State Warehouse

Spirituous liquors that are approved for sale in the State of North Carolina are transported to and stored in a state-owned warehouse in Raleigh. The administrative oversight of the State Warehouse is the responsibility of the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. The Commission contracts with a privately owned warehouse contractor, currently, LB&B Associates, which is responsible for the receipt, storage and distribution of spirituous liquor throughout the State. The Warehouse operates under a bailment system in which the ownership of the product remains with the distillery until it is delivered to the local ABC Boards. The purchaser of spirituous liquor pays the contractor’s fees indirectly. The fee, called the "bailment charge ," (currently $1.60 per case) is added to the price of liquor to pay for the warehousing and delivery of the liquor to the local boards.

The State Warehouse laws are described in the North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 18B. (18B-204.)