Title 25 — Alcoholic Beverages. [Enacted title]

(a) For the purposes of this title, the term: (1) “ABRA” means the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration established by § 25-202. (2) “ABRA Fund” means the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration Fund established by § 25-210. (2A) “Administrative review” means the pro…

(a) No person shall sell any alcoholic beverage in the District without having first obtained an appropriate license as required by this title. (b) No wholesaler or manufacturer located within the District shall offer any alcoholic beverage for sale to, or solicit orders for the …

(a) A physician, dentist, veterinarian, or person in charge of an institution regularly conducted as a hospital or sanatorium for the care of persons in ill health, or as a home devoted exclusively to the care of aged people, may administer alcoholic beverages to a patient in the…

(a) The Board may issue licenses to persons who meet the requirements set forth in this title. (b) All licenses issued under this title, except for a festival license or a temporary license issued under § 25-115, shall be valid for a term of 3 years and may be renewed upon comple…

(a) The following licenses shall be issued to manufacturers of alcoholic beverages: (1)(A) A manufacturer’s license, class A, shall authorize the licensee to: (i) Operate a rectifying plant, at the place therein described, for the manufacture of the products of rectification by p…

(a) A wholesaler’s license shall authorize the licensee to sell beverages from the establishment described to (1) another licensee under this title for resale; (2) a dealer licensed under the law of any state or territory of the United States for resale; and (3) in the case of be…

(a) An off-premises retailer’s license shall authorize the licensee to sell alcoholic beverages from the place described and to deliver the same in the barrel, keg, sealed bottle, or other closed container in which the same was received by the licensee, including the sale of grow…

(a)(1) On-premises retailer’s licenses shall be classified by the type of establishment licensed, as follows: restaurant, tavern, nightclub, hotel, club, multipurpose facility, and common carrier. (2) For each type of establishment listed in paragraph (1) of this section, there s…

(a) All license endorsements shall be placed on the applicant’s license. (b)(1) The licensee under a manufacturer’s license, class A or B, holding an on-site sales and consumption permit or a license, class C/R, D/R, C/H, D/H, C/T, and D/T, shall obtain an entertainment endorseme…

(a) A retailer’s license, class Arena C/X, shall be issued only for the DC Arena and shall permit the storage and sale of spirits, wine, and beer for consumption on the premises of the DC Arena. The license shall not permit the sale or dispensing of alcoholic beverages in unbroke…

(a) A temporary license shall authorize the licensee temporarily to sell or permit the consumption of alcoholic beverages at the specific premises described for consumption on the premises where sold. The license may be issued for a banquet, picnic, bazaar, fair, or similar publi…

A solicitor’s license shall authorize the licensee to sell any alcoholic beverage on behalf of the vendor whose name appears upon the license and whom the solicitor represents. A license shall be issued for only one vendor and a license shall be issued to the solicitor for each v…

(a) A brew pub permit shall authorize the licensee to brew malt beverages at one location for consumption at a licensed restaurant, tavern, multipurpose facility, hotel, or nightclub and for sale to licensed wholesalers for the purpose of resale to other licensees. The location u…

(a) A tasting permit shall be issued only to a licensee under a manufacturer’s license, class A or B, or a retailer’s license, class A or B, to utilize a portion of its licensed premises for the tasting of products as listed in subsection (c) of this section. (b) Containers of al…

(a) An importation permit shall authorize the licensee to import, transport, or cause to be imported or transported, alcoholic beverages into the District. An importation permit shall be issued to the licensee under a retailer’s license, class A, B, C, or D, and a pool buying age…

(a) A manager’s license shall authorize the licensee to manage a licensed business. (b) A licensee may be employed by one or more licensed businesses without further investigation, subject to compliance by the licensed businesses. (c) A manager’s license shall be valid for 2 year…

The Board shall approve providers of alcohol training and education certification programs for the purposes of: (1) The certification of managers licensed under § 25-120; and (2) Providing alcohol training and education to a licensee as a result of an order of the Board.

(a) A pool buying group shall be created in the following manner: (1) Prior to commencing operations, a pool buying group shall file with ABRA a copy of the agreement under which the pool buying group will operate. The ABRA shall review the agreement and, if the requirements of a…

(a) A farm winery retail license shall be issued to a farm winery to authorize the licensee to sell wine: (1) From the place described for consumption off-premises and to deliver the same in the sealed bottle or other closed container in which the same was received by the license…

(a) A wine pub permit shall authorize the licensee to manufacture wine at one location from grapes or fruit transported from an area that produces wine to the licensed restaurant, tavern, multipurpose facility, hotel, or nightclub for on-premises consumption and for sale to licen…

(a) A distillery pub permit shall authorize the licensee to manufacture, blend, rectify, and store distilled spirits at one location from fruits, grains, neutral grain spirits, or distilled spirits transported from an area that produces distilled spirits to the licensed restauran…

(a) The holder of a manufacturer’s license, class A or B, may apply for an onsite sales and consumption permit to use a portion of the licensed premises for the on-premises sale, service, and consumption of beer brewed by the brewery, wine manufactured by the winery, and beverage…

(a) A festival license shall authorize a licensee temporarily to sell, serve, and permit the consumption of alcoholic beverages at the specific premises described for consumption on the premises where sold; provided, that a festival license may be issued only for an event that in…

(a) A farmer’s market license shall authorize the licensee to permit the holder of a manufacturer’s license, class A or B, or brew pub permit, wine pub permit, or distillery pub permit to conduct tastings and sell beer, wine, and spirits manufactured by the licensee in the Distri…

(a) There is established an Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. The Board shall be composed of 7 members. The Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Council and according to the requirements set forth in § 25-206, shall nominate persons to serve on the Board. A nomination shall …

There is established an Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (“ABRA”) as an independent agency of the District to provide professional, technical, and administrative staff assistance to the Board in the performance of its functions. ABRA shall carry out its functions unde…

All positions, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, assessments, and other funds available or to be made available to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs relating to the duties and func…

All duties and responsibilities in respect to the regulation of alcoholic beverage control establishments that previously have been given to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, established by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1…

(a) This section shall be construed broadly to maximize public access to meetings. Exceptions to open meetings shall be construed narrowly. (b)(1) “For the purposes of this section, the term “meeting” means any gathering of a quorum of the members of the Board, including hearings…

(a) The Board shall maintain complete and accurate records of all action taken on: (1) Applications for licenses; and (2) Recommendations for, and remonstrances against, the granting of licenses. (b) The Board shall maintain the records in a manner readily accessible for inspecti…

(a) Each member of the Board shall be a resident of the District for at least 3 years immediately preceding his or her appointment and, during that period, have claimed a principal residence nowhere else. (b) No member of the Board shall hold any other full-time employment with t…

(a) The Board, with the advice and consent of the Council, shall appoint a Director of ABRA for a renewable 4-year term. The Director shall be removed by the Board for just and reasonable cause. (b) The Director shall organize the personnel and property transferred by § 25-203 an…

There shall be established within ABRA an Office of the General Counsel. The head of the office shall be the General Counsel, who shall be an attorney admitted to the practice of law in the District and who shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Mayor. The Gener…

The Director shall appoint an employee to be a community resource officer, who shall serve as the primary contact for members of the community, both residents and businesses, wishing to submit complaints or to protest a license. The community resource officer shall provide inform…

(a) There is established a fund designated as the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration Fund, which shall be separate from the General Fund of the District of Columbia. All funds obtained from alcoholic beverage licensing and permitting fees shall be deposited into the ABR…

(a)(1) Within 180 days after May 3, 2001, the Mayor shall issue conforming regulations necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this title. (2) The Mayor shall submit the proposed regulations to the Council for a 45-day period of review. The Council may approve the…

ABRA shall establish a new licensee orientation class that shall be available to licensees and the public at no charge. The class curriculum shall include the following: (1) A review of relevant provisions contained in both this title and Title 23 of the District of Columbia Muni…

(a) Before issuing, transferring to a new owner, or renewing a license, the Board shall determine that the applicant meets all of the following criteria: (1) The applicant is of good character and generally fit for the responsibilities of licensure. (2) The applicant is at least …

In the case of an application for a wholesaler’s license or for a retailer’s license of any class, except a temporary license, before issuing, transferring to a new owner, or renewing a license, the Board shall further determine that: (1) No manufacturer, wholesaler, or sharehold…

(a) Before issuing, transferring to a new owner, or renewing a license, the Board shall determine that the applicant is not disqualified because of a conflicting interest in another license, as follows: (1) No licensee under a manufacturer’s or wholesaler’s license shall hold a l…

(a) Unless expressly stated otherwise in this chapter, the applicant shall bear the burden of proving to the satisfaction of the Board that the establishment for which the license is sought is appropriate for the locality, section, or portion of the District where it is to be loc…

(a) The Board shall determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether the locality, section, or portion proposed by the applicant is a competent measure for determining the appropriateness of the establishment and, if not, shall identify the proper boundaries of the locality, section, …

(a) To qualify for issuance, renewal of a license, transfer of a license to a new location, or an application for the approval of a substantial change in operation as determined by the Board under § 25-404, an applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Board that the …

(a) In determining the appropriateness of an establishment for initial issuance of a license or a transfer of a license to a new location, the Board shall also consider the following: (1) The proximity of the establishment to schools, recreation centers, day care centers, public …

(a) If proper notice has been given, as provided in subchapter II of Chapter 4, and no objection to the appropriateness of the establishment is filed, the establishment shall be presumed to be appropriate for the locality, section, or portion of the District where it is located. …

(a) In determining the appropriateness of the transfer of a licensed establishment to a new owner, the Board shall consider only the applicant’s qualifications as set forth in § 25-301. (b) The Board shall not allow the transfer of the license of an establishment to a person agai…

(a) The Board shall consider an application to transfer a license to a new location according to the same standards and procedures as an application for an initial license and shall not presume appropriateness if a protest to the application is filed as set forth in Chapter 6. (b…

(a) The number of off-premises retailer’s licenses, class A, shall be no more than 250. (b) The number of off-premises retailer’s licenses, class B, shall be no more than 300. (c) The quotas set forth in this section shall have a prospective effect. (d) The quotas set forth in su…

(a)(1) After [May 1, 2013], the Board may issue new off-premises retailer’s class B licenses, if the Board finds that the number of retailer’s class B licenses is less than the quota set forth in § 25-331(b). A condition of the license shall be that the sale of alcoholic beverage…

(a) No new off-premises retailers license, class A, shall be issued for an establishment which is located within 400 feet from another establishment operating under an off-premises retailer’s license, class A. (b) No new off-premises retailers license, class B, shall be issued fo…