District of Columbia Administrative Code

308 GLOVER PARK MORATORIUM ZONE 308.1 No new retailer’s license class CT, CN, CX, DN, DT, or DX shall be issued for a period of three (3) years from the effective date of this section in the area that extends approximately one thousand two hundred feet (1,200 ft.) in all directio…

309 NEW RETAILER'S LICENSE CLASS B MORATORIUM 309.1 Nothing in D.C. Official Code § 25-332 shall prohibit the issuance of a license for any place for which a Retailer's license Class B has been issued or may be issued, if the license is in effect on the date the application is fi…

310 H STREET MORATORIUM ZONE [EXPIRED] 310.1 The H Street Moratorium Zone shall consist of both sides of the street on H Street, N.E., between and including the 700 block of H Street, N.E., and the 1400 block of H Street, N.E. 310.2 Within the H Street Moratorium Zone, a licensee…

311 GATEWAY/LANGDON PARK MORATORIUM ZONE 311.1 The number of retailer’s licenses class CN and DN permitted in the Gateway/Langdon Park Moratorium Zone, which extends approximately six hundred feet (600 ft.) in all directions from 2135 Queens Chapel Road, N.E., as specifically dep…

312 NORTH SHAW MORATORIUM ZONE 312.1 No application for a new Retailer’s Class CN, DN, CT, DT, CX, or DX license shall be approved or issued in the area extending approximately six hundred feet (600 ft.) in all directions from 1909 9th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20001, the spec…

400 APPROPRIATENESS REQUIREMENTS 400.1 For purposes of establishing the appropriateness of the establishment under D.C. Official Code § 25-313(b)(1) through (3), the applicant shall present to the Board such evidence and argument as would lead a reasonable person to conclude the …

401 DENIAL OF LICENSE FOR VIOLATIONS OF LAW 401.1 The Board may deny a license to an applicant if evidence shows that the applicant has permitted at the establishment conduct which is in violation of this title. SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 4947 (June 24, 1988); a…

402 BOARD CHECK SHEET 402.1 The Board check sheet to be made available to the public and considered by the Board in renewing a license shall contain the following information: (a) A compliance check of the establishment involving ABC laws and regulations; (b) Verification that th…

403 PROHIBITED BUSINESS INTERESTS 403.1 The spouse of an ABC license holder may apply for a separate ABC license if he or she can establish that the conflict provisions of D.C. Official Code § 25-303 will not be violated. Specifically, in applying for a license the spouse not hol…

404 CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY AND PERMITS 404.1 No license, except a Solicitor's license, Manager's license, or Caterer's license shall be issued to any person unless that person is the holder of a valid certificate of occupancy for the premises in which the business for which the…

405 LICENSE APPROVAL BEFORE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY 405.1 The Board is authorized, in its discretion, to approve the granting of a license, subject to all other requirements of this title, to an applicant prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the bu…

500 APPLICATION FORMAT AND CONTENTS 500.1 The Board shall not accept as filed, and shall take no action upon, any application that is not complete. 500.2 The Board may deem an application abandoned or withdrawn if an applicant fails to provide all of the documents required to pro…

501 REQUIRED STATEMENTS 501.1 An applicant for any license, except a Solicitor's license, or Manager's license shall submit two (2) statements, in such form as the Board shall require, as to the following: (a) The applicant is the true and actual owner of the business for which t…

502 POLICE CLEARANCE 502.1 Each individual applicant for a license under this title and each manager of a licensed business who sells, gives, furnishes, or distributes any alcoholic beverage shall obtain a police clearance from the Metropolitan Police Department. 502.2 Each indiv…

503 AMENDMENT BEFORE MAKING SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES 503.1 The Board may fine, revoke, and suspend a license, or deny a pending application for renewal of a license, when a license holder has been found to have made a substantial change in its operations as described in D.C. Official …

504 DENIED OR WITHDRAWN APPLICATIONS 504.1 The service charge fee for processing an application which has been denied or withdrawn shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for a proprietorship, two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for a partnership, and three hundred fifty dollars (…

505 ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING 505.1 An applicant for a new off-premises retailer’s license, class B, that meets the definition of a full-service grocery store (hereinafter referred to as a “full-service grocery store”) shall submit with their application an architectural drawing of t…

600 TRADE NAMES AND CORPORATE NAMES 600.1 No person licensed under the Act shall use any name other than that of an individual licensee or licensees, including a corporate or trade name, without first obtaining approval from the Board for use of the corporate or trade name. 600.2…

601 CORPORATE AND PARTNERSHIP CHANGES 601.1 If there is a change in corporate officers, directors, limited or general partners in a partnership, or persons owning or controlling ten percent (10%) or more of the common stock of the corporate license, the corporation or partnership…

602 LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CHANGES 602.1 The Board shall only approve as a member or managing member of a limited liability company an owner owning more than zero percent (0%) for purposes of recognizing applicants or licensees. 602.2 Nothing in this section shall prevent an i…

700 INSTRUCTIONS TO LICENSEES 700.1 The Board shall develop and furnish to licensees, at the time of issuance of a license, written information describing the laws and rules applicable to the licensee's day-to-day operations. 700.2 Applications shall also be made available on the…

701 POSTING OF LEGAL DRINKING AGE AND IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENT 701.1 The notice required to be posted by the applicant pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 25-713, which must state the current legal drinking age and the requirement of patrons to produce a valid identification displ…

702 USE OF CLASS CX AND DX CLUBS BY NON-MEMBERS 702.1 A club may, without losing its character as a club, grant permission to a member of the club to engage the club property and facilities for the use of an organization, association, or committee of which the club member is also…

703 [REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 51 DCR 4309 (April 30, 2004); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 55 DCR 12991 (December 26, 2008 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 66 DCR 1822 (February 8, 2019); as amended by Final Rulemaking pub…

704 SURRENDER OF LICENSE 704.1 A license required to be in safekeeping pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 25-791 may be placed in safekeeping by either the Board or the licensee. A request by the licensee to place the license in safekeeping shall be in writing and must state: (1) t…

705 HOURS OF SALE AND DELIVERY FOR OFF-PREMISES RETAIL LICENSEES 705.1 [REPEALED]. 705.2 The Board may, by written order, further limit the hours of sale and deliver set forth in D.C. Official Code § 25-722 on a case-by-case basis upon conclusion of a protest hearing or through B…

706 LOCKING OF BEVERAGES DURING NON-SALE HOURS 706.1 No holder of a Retailer’s license Class A, B, C, or D who offers for sale on the licensed premises commodities other than alcoholic beverages shall remain open during hours when the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited unl…

707 MANAGER'S LICENSE 707.1 An owner or the Board-approved manager shall be present at the licensed establishment during the hours in which alcoholic beverages may be sold, served, or consumed on the licensed premises. 707.2 Notwithstanding the requirements in § 707.1, neither th…

708 DISPOSAL OF REMAINING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES 708.1 The holder of a Retailer's license who has had its license not renewed, revoked, or is going out of business may obtain approval from the Board to sell and transport alcoholic beverages back to the holder(s) of a District of Col…

709 NOTICE OF CRIMINAL CONVICTION 709.1 A licensee shall immediately notify the Board in writing if the licensee discovers that a Board-approved manager, owner, or solicitor has been convicted of an offense other than a minor traffic offense; except, that there shall be no notifi…

710 MINIMUM CHARGE 710.1 As used in this section, the phrase "minimum charge" means a price or fee imposed by a licensee on a patron or individual for food and/or beverages, either at the point of entrance to an establishment or at the point of service of food and/or beverages wi…

711 [REPEALED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 4947 (June 24, 1988); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 51 DCR 4309 (April 30, 2004); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 55 DCR 12991 (December 26, 2008 – Part 2); as amended by Final Rulemaking publis…

712 PUB CRAWLS 712.1 A promoter/organizer (“Promoter/Organizer” or “Applicant”) of a “pub crawl” shall be required to obtain a pub crawl license. The Promoter/Organizer shall submit an application for a pub crawl license that contains a Pub Crawl Event Form for each pub crawl eve…

713 STREET FESTIVALS 713.1 The holder of a Retailer's license Class CR or Class DR who is participating in a street festival may apply to the Board for a one-day substantial change on a form provided by the Board to serve alcoholic beverages on public space rented by the licensee…

714 OUTDOOR EVENTS ON PUBLIC SPACE 714.1 The holder of an on-premises Retailer's license may file a one-day substantial change application with the Board to receive permission to serve or sell alcoholic beverages on public space for a specific event that may involve a temporary s…

715 OUTDOOR EVENTS ON PRIVATE SPACE 715.1 The holder of an on-premises Retailer's license may file a one-day substantial change application with the Board to receive permission to serve or sell alcoholic beverages on private space other than the licensed premises. 715.2 The one-d…

716 ONE DAY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES 716.1 The holder of an on-premises retailer’s license or manufacturer’s license may file a one-day substantial change request with the Board to: (a) sell or serve alcoholic beverages; (b) provide entertainment; (c) extend its hours of operation; (d…

717 CORKING FEE 717.1 The holder of an on-premises retailer, temporary, or festival license may permit a patron to bring to and consume on the licensed premises an alcoholic beverage that the licensee is permitted to sell or serve under its license; provided that, the alcoholic b…

718 REIMBURSABLE DETAIL SUBSIDY PROGRAM 718.1 This section sets forth the procedures for receiving reimbursement from ABRA under the subsidy program for monies paid to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) by licensees for the hiring of MPD officers to work a reimbursable deta…

719 POSTING OF WARNING SIGN The holder of a retailer’s license shall post in a conspicuous place, a warning sign which covers: (1) the dangers of drinking and driving, (2) the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and (3) the current legal drinking age and a patron’s o…

720 PUBLIC SAFETY PLAN REQUIREMENTS 720.1 An on-premise licensee shall be required to submit a public safety plan to ABRA in order to sell and serve alcoholic beverages and operate during the extended hours set forth in D.C. Official Code § 25-723(c)(1). 720.2 A public safety pla…

721 BOTTLE SERVICE 721.1 The holder of an on-premises retailer's license shall be permitted to provide bottle service of alcoholic beverages to one (1) or more seated patrons. 721.2 A licensee may serve a bucket filled with containers of beer to one (1) or more seated patrons. 72…

722 SELF-SERVICE MACHINES 722.1 No licensed establishment shall allow self-service machines to be used on the licensed premises without first complying with this section. 722.2 Any person who the licensed establishment has determined is at least twenty-one (21) years of age may p…

800 ABRA CIVIL PENALTY SCHEDULE 800.1 Section Description Violation Warning 25-110 Violating Terms of Manufacturer's License Primary Y 25-111 Violating Terms of Wholesaler's License Primary Y 25-112(a)-(c) Violating Terms of Off-Premise Retailer's License Primary Y 25-112(b) Know…

801 PRIMARY TIER VIOLATIONS 801.1 The Board may fine a licensee for a primary tier violation at a show cause hearing scheduled pursuant to the notice requirements set forth in § 1604 as follows: (a) For the first primary tier violation, the fine shall be $ 1000-$ 2000. (b) For th…

802 SECONDARY TIER VIOLATIONS 802.1 The Board may fine a licensee for a secondary tier violation at a show cause hearing scheduled pursuant to the notice requirements set forth in § 1604 as follows: (A) For the first secondary tier violation, $250-$500. (B) For the second seconda…

803 CITATIONS FOR PRIMARY TIER VIOLATIONS 803.1 ABRA investigators or Metropolitan Police Department Officers (“MPD Officer”) shall issue citations, pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 25-801(b), for primary tier violations as follows: (a) For the first primary tier violation, the f…

804 CITATIONS FOR SECONDARY TIER VIOLATIONS 804.1 ABRA investigators or MPD Officers shall issue citations, pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 25-801(b), for secondary tier violations as follows: (A) For the first secondary tier violation, the fine shall be $250. (B) For the second…

805 WARNINGS 805.1 An ABRA investigator or MPD Officer is not precluded from issuing an administrative written warning before the issuance of a citation for a violation as permitted by § 800 of this title. 805.2 In not less than ten (10) business days following the issuance of an…

806 CITATION APPEALS 806.1 A licensee may challenge the issuance of a citation issued by an ABRA Investigator or MPD Officer by requesting in writing a show cause hearing before the Board. The written request for a show cause hearing must be received by ABRA within thirty (30) da…