Washington Administrative Code

Following is a list of reasons a temporary permit may not be issued or can be revoked. Per RCW 66.24.010, the board has broad discretionary authority to approve or deny a liquor license or permit application. Refusal by the board to issue or extend a temporary license shall not e…

Following is a list of reasons the board may deny a liquor license application. Per RCW 66.24.010, the board has broad discretionary authority to approve or deny a liquor license or permit application.(1) Failure to meet qualifications or requirements for the specific liquor lice…

If the board denies a liquor license application, the applicants may:(1) Request an administrative hearing per chapter 34.05 RCW, the Administrative Procedure Act.(2) Not apply for any license for one year from the date of the board's final order. Exceptions may be granted on a c…

(1) Licensees must receive prior board approval before making any of the following ownership changes (see WAC 314-07-035 for the definition of "true party of interest"):Type of changeType of applicationFeeChange in the qualifying persons in a: Sole proprietorship, general partner…

(1) Changing your liquor license to a new location requires an application, per the process outlined in WAC 314-07-015(2).(2) Type of change of location application:Submit a change of location application and pay a $112.50 fee if:Submit a new liquor license application and pay th…

(1) If you wish to change the name of your business, you must apply for a change of trade name with the department of revenue, business license service.(2) If you wish to amend your corporation or limited liability company name, you must apply for a change of name through the sec…

You must notify the board's enforcement and education division if you plan to stop liquor sales for more than thirty days, or if you plan to permanently discontinue liquor sales.[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030 and 66.24.010. WSR 15-11-106, § 314-07-095, filed 5/20/15, effecti…

(1) The appointed guardian, executor, administrator, receiver, trustee, or assignee must notify the board's licensing and regulation division in the event of the death, incapacity, receivership, bankruptcy, or assignment for benefit of creditors of any licensee.(2) Subject to a c…

When a license is suspended, revoked, or canceled, or the licensed business is discontinued, the unused portion of the liquor license fee will not be refunded. There are two exceptions:(1) Per RCW 66.24.420 (1)(b), a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant that is located in an uninco…

Per RCW 66.24.010(2), the board may delegate to designated staff members, in writing, the authority to approve unopposed or uncontested license applications.[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030, 66.24.010, 66.24.015, and 66.24.025. WSR 05-07-012, § 314-07-120, filed 3/4/05, effect…

(1) The board may delegate to the licensing and regulation division director the authority to make initial threshold determinations on liquor license applications and renewals where:(a) Objections have been submitted; or(b) The applicant/licensee appears to be ineligible for a li…

The purpose of chapter 314-09 WAC is to outline:(1) The process for persons, entities, and governmental jurisdictions to object to the issuance or renewal of a liquor license or permit; and(2) An applicant or licensee's options when their liquor license or permit is denied or act…

(1) How can persons, entities, and governmental jurisdictions object to the issuance of a liquor license or permit? Per RCW 66.24.010 (8) and (9), the board will notify certain entities of the following types of annual or special occasion liquor license or permit applications. In…

(1) How can local governmental jurisdictions object to the renewal of a liquor license?(a) The board will give governmental jurisdictions approximately ninety days written notice of premises that hold annual liquor licenses in that jurisdiction that are up for renewal.(b) Per RCW…

(1) The liquor and cannabis board shall regulate all sales and distribution of tobacco products pursuant to chapter 507, Laws of 1993. The liquor and cannabis board shall report all tobacco enforcement activity in a manner agreed by the department of health and the liquor and can…

(1) Tobacco licensees who do not hold a liquor license and use a mechanical dispensing machine (vending machine) must provide to the board a listing denoting the address and specific location of each tobacco vending machine.(2) The tobacco licensee with a vending machine(s) must …

(1) Any employee can sell and handle tobacco products when:(a) The business has a cigarette retailer's license; or(b) The business has registered with the department of revenue; and(c) There is a supervising employee who is eighteen years of age or older on the retail premises.(2…

(1) Any person whom a peace officer or enforcement officer has reasonable grounds to believe is under 18 years of age who purchases or attempts to purchase, or attempts to obtain or obtains tobacco products may be detained for a reasonable period of time and in such a reasonable …

No person, including parents or legal guardians of persons under 18 years of age may authorize any minor to purchase or obtain tobacco products.[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030. WSR 93-23-016, § 314-10-080, filed 11/5/93, effective 12/6/93.]

(1) No person may engage in providing samples of tobacco products other than cigarettes within Washington state.(2) No person may engage in providing samples of cigarettes without a valid sampler's license. A firm contracting with a tobacco manufacturer to distribute samples of a…

(1) The cigarette sampler's license entitles the licensee, and employees or agents of the licensee, to distribute samples at any lawful location in the state during the term of the license. The person engaged in sampling shall carry the Class T1 or T2 license or a copy of the lic…

(1) The liquor and cannabis board may suspend or revoke a retailer's or sampler's license for violation of the board's administrative rules governing tobacco. Further, the board may impose a monetary penalty in lieu of license suspension for violation of said rules not covered by…

Chapter 314-11 WAC outlines general requirements for liquor licensees, including:(1) Licensee areas of responsibility;(2) Restrictions against alcohol service to persons under twenty-one years of age and apparently intoxicated persons;(3) Persons under twenty-one years of age ent…

(1)(a) Liquor licensees are responsible for the operation of their licensed premises in compliance with the liquor laws and rules of the board (Title 66 RCW and Title 314 WAC). Any violations committed or permitted by employees will be treated by the board as violations committed…

(1) Per RCW 66.44.270, licensees or employees may not supply liquor to any person under 21 years of age, either for their own use or for the use of any other person.(2) Per RCW 66.44.310, licensees or employees may not allow persons under 21 years of age to remain in any premises…

(1) Acceptable forms of identification to verify a person's age for the purpose of selling, serving, or allowing a person to possess or consume alcohol must include:(a) The identification holder's photo;(b) The identification holder's date of birth; and(c) The identification hold…

(1) Per RCW 66.20.190 and 66.20.210, if a patron presents proper identification as outlined in WAC 314-11-025 but the licensee or employee still has doubts about the patron's age, the licensee or employee may require the patron to sign a certification card. Certification cards ar…

Per RCW 66.44.200, licensees or employees may not supply liquor to any person apparently under the influence of liquor, or allow an apparently intoxicated person to possess or consume liquor on the licensed premises.[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030, 66.28.100, 66.28.040, 66.28…

A person must be 21 years of age or older to be employed in the sale, handling, or service of liquor, except as provided in this chapter.(1) Per RCW 66.44.340 and RCW 66.44.350, persons between 18 and 21 years of age may perform the following duties: Duties 18, 19, and 20 year ol…

Per RCW 66.44.316 and 66.44.318, musicians, disc jockeys, and sound or lighting technicians paid by the licensee who are eighteen, nineteen, or twenty years of age may work in a licensed premises or a portion of a licensed premises that is restricted to persons twenty-one years o…

On all portions of the premises where alcohol is served or consumed, licensees must maintain sufficient lighting so that identification may be checked and patrons may be observed for the enforcement of liquor laws and rules.[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030, 66.28.100, 66.28.04…

(1) Notices regarding persons under twenty-one years of age must be posted on the premises as follows:Type of licenseeSign must contain the following language:Required location of signTavern licensees and spirits, beer, and wine licensees who do not allow persons under twenty-one…

(1) Licensees may only possess and allow persons to consume or possess the type of liquor permitted by the type of liquor license held on the premises; except:(a) Under authority of a banquet permit (see chapter 314-18 WAC);(b) Restaurant licensees may allow patrons to bring wine…

(1) Between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., licensees or employees may not:(a) Sell liquor,(b) Offer liquor for sale,(c) Deliver liquor (except that beer and/or wine distributors may deliver beer and/or wine to retail licensees between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.),(d) Permit t…

Unless otherwise approved by the board, a retail licensed premises must be open to the general public whenever liquor is sold, served, or consumed.[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030, 66.28.100, 66.28.040, 66.28.090, 66.44.010, 66.44.070, 66.44.200, 66.44.270, 66.44.291, 66.44.29…

Liquor licensees or employees may not:(a) Tamper, dilute, or fortify any bottle of spirituous liquor;(b) Sell or serve any spirituous liquor, beer, or wine other than ordered; or(c) Substitute a nonalcoholic beverage when an alcoholic beverage has been ordered (see WAC 314-11-035…

(1) Liquor licensees must sell beer, wine, and spirits at or above the licensee's acquisition cost.(2) An exception to this requirement is that on-premises retail licensees may give a customer a drink free of charge under limited circumstances, such as a customer's birthday or to…

Per RCW 66.28.090, the following must be available to inspection at all times by the board and any law enforcement officer:(1) The licensed premises and any premises connected physically or otherwise to the licensed business;(2) Records as outlined in WAC 314-11-095; and(3) Liquo…

Licensees are responsible to keep records that clearly reflect all financial transactions and the financial condition of the business.(1) All industry members and retailers shall keep and maintain the following records on their premises for a three-year period and the records mus…

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 314-12-140, persons licensed under RCW 66.24.200 as wine distributors and persons licensed under RCW 66.24.250 as beer distributors may sell at wholesale nonliquor food products on thirty days' credit terms to retailers. Complete and sepa…

Under the provisions of RCW 66.08.030(20), liquor enforcement officers and other peace officers are authorized to seize, confiscate, destroy or otherwise dispose of any liquor that is manufactured, sold, or offered for sale within the state in violation of the provisions of Title…

(1) Per RCW 66.08.030(20) and chapter 66.32 RCW, the board may destroy lawfully seized liquor under the following conditions:(a) The board must maintain a record of the type, brand, and amount of liquor seized for at least one year.(b) The lawfully seized liquor may be destroyed …

Under the provisions of chapter 66.32 RCW, government agencies may, after obtaining the approval of the board and under the supervision of the board, dispose of lawfully seized liquor as follows:(1) The government agency may sell opened containers of lawfully seized liquor back t…

The issuance of any license by the board shall not be construed as granting a vested right in any of the privileges so conferred, and a misrepresentation of fact found to have been made by the applicant or a licensee shall be deemed a lack of good faith and shall constitute good …

Upon issuance of a liquor license under chapter 66.24 RCW, every licensee shall be issued a guide on liquor laws, regulations, and other pertinent information. Every licensee or designee of a licensee shall be required to sign a form provided by the board acknowledging receipt of…

A person or entity must meet minimum required qualification to receive a liquor license, and must continue to meet the qualifications in order to maintain the liquor license.[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030. WSR 17-12-030, § 314-12-020, filed 5/31/17, effective 7/1/17. Statuto…

Pursuant to the exceptions in chapter 66.28 RCW:(1) An industry member or affiliate may have a financial interest in another industry member or a retailer, and a retailer or affiliate may have financial interest in an industry member unless such interest has resulted or is more l…

(1) Pursuant to the requirements of RCW 66.24.010(1), any license issued shall be issued in the name(s) of the true party or parties in interest.(2) All licenses (except certificates of approval and agent's licenses) shall be prominently displayed on the licensed premises.[Statut…

(1) In order to facilitate the administration and/or enforcement of RCW 66.24.010, licensees, applicants for licenses, or the agents or representatives thereof shall, upon request by the board, furnish to the board copies of all documents affecting the ownership and/or proposed o…

(1) Unless otherwise provided by law, there will be no prorating of any license fee.(2) Upon denial or withdrawal of an application for license, adoption or change of trade name, or change of location, the fee tendered therewith shall be returned: Provided, however, such return s…