Title 5, Alcoholic Beverages

1. Before a supplier may engage in the sale or shipment of alcoholic beverages to a licensed North Dakota wholesaler, that supplier must first procure a supplier license from the state tax commissioner. 2. For any month in which a licensed supplier has made sales to a North Dakot…

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Agreement" means one or more of the following: a. A commercial relationship between a licensed beer wholesaler and a licensed brewer of a definite or indefinite duration which is not required to be evidenced in w…

A brewer may not: 1. Induce or coerce, or attempt to induce or coerce, a beer wholesaler to accept delivery of an alcoholic beverage or other commodity which has not been ordered by the beer wholesaler. 2. Induce or coerce, or attempt to induce or coerce, a beer wholesaler to ent…

No brewer who designates a sales territory for which a wholesaler shall be primarily responsible shall enter into an additional agreement with any other beer wholesaler for its brand or brands of beer in the same territory. No wholesaler may deliver beer to a retail account outsi…

Notwithstanding the terms, provisions, or conditions of any agreement, no brewer may amend, cancel, terminate, or refuse to renew any agreement, or cause a wholesaler to resign from an agreement, unless good cause exists for amendment, termination, cancellation, nonrenewal, nonco…

Except as otherwise provided in this section, a brewer shall provide a wholesaler with at least ninety days prior written notice of any intent to amend, terminate, cancel, or not renew any agreement. The notice must state all the reasons for the intended amendment, termination, c…

No brewer may unreasonably withhold consent to any assignment, transfer, or sale of the wholesaler's business whenever the wholesaler to be substituted meets the material and reasonable qualifications and standards required of the brewer's wholesalers. No brewer may unreasonably …

1. Any brewer which amends, cancels, terminates, or refuses to renew any beer agreement, or causes a wholesaler to resign from an agreement, unless for "good cause" as defined by section 5-04-04, or which unreasonably withholds consent to any assignment, transfer, or sale of a wh…

If a brewer engages in conduct prohibited under this chapter, a wholesaler, with whom the brewer has an agreement pursuant to this chapter, may maintain a suit against the brewer. The venue of any legal action taken under this section, or pursuant to a dispute arising out of an a…

No brewer, whether by means of a term or condition of an agreement or otherwise, may fix or maintain the price at which the wholesaler sells any alcoholic beverage.

A brewer may not take retaliatory action against a wholesaler who files or manifests an intention to file a complaint of alleged violation of state or federal law or regulation by the brewer with the appropriate state or federal regulatory authority. "Retaliatory action" includes…

No brewer may require or prohibit any change in management or personnel of any wholesaler unless the current or potential management or personnel fails to meet essential, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory requirements.

No brewer may discriminate among its North Dakota wholesalers in the price of beer sold to the North Dakota wholesalers or in price promotions. No wholesaler may refuse to sell to any licensed alcoholic beverage retailer in its sales territory. No wholesaler may discriminate amon…

No brewer may require any wholesaler to waive compliance with any provision of this chapter. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to limit or prohibit good-faith dispute settlements voluntarily entered into by the parties. However, no provision of any written agreement may re…

Except for good cause, as defined by section 5-04-04, the purchase of a brewer as defined in section 5-04-01 shall obligate the purchaser to all terms and conditions of the agreement in effect on the date of purchase. "Purchase", for the purposes of this chapter, includes the sal…

The provisions of this chapter cover agreements in existence on July 1, 1981, as well as agreements entered into after July 1, 1981.

No brewer or wholesaler may restrict or inhibit, directly or indirectly, the right of free association among brewers or wholesalers for any lawful purpose.

The provisions of this chapter apply in any instances when the provisions of this chapter conflict with the unfair practice provisions of title 51.

Different categories of products manufactured and marketed under a common identifying trade name are the same brand. For example, "old faithful" includes "old faithful", "old faithful light", "old faithful draft", "old faithful dry", and other products identified principally by t…