The Essex County Inn, Tavern and Retailer License Records consist mainly of lists submitted to the Massachusetts Court of General Sessions by the Selectmen of Essex County towns recommending persons for licensing as "taverners" and retailers of spirituous liquors.

Series I. Residents Approbated by Town Selectmen contains the recommendations submitted by Selectmen to the Court of General Sessions for licensing of taverners. These documents attest to an individual as "a person of sober life and conversation." The series also contains lists of citizens that were licensed in the previous year with recommendations for renewal or denial of their license. This series also includes affidavits attesting that individuals have taken the oath as required by law, signed oaths of licensed individuals and petitions filed by those denied approbation by the Selectmen. The records are arranged by town and date.

Series II. County Record Books of License Holders include ledgers of license holders for the entire county. These ledgers are arranged by date.

Series III. Other County Records include an undated transcript of lists of innholders and retailers of Essex County; invoices related to posting of notices and legal fees related to licensing; and the register of The Monomack, a hotel in Merrimac, Massachusetts for part of the year 1904. There is also a folder of miscellaneous documents which includes a list of sellers of tea dated July 1752; an invoice paid by the County of Essex for travel costs to attend the execution of Henry Blackburn; invoices related to doctors' and coroners' fees; court fees and recording fees at the Registry of Deeds; and an order from Oriental Insurance Company. These documents date from 1752 to 1842 and are arranged chronologically.