Retail Permit Types
The Commission may issue the following retail permits:
An on-premises malt beverage permit authorizes the retail sale of malt beverages for consumption on the premises and the retail sale of malt beverages in the manufacturer’s original container for consumption off the premises. It also authorizes the holder of the permit to ship malt beverages in closed containers to individual purchasers inside and outside the State. The permit fee is $400.00 and may be issued for any of the following:
An off-premises malt beverage permit authorizes the retail sale of malt beverages in the manufacturer’s original container for consumption off the premises and it authorizes the holder of the permit to ship malt beverages in closed containers to individual purchasers inside and outside the State. The permit fee is $400.00 and may be issued for any of the following:
An on-premises unfortified wine permit authorizes the retail sale of unfortified wine for consumption on the premises, either alone or mixed with other beverages, and the retail sale of unfortified wine in the manufacturer’s original container for consumption off the premises. It also authorizes the holder of the permit to ship unfortified wine in closed containers to individual purchasers inside and outside the State. The permit fee is $400.00 and may be issued for any of the following:
An off-premises unfortified wine permit authorizes the retail sale of unfortified wine in the manufacturer’s original container for consumption off the premises and it authorizes the holder of the permit to ship unfortified wine in closed containers to individual purchasers inside and outside the State. The permit fee is $400.00 and may also be issued for a winery for sale of its own unfortified wine.
An on-premises fortified wine permit authorizes the retail sale of fortified wine for consumption on the premises, either alone or mixed with other beverages, and the retail sale of fortified wine in the manufacturer’s original container for consumption off the premises. It also authorizes the holder of the permit to ship fortified wine in closed containers to individual purchasers inside and outside the State. The permit fee is $400.00 and may be issued for any of the following:
An off-premises unfortified wine permit authorizes the retail sale of unfortified wine in the manufacturer’s original container for consumption off the premises and it authorizes the holder of the permit to ship unfortified wine in closed containers to individual purchasers inside and outside the State. The permit fee is $400.00 and may also be issued for a winery for sale of its own unfortified wine.
A brown-bagging permit authorizes each individual patron of an establishment, with the permission of the permittee, to bring up to eight liters of fortified wine or spirituous liquor, or eight liters of the two combined, onto the premises and to consume those alcoholic beverages on the premises. The permit fee is $400.00 and may be issued for any of the following:
A special occasion permit authorizes the host of a reception, party or other special occasion, with the permission of the permittee, to bring fortified wine and spirituous liquor onto the premises of the business and to serve the same to his/her guests. The permit fee is $400.00 and may be issued for any of the following:
A mixed beverages permit authorizes the retail sale of mixed beverages for consumption on the premises. The permit also authorizes a mixed beverages permittee to obtain a purchase-transportation permit under GS 18B-403 and 18B-404, and to use for culinary purposes spirituous liquor lawfully purchased for use in mixed beverages. The permit fee is $1,000.00 and may be issued for any of the following:
The permit holder, employees, or independent contractor to deliver malt beverages, unfortified and fortified wine to a location selected by the purchaser.
A culinary permit authorizes a permittee to possess up to 12 liters of either fortified wine or spirituous liquor, or 12 liters of the two combined, in the kitchen of a business and to use those alcoholic beverages for culinary purposes. The permit fee is $200.00 and may be issued for either of the following:
A culinary permit may also be issued to a catering service to allow the possession of the amount of fortified wine and spirituous liquor stated above at the business location of that service and at the cooking site. The permit shall also authorize the caterer to transport those alcoholic beverages to and from the business location and the cooking site, and use them in cooking.
A mixed beverages catering permit authorizes a hotel or a restaurant that has a mixed beverages permit to bring spirituous liquor onto the premises where the hotel or restaurant is catering food for an event and to serve the liquor to guests at the event. The permit fee is $200.00.
A guest room cabinet permit authorizes a hotel having a mixed beverages permit or a private club having a mixed beverages permit and management contracts for the rental of living units to sell to its room guests, from securely locked cabinets, malt beverages, unfortified wine, fortified wine, and spirituous liquor. A permittee shall designate and maintain at least ten percent (10%) of the permittee’s guest rooms as rooms that do not have a guest room cabinet. A permittee may dispense alcoholic beverages from a guest room cabinet only in accordance with written policies and procedures filed with and approved by the Commission. A permittee shall provide a reasonable number of vending machines, coolers, or similar machines on premises for the sale of soft drinks to hotel guests. A guest room cabinet permit fee is $1,000.00 and may be issued for any of the following:
- A hotel located in a county subject to GS 18B-600(f)
- A hotel located in a county that has a population in excess of 150,000 by the last federal census
- A qualifying private club located in a county defined in GS 18B-101(13a)b.2
A Brew On Premises permit may be issued to a business, located in a jurisdiction where the sale of malt beverages is allowed, where individual customers who are 21 years old or older may purchase ingredients and rent the equipment, time, and space to brew malt beverages for personal use. The customer must do all of the following:
- Select a recipe and kettle.
- Weigh out the proper ingredients and add them to the kettle.
- Transfer the wort to the fermenter.
- Add the yeast.
- Place the ingredients in a fermentation room.
- Filter, carbonate, and bottle the malt beverage.
A permittee may transfer the ingredients from the fermentation room to the cold room and may assist the customer in all the steps involved in brewing a malt beverage except adding the yeast. A malt beverage produced under this subdivision may not contain more than six percent (6%) alcohol by volume. The permit fee is $400.00
A wine-tasting permit authorizes wine tastings on a premises holding a retail permit, by the retail permit holder or his employee. A wine tasting consists of the offering of a sample of one or more unfortified wine products, in amounts of no more than one ounce for each sample, without charge, to customers of the business. Any person pouring wine at a wine tasting shall be at least 21 years of age.
- Representatives of the winery, which produced the wine, the wine producer, a wholesaler, or a wholesaler's employee may assist with the tasting. Assisting with a wine tasting includes:
- Pouring samples for customers.
- Checking the identification of patrons being served at the wine tasting.
- When a representative of the winery that produced the wine, the wine producer, a wine wholesaler, or a wine wholesaler's employee assists in a wine tasting conducted by a retail permit holder:
- The retail permit holder shall designate an employee to actively supervise the wine tasting.
- A retail permit holder's employee shall not supervise more than three wine-tasting areas.
- No more than six wines may be tasted at any one tasting area.
- The wine tasting shall not last longer than four hours from the time designated as the starting time by the retail permit holder.
- The retail permit holder shall be solely liable for any violations of this Chapter occurring in connection with the wine tasting. The Commission shall adopt rules to assure that the tastings are limited to samplings and not a subterfuge for the unlawful sale or distribution of wine, and that the tastings are not used by industry members for unlawful inducements to retail permit holders. Except for purposes of G.S. 18B-1001 Page 8 this subsection, the holder of a wine-tasting permit shall not be construed to hold a permit for the on-premises sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. Any food business is eligible for a wine-tasting permit.
A wine shop permit authorizes (i) the retail sale of malt beverages, unfortified wine, and fortified wine in the manufacturer's original container for consumption off the premises, (ii) the retail sale of malt beverages or unfortified wine dispensed from a tap connected to a pressurized container utilizing carbon dioxide or similar gas in a cleaned and sanitized container that is filled or refilled and sealed for consumption off the premises and that identifies the permittee and the date the container was filled or refilled, and (iii) wine tastings on the premises conducted and supervised by the permittee in accordance with subdivision (15) of this section. It also authorizes the holder of the permit to ship malt beverages, unfortified wine, and fortified wine in closed containers to individual purchasers inside and outside the State. The permit may be issued for retail businesses whose primary purpose is selling malt beverages and wine for consumption off the premises and regularly and customarily educating consumers through tastings, classes, and seminars about the selection, serving, and storing of wine. The holder of the permit is authorized to sell unfortified wine for consumption on the premises, provided that the sale of wine for consumption on the premises does not exceed forty percent (40%) of the establishment's total sales for any 30-day period. The holder of a wine-tasting permit not engaged in the preparation or sale of food on the premises is not subject to Part 6 of Article 8 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes.
A permit may be issued to a business, located in a jurisdiction where the sale of unfortified wine is allowed, where individual customers who are 21 years old or older may purchase ingredients and rent the equipment, time, and space to make unfortified wine for personal use in amounts set forth in 27 C.F.R. § 24.75. Except for wine produced for testing equipment or recipes and samples pursuant to this subdivision, the permit holder shall not engage in the actual production or manufacture of wine. Samples may be consumed on the premises only by a person who has a nonrefundable contract to ferment at the premises, and the samples may not exceed one ounce per sample. All wine produced at a winemaking on premises facility shall be removed from the premises by the customer and may only be used for home consumption and the personal use of the customer.
A malt beverage tasting permit authorizes malt beverage tastings on a premises holding a retail permit by the retail permit holder or his employee. A representative of the brewery whose beverages are being featured at the tasting shall be present at the tasting unless the wholesaler or a wholesaler's employee determines that no representative of the brewery needs to be present. A malt beverage tasting consists of the offering of a sample of one or more malt beverage products, in amounts of no more than two ounces for each sample, without charge, to customers of the business. Any persons pouring malt beverage at a malt beverage tasting shall be at least 21 years of age.
- Representatives of the brewery which produced the malt beverage, a wholesaler, or a wholesaler's employee may assist with the tasting. Assisting with a malt beverage tasting includes: G.S. 18B-1001 Page 9
- Pouring samples for customers.
- Checking the identification of patrons being served at the malt beverage tasting.
- When a representative of the brewery that produced the malt beverage, a malt beverage wholesaler, or a malt beverage wholesaler's employee assists in a malt beverage tasting conducted by a retail permit holder:
- The retail permit holder shall designate an employee to actively supervise the malt beverage tasting.
- A retail permit holder's employee shall not supervise more than three malt beverage tasting areas.
- No more than four malt beverages may be tasted at any one tasting area.
- The malt beverage tasting shall not last longer than four hours from the time designated as the starting time by the retail permit holder.
- The retail permit holder shall be solely liable for any violations of this Chapter occurring in connection with the malt beverage tasting. The Commission shall adopt rules to assure that the tastings are limited to samplings and not a subterfuge for the unlawful sale or distribution of malt beverages, and that the tastings are not used by industry members for unlawful inducements to retail permit holders. Except for purposes of this subdivision, the holder of a malt beverage tasting permit shall not be construed to hold a permit for the on-premises sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages. Any food business is eligible for a malt beverage tasting permit.
Malt Beverage Shop Permit. – A malt beverage shop permit authorizes (i) the retail sale of malt beverages, unfortified wine, and fortified wine in the manufacturer's original container for consumption off the premises, (ii) the retail sale of malt beverages dispensed from a tap connected to a pressurized container utilizing carbon dioxide or similar gas in a cleaned and sanitized container that is filled or refilled and sealed for consumption off the premises and that identifies the permittee and the date the container was filled or refilled, and (iii) malt beverage tastings on the premises conducted and supervised by the permittee in accordance with subdivision (18) of this section. It also authorizes the holder of the permit to ship malt beverages, unfortified wine, and fortified wine in closed containers to individual purchasers inside and outside the State. The permit may be issued for retail businesses whose primary purpose is selling malt beverages for consumption off the premises and regularly and customarily educating consumers through tastings, classes, and seminars about the selection, serving, and storing of malt beverages. The holder of the permit is authorized to sell malt beverages for consumption on the premises, provided that the sale of malt beverages, combined, for consumption on the premises does not exceed forty percent (40%) of the establishment's total sales for any 30-day period. The holder of a malt beverage tasting permit not engaged in the preparation or sale of food on the premises is not subject to Part 6 of Article 8 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes."
The holder of any distillery permit authorized by G.S. 18B-1105 may conduct a consumer tasting event on the premises of the distillery subject to the following conditions:
- Any person pouring spirituous liquor at a tasting shall be an employee of the distillery and at least 21 years of age.
- The person pouring the spirituous liquor shall be responsible for checking the identification of patrons being served at the tasting.
- Each consumer is limited to tasting samples of 0.25 ounce of each spirituous liquor which total no more than 1.5 ounces of spirituous liquor in any calendar day.
- The consumer shall not be charged for any spirituous liquor tasting sample.
- The spirituous liquor used in the consumer tasting event shall be distilled or produced at the distillery where the event is being held by the permit holder conducting the event.
- A consumer tasting event shall not be allowed when the sale of spirituous liquor is otherwise prohibited.
- Tasting samples are not to be offered to, or allowed to be consumed by, any person under the legal age for consuming spirituous liquor.
- Consumer tasting events authorized under this subdivision may be conducted on any part of the licensed premises of the distillery, except as prohibited by federal law.
The distillery permit holder shall be solely liable for any violations of this Chapter occurring in connection with the tasting. The Commission shall adopt rules to assure that the tastings are limited to samplings and not a subterfuge G.S. 18B-1001 Page 10 for the unlawful sale or distribution of spirituous liquor and that the tastings are not used by industry members for unlawful inducements to retail permit holders.
A permit under this subdivision may be issued to a holder of a mixed beverages permit issued under subdivision (10) of this section. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the permit holder may sell at retail antique spirituous liquor for use in mixed beverages for consumption on premises. The acquisition of antique spirituous liquor on or after September 1, 2015, shall be in accordance with the process established by rule of the Commission for special orders of spirituous liquor that is not on the list approved by the Commission.
A permit under this subdivision may be issued to the owner of a bonded storage warehouse that meets the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security standards (49 C.F.R. §§ 1542.1 through 1542.307). This permit authorizes the permittee to contract with retail permittees holding permits issued pursuant to G.S. 18B-1001(1), (3), (5), and (10) with one or more retail locations at airports which service airplanes boarding at least 150,000 passengers annually to do the following: (i) store at a central receiving facility located on or within 5 miles of the airport property and outside the retail permittee's licensed premises alcoholic beverages to be sold or served at the retail permittee's airport locations as approved by the Commission and (ii) transport alcoholic beverages from the central receiving facility to the retail permittee's premises or support locations within the airport terminal pursuant to subsections (d) and (e) of G.S. 18B-1115. Alcoholic beverages stored pursuant to this subdivision shall be the property of the retail permittee. The portion of the airport central storage permitted premises where the retail permittee's alcoholic beverages are stored shall be deemed an extension of the retail permittee's permitted premises for storage only and subject to inspection pursuant to G.S. 18B-503.
Notwithstanding the results of any local election, a permit under this subdivision may be issued to a business primarily engaged in this State in the intrastate operation of common carriers of passengers and operating under a certificate of authority issued by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. A common carrier vehicle permit authorizes the sale or service of malt beverages, unfortified wine, fortified wine, and mixed beverages in the passenger area of a common carrier of passengers for consumption by passengers in the passenger area during journeys of 75 miles or longer that do not terminate within 10 miles of the origin of the journey. The permit issued to the business shall cover all common carriers of passengers owned by the business. The permit or a copy of the permit shall be prominently displayed on each common carrier of passengers on which alcoholic beverages are served or sold. Notwithstanding G.S. 18B-101(12a), the passenger area of a permittee's common carrier of passengers constitutes the premises for the permit. This permit shall not allow consumption of alcohol on a common carrier of passengers by any employee of the permittee. A permittee may not sell or serve alcoholic beverages to a passenger between the hours of 2:00 A.M. and 7:00 A.M., and a passenger may not be allowed to consume alcoholic beverages between the hours of 2:30 A.M. and 7:00 A.M. Notwithstanding G.S. 18B-1004(c) or any local ordinance, alcoholic G.S. 18B-1001 Page 11 beverages may not be sold or consumed before 10:00 A.M. on Sundays. For purposes of this subdivision, a common carrier of passengers has the same meaning as in G.S. 20-4.01(27)d.
Cotenant Permit. – A permit under this subdivision may be issued to a restaurant that occupies the same building as another ABC permittee, provided that the building has no other tenants and the building does not have a common area that is open to the public but not part of the premises of one of the two permittees. The permit authorizes the permittee to allow customers to bring open containers of malt beverages, unfortified wine, fortified wine, or mixed beverages from the premises of the other ABC permittee who occupies the same building onto the premises of the permit holder.
Bring Your Own Beverage Permit. – A permit issued under this subdivision may be issued to an adult live entertainment business as defined in G.S. 14-202.10. This permit authorizes the permittee to allow patrons to bring closed containers of malt beverages and unfortified wine onto the premises and consume the malt beverages and unfortified wine on the premises.
A mobile bar services permit may be issued to a business that provides bartending services for events. The permit authorizes the permittee to bring malt beverages, unfortified wine, fortified wine, and spirituous liquor onto the premises of a business that is not an ABC permittee and to serve the alcoholic beverages to guests at the event. The permittee may purchase malt beverages and unfortified wine from either a retailer or a wholesaler. The permittee may purchase fortified wine from either an ABC store or a wholesaler. The permittee shall purchase spirituous liquor from an ABC store that is designated as a mixed beverage ABC store operated by any local board operating in the same county where the permittee's principal office is located. The permittee may not serve alcoholic beverages pursuant to a mobile bar services permit on the premises of any location owned or possessed by the permittee. The permittee shall notify the Commission, in writing, of the location of any event where the permittee will serve alcoholic beverages not less than one week before the event and shall have the permission of the owner or possessor of the property on which the event is to be held. Any person serving alcoholic beverages at the event shall be at least 21 years of age. Alcoholic beverages may be transported by the mobile bar services permit holder to the premises of the event no earlier than 8:00 A.M. At the conclusion of the event, all alcoholic beverages must be removed from the premises no later than 12:00 noon of the following day. A limited special occasion permit shall not be required for an event at which alcoholic beverages are exclusively provided by the holder of a mobile bar services permit. The holder of a mobile bar services permit may bring alcoholic beverages onto the premises and serve the alcoholic beverages at an event regardless of whether there is a charge or fee for guests to attend the event. This permit does not allow the retail sale of individual alcoholic beverages to guests at an event.
- If the spirituous liquor is sold to a mixed beverage permittee or mobile bar services permittee for resale in mixed beverages, a charge of twenty dollars ($20.00) on each four liters and a proportional sum on lesser quantities. This subdivision shall not apply to premixed cocktails sold to a mixed beverage permittee in a closed package for resale in or from the closed package, and a mixed beverages tax stamp shall not be required on these closed packages.
- Each applicant for an on-premises malt beverage permit, on-premises unfortified wine permit, on-premises fortified wine permit, or a mixed beverages permit shall prepare and submit with the application a plan for the collection and recycling of all recyclable beverage containers of all beverages to be sold at retail on the premises. Each applicant for a mobile bar services permit shall prepare and submit with the application a plan for the collection and recycling of all recyclable beverage containers of all beverages to be served at an event pursuant to the permit. A permittee who is not able to find a recycler for its beverage containers may apply to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission for a one-year stay of the requirement to implement a recycling program in compliance with G.S. 18B-1006.1. The application shall be made in a form specified by the Commission, shall detail the efforts made by the permittee to provide for the collection and recycling of beverage containers, and shall specify the impediments to implementation of a recycling plan. The Commission shall submit all such applications to the Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach of the Department of Environmental Quality for review and certification. The Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach shall investigate each application and prepare a summary of its investigation and shall submit the summary to the Commission along with a notation indicating certification or denial of the application. A permittee whose application for a stay is certified by the Division of Environmental Assistance and Outreach shall not be required to comply with the recycling requirement of the alcoholic beverage laws and regulations during the one-year stay period so certified."
- Recycling Plan Required. – Each person holding an on-premises malt beverage permit, on-premises unfortified wine permit, on-premises fortified wine permit, or a mixed beverages permit shall submit, along with the annual registration or renewal application, either a current plan for the collection and recycling of all recyclable beverage containers of all beverages sold at retail on the premises, or an application for a waiver pursuant to G.S. 18B-902(h). Each person holding a mobile bar services permit shall submit, along with the annual renewal application, either a current plan for the collection and recycling of all recyclable beverage containers of all beverages to be served at an event pursuant to the permit, or an application for a waiver pursuant to G.S. 18B-902(h)." SECTION 17.(f)
This section becomes effective July 1, 2024.