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Alcoholic Beverage Control and all
May 8, 2023
Serving Responsibly
Why Strengthening Liquor Liability Law is Good Business
Register Here
Are you a District restaurant, bar, or venue operator concerned about the cost of liquor liability insurance and threat of lawsuits?
Join this Operator Town Hall to learn how strengthening dram shop laws help to promote responsible serving practices and reduce alcohol-related harms in communities – all while lowering insurance costs.
The Problem: Unlike most states, District law is vague about how or when a business can be held liable for the actions of an...
October 18, 2022
Eligible licensees may operate 24-hours and sell and serve alcohol between 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. during the 2022 FIFA World Cup taking place November 20-December 18, 2022.
To participate, licensees must register and pay a non-refundable $100 fee by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 17.
If approved, licensees will be issued a permit that must be posted next to their alcohol license inside the premises.
Note the following:
Eligible licensees include On-Premises Retailers, Manufacturers with an On-Site Sales and Consumption Permit, and...
September 12, 2022
All information below is posted as shared through the 09.12.22 edition of ABRA's Last Cal Newsletter:
Extended Hours
There are four (4) holiday weekends remaining in 2022 that are eligible for extended hours. They include:
Indigenous Peoples' Day Weekend | Friday, October 7 – Monday, October 10
Veterans Day Weekend | Thursday, November 10 – Sunday, November 13
Thanksgiving Day Weekend | Wednesday, November 23 – Sunday, November 27
Christmas Day Weekend | Friday, December 23 – Monday,...
May 20, 2021
Effective at 5:00 a.m. on Friday, May 21, 2021, many substantive restrictions and requirements imposed by previous Mayor’s Orders and ABC Board rulemakings to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 will be lifted. Additionally, select activities such as pub crawls and extended holiday hours, that were temporarily suspended due to the public health emergency may resume.
Full modifications are detailed in Mayor’s Order 2020-069, related ABC Board emergency rulemakings, and on ABRA’s website.
Additionally, ABRA will host a virtual public...
March 19, 2020
The DC Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board adopted an emergency rulemaking prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption starting Thursday, March 19th at 4pm. You cannot serve alcoholic beverages to people while they wait for their food order. This is in effect through the duration of either or both the Mayor’s Public Emergency and Public Health Emergency.
Please note for delivery and takeout of alcoholic beverages: they must be provided in sealed container and a beer with a lime in the top does not count as a seal. Establishments...
March 18, 2020
Attention Montgomery County Restaurants,
All restaurants licensed by the Montgomery County Board of License Commissioners may sell sealed containers of beer and wine for off-premises consumption along with a takeout or delivered meal.
This permission includes the sale of bottles, cans, growlers, and crowlers for off-premises consumption and does not include the sale of alcoholic drinks in a to-go cup. This permission does not include liquor.
This permission expires when the emergency order to close restaurants is lifted.
Businesses may deliver beer and wine to Montgomery County addresses...
March 17, 2020
PLEASE READ THIS IN ITS ENTIRETY.
Tuesday, March 17, Mayor Muriel Bowser signed into law the COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020.
Included is a provision that allows ABC-licensed restaurants and taverns to sell beer, wine, and spirits in closed containers for carry-out and/or delivery to DC residences in conjunction with the purchase of one or more prepared food items.
Before an eligible restaurant or tavern may sell beer, wine, and spirits in closed containers for carry-out and delivery, they must register...
March 13, 2020
All pub crawl permits for events scheduled to take place in Washington, DC now through March 31, 2020 have been revoked effective immediately.
The 6-0 decision by the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board was made based on guidance from the District’s Department of Health (DOH) that all non-essential mass gatherings of more than 1,000 persons be cancelled to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Mayor’s Orders 2020-045 and 2020-046 indicate that the spread of COVID-19 represents an imminent threat to the health, safety, and welfare of District...
February 21, 2020
(WASHINGTON, DC) – February 21, 2020 – How businesses sell, serve, and transport alcohol is changing.
Four alcohol laws — introduced and signed by Mayor Muriel Bowser — focused on boosting access to DC-made products, fostering creativity and collaboration, creating parity within the manufacturing landscape, and alleviating administrative burdens for licensees became effective Friday, February 21, 2020.
Notable improvements by law include:
Alcoholic Beverage Enforcement Amendment Act of 2019
Persons 18+ may deliver alcoholic...
January 9, 2020
Original content: VinePair
By Jennifer Simonson
Chile runs along South America’s western edge from the dry desert in the north to a field of glaciers in the south. Rugged mountains, fertile valleys, never-ending coastline, rumbling volcanoes and scorched sand dunes all clash to provide this long, thin country with a captivating landscape. For winemakers, that landscape is more than captivating, it is a grape grower’s paradise.
The low cost of land, rare interference from vine pests and diseases, dependable dry, warm summers, and nearby mountains providing a regular supply of...
January 9, 2020
Original content: Forbes
By Cathy Huyghe Contributor
If you’re a wine lover, and if you’re heads-up about current events and world news, then the New Year hasn’t been very celebratory so far. The bad news seems overwhelming and far-reaching, between devastating fires in Australia to bureaucrat types in Washington and Europe debating tariffs and deciding the fate of so many wine businesses we love.
It seems overwhelming, partly because it feels so out of our control.
I’d argue that, despite the large-scale ramifications of current events, there are things that...
January 7, 2020
Original content: Forbes
By Jill Barth
Members of the Wine Origins Alliance yesterday submitted a jointly signed letter for the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) public comment period on tariffs in response to aircraft subsidies and France’s Digital Services Tax.
The United States on December 2, 2019 threatened to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on $2.4 billion in French goods in retaliation for a digital services tax it says is discriminatory.
(Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)
This action was followed by a second letter sent to...
December 16, 2019
Original content c/o: National Restaurant Association
Get your staff up to speed on safe alcohol service.
Holiday celebrations can bring in a lot of business for restaurants and bars. According to market research firm Technomic, alcohol sales during the fourth quarter of the year can account for up to 30% of alcohol sales overall (retail and restaurant).
As operations get busy, staff members need to stay focused on serving alcohol responsibly, says Jay Lerdal, program manager for the National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe Alcohol training program.
During holiday...
February 22, 2018
House Bill 518 supports the State’s breweries by lifting outdated restrictions on selling and purchasing craft beer
ROCKVILLE, Md., February 22, 2018—The Montgomery County Council sent a letter to the chair of the Economic Matters Committee, Delegate Dereck E. Davis, in unanimous support of Maryland House Bill (HB) 518, the Reform on Tap Act. HB 518 would lift restrictions on the selling and purchasing of beer at craft breweries throughout Maryland.
The House Economic Matters Committee has scheduled a hearing for HB 518 on February 23 at 1:00pm.
“...
February 15, 2018
All class A wholesalers, class A manufacturers, and class A off-premises retailers (liquor stores) in the District are due to renew alcohol licenses by:
Monday, April 2, 2018.
Renewed licenses will expire in three years. Licensees that wish to renew their licenses should ensure they complete the following.
Update Your Contact Info
Licensees that need to update a new mailing address, email address or phone number with ABRA can do so by completing and returning the form available on abra.dc.gov.
Contact information can be verified by:
Emailing; or
Calling (...
February 15, 2018
Learn How to Get an ABC License for Your New Business
Looking to get an ABC License for your new business in the District? Check out ABRA's video to learn more about the process.
December 17, 2014
Major Legislative Victories for DC Restaurants & Bars
Today the Council of the District of Columbia voted on B20-0902 – Omnibus Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Amendment Act of 2014. There were two major victories for RAMW and our members today! These victories would not have been possible without your support, calls and letters to the Council. Thank you for responding to our calls to action. Your mobilization helped ensure that we were able to:
Hold the line with regards to penalties for repeat offenders. The Council did not increase fines for repeat offenders...
October 31, 2014
Autumn daylight saving time is just around the corner.
On Sunday, November 2, clocks fall back from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m.
As a result, alcoholic beverage licensed establishments will automatically gain an extra hour to sell and serve alcoholic beverages. Establishments will be required to stop all sales and service of alcoholic beverages by 3 a.m. unless the establishment's license states otherwise.
Licensees that have questions can contact the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration at (202) 442-4423 or visit their website.
Subscribe to receive current updates and information...
October 22, 2014
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe's announcement this week that the state would make up some of its budget deficit by increasing the markup on distilled spirits already has those in the hospitality industry gearing up for paying more — and thus charging more — for drinks.
McAuliffe didn't outline how exactly the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control would raise an additional $2.5 million from the liquor markup, but ABC is considering three options, according to a letter sent to stakeholders Wednesday and provided to the Washington Business Journal.
Though...
July 22, 2014
Pub crawls, the wildly popular events that encourage people to travel from bar to bar for drink specials, will not be banned in Arlington County’s retail corridors as a result of a vote by the County Board to scrutinize them more carefully.
But those who sponsor the events soon will have to start picking up the tab for police and cleanup crews, which some bar owners and promoters say could kill the crawls nonetheless.
County Board members, while loath to discourage the free-spending young adult demographic, voted unanimously Saturday to make organizers of pub crawls pay costs...
March 28, 2014
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Four ABC licenses will be available for application in Georgetown next month, including one for a tavern and three for restaurants. The Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) will begin accepting applications for the licenses at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 10.
The tavern license is only available to an existing restaurant located in the Georgetown Historic District. An applicant would be eligible to apply for the license as either a tavern or nightclub. The availability of the tavern license also allows taverns located in the area to...
March 14, 2014
ABRA will be performing unannounced visits to ABC licensee holders, starting with establishments that have received complaints in the past. We highly encourage our members to make sure they are in compliance with District ABC noise laws. We also encourage our members to sign up for the ABRA listserv to stay informed on upcoming policy changes and campaigns that will affect your business. For more information on the Compliance Campaign on Noise Laws see below for the ABRA press release.
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, March 13, 2014
CONTACT: Jessie Cornelius (ABRA) 202.442....
December 29, 2013
RAMW is pleased to announce that the state’s pending happy hour legislation has been signed and will be published on December 30, 2013. The new law, which will allow restaurants and bars to advertise happy hours through print, digital and social media, will be effective January 29th, 2014.
To be clear, the law does not allow for the advertisement of specific happy hour beverages and beverage prices (outside the restaurant or bar). However, once the law goes into effect in late January, establishments will be able to advertise “Happy Hour” or “Drink...
November 20, 2013
What would you do if someone who had been drinking excessively picked up their car keys and headed for the door? If you are a good bystander, you would intervene to help the person get home safely without risking injury to self or others. Cities and states, colleges and branches of the military are using that same bystander approach to prevent sexual assault: teaching professionals and friends how to offer assistance and intervene to prevent alcohol-facilitated sexual assault.
In Arlington County, police are seeing an increase in reports of alcohol-facilitated sexual assaults of young...
November 18, 2013
The Alcoholic Beverage Control Board issued on August 28, 2013 a new alcoholic beverage warning sign. The new warning sign must be posted by licensees at their establishments in a conspicuous place no later than Wednesday, November 27, 2013. The new sign provides several benefits to the public and licensees. Specifically, it allows the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) to address several warnings and requirements for consuming alcoholic beverages in one sign thereby reducing the number of signs an establishment is required to have posted.
Licensees can pick up the new...
