Why do you need someone with a license to sling drinks? I know some great bartenders from my drinking days, none of whom are licensed.

The Drink Link! Check them out on Instagram. They helped me with an event.

There's no such thing from a legal standpoint. Assuming you're paying taxes on the booze you buy to serve, not selling it, and not giving it to children, it doesn't matter who's pouring. If you're trying to do a cash bar, that gets into liquor licensing, which would be tied to the event or the space rather than the bartender.

That’s policy based on where I work, I don’t make the rules

Thanks for the lead!

This was a rough Google: https://www.chesapeakebartenders.com/bartenders-for-hire/

This is the correct answer - MD doesn't require bartenders to have licenses. You need to take care of taxes and liquor licenses if selling.

I don’t think a single bartender I know and trust is licensed. It’s not the sort of thing that is worth licensing