ABC Commission - Brief History

In 1935 the North Carolina Legislature authorized the Governor to appoint a commission to study the question of control of alcoholic beverages for the purpose of making recommendations to the 1937 General Assembly. The commission examined two types of control under which spirituous liquor was being sold in other states, one being represented by a State Licensing system and the other by a State Monopoly system. After careful study, the Alcoholic Beverage Control bill was submitted to the General Assembly of 1937, and with a few changes was enacted into law. The Control Act provided for the establishment of a State Board of Control consisting of a Chairman and two associate members who would be appointed by the Governor of the State.

The State Board of Control is today known as the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABC). The Control Act also provides for a control plan under which no county or city in the State would be required to sell alcohol unless first approved by the voters. Today North Carolina is a "local option" state with 50 county and 118 municipal ABC boards that sell spirituous liquor at retail. In addition, other alcohol beverage sales may be legal at both on and off premise businesses depending on whether the majority of voters approved the alcohol issue.