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Alcohol Permit (or "ABC Permit") Fact Sheet

 

Courtesy of Officer ME Sherman – Durham Police Dept. - District 2

The NC ABC Commission is the governing and law-making agency with regards to ABC Permits. It is ultimately responsible for the approval, denial, renewal, suspension, or revocation of any current ABC Permit or any pending ABC Permit Application.

On-Premises Beer or Wine Permits allow the sale and consumption of beer or wine on the business property as well as the purchase of such beer and wine to be taken off the business property in their original and unopened container (to be consumed in some other legal place – such as a home). Thus, this permit provides both a "dine-in" and a "take-out" element, so to speak.

-employees selling alcohol through this permit must be at least 18 yrs old.

-tables/chairs/barstools are not pre-requisites for obtaining this permit.

Off-Premise Beer or Wine Permits allow the sale of alcohol to a customer of legal age (21 yrs or older) that must be consumed off of the business property and in some other legal place.

-employees selling alcohol through this permit must be at least 16 yrs old.

On-Premises Mixed Beverage Permits allow the sale and consumption of mixed spirituous liquor drinks on the business property. There is no off-premises element to this permit (basically, the liquor is not permitted to be bought by customers and taken off of the business property).

-employees mixing/preparing mixed drinks through this permit must be at least 21 yrs old, but those serving the drinks (after they are prepared) must be at least 18 yrs old. (For example, a bartender (21+ yrs old) might mix a drink and a waitress (18+ yrs old) might take it to the customer).

-tables/chairs/barstools are not pre-requisites for obtaining this permit.

-unless the business is a private club, it must have at least 40% of it’s sales as food products (the other 60% may be alcohol sales).

-private clubs do not need to meet the minimum 40% food sales requirement, but they are required to only serve members and their members’ guests. Private clubs are not open to the general public.

Hours for alcohol sales, Mon-Sat, is between 7am – 2am. Consumption of this alcohol is permitted between 7am – 2:30am.

Hours for alcohol sales on Sun is between 12noon – 2am. Consumption of this alcohol is permitted between 12noon – 2:30am.

ALE (Alcohol Law Enforcement) Officers and ABC Police Officers periodically monitor establishments selling/serving alcohol for violations of the issued permits.

Following are some of the violations that may cause fines to be levied or permits to be suspended/revoked (subject to the ABC Commission’s decision):

-Alcohol consumed, bought, or sold by underage persons.

-Alcohol consumed on the business property in violation of an Off-Premises Permit.

-Employees drinking while on the job.

-Gambling, lewd/obscene conduct, illegal drugs on the property.

-Alcohol bought legally at an establishment but consumed illegally out in public (such as on the street or sidewalk).

-For Mixed Beverage Permits, failure to have the proper tax stamp on the liquor bottles.

Feel free to check out the following informative web site for more on alcohol laws and permits: http://www.ncale.org