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The Chief Business Officer must approve all OOEFs with alcohol expenses.

Alcohol may not be the primary expenditure, which is defined as greater than the total food expenditure. If alcohol for an event is purchased separately from food, all event documentation must be provided before payment or reimbursement can be finalized to verify that costs are within policy. Alcohol costs in excess of 50% of the food total will not be paid or reimbursed. 

Alcohol expenses will not be reimbursed for breakfast or lunch meetings. Alcohol at dinner is reimbursable if the meeting or event is for recruitment, development or donors, or if distinguished guests attend.

Serving alcohol at events in a non-licensed venue will require a TABC-licensed caterer or bartender.  University employees should not serve alcohol unless it is part of their official job description.

Alcoholic beverages cannot be served on property owned or controlled by The University of Texas at Austin unless approval is received from the Executive Vice President & Provost's Office via the EVPP Alcohol Exception Request Portal. An event is "sponsored by the university" if a budgeted office, department, or division of the university is responsible for organizing the event, inviting attendees, and paying expenses related to the event (including when an outside entity pays for food and beverage). Meetings or events organized and presented by registered faculty, staff, or student organizations are not events sponsored by the university. Alcoholic beverages cannot be served at events with undergraduate students in attendance without approval of the Dean. 

This rule does not pertain to off-campus venues or the below venues located on campus:

Instructions for requesting an exception:

1. Submit an OOEF for your event, ensuring you have noted alcohol will be served.
2. Once the OOEF is approved and returned, the requestor must fill out the alcohol exception request form.
   1. Be sure to select Undergraduate Studies from the drop down menu as the unit who will review the exception request.
3. Upon submission, requestor will receive a confirmation email that includes the REQ #.
4. Once the review is complete, requestor will receive an email with the status (approved or declined).

At any time, reviewers and/or requestors can check the status of their exception requests at Alcohol Exception Request Status.   The submission date of each request is included.  This can be an aid to help you search your email for any requests that might have been overlooked and are needing review.  

The university is exempt from state sales tax and mixed beverage sales tax, so employees must provide the Texas Sales and Use Tax Exemption Certificate at the time of purchase. Restaurants and dine-in meals may charge sales tax, and these fees are reimbursable.

Departments who violate the alcohol policy limits and rules will be barred from serving alcohol for 12 months.  At the discretion of the Chief Business Officer and/or Dean, departments will be permanently barred if they continue to violate the alcohol policy.