After-Midnight Alcohol Sales Permit to operate between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m.
Without the permit, businesses must fully close at midnight. The annual permit costs $250, and enforcement falls under the Kissimmee Police Department, which also has the authority to suspend permits if safety concerns or incidents arise.
Some business owners have raised concerns that the earlier closing time could send late-night patrons to surrounding areas, while city leaders say the measure aims to balance nightlife with public safety and neighborhood livability.
The alcohol sales rule is the latest in a series of changes for downtown businesses. Just last month, commissioners approved updates to the city’s noise ordinance requiring bars and restaurants to lower music volumes during late-night hours.
