License Reform

The Virginia General Assembly approved a new licensing and fee structure for Virginia ABC that consolidates the 152 existing alcohol licenses down to 71, in a set of 12 categories. This new structure will streamline the number and type of licenses administered by the Authority and craft a less complicated licensing structure for our licensees. More information will be forthcoming.

This new structure is the outcome of a multi-year license-reform effort. This effort launched on November 29, 2018, at the request of a subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services, following a hearing on November 19, 2018. The goals were to consolidate licenses; explore creation of a marketplace license; analyze fees collected and determine whether to restructure to align with resources necessary to administer, monitor and enforce licenses; and consult with relevant stakeholders in creating a recommendation.

Project Planning Documents

Official signed letter from ABC subcommittee (PDF)
Scope Deck (PDF)
Project Plan (PDF)
List of Stakeholders (PDF)
License Consolidation Draft Proposal (PDF)
Virginia Licenses Mapped to Proposed Licenses (PDF)

Project Research Documents

License Reform Stakeholder Survey: Preliminary Results (PDF)
2017 Virginia Legislative Study (PDF)
2018 Virginia License Revenue Data (PDF)
2013 Kentucky Legislative Study (PDF)
2017 Iowa Legislative Study (PDF)
California License and Fees (PDF)
North Carolina Fees (PDF)

Conceptual Design

Report (PDF)
Presentation (PDF)

Stakeholder Meeting Documents

November 28, 2018 Kick-Off Meeting (PDF)
March 8, 2019 Stakeholder Meeting Notes (PDF)
April 30, 2019 Stakeholder Meeting (PDF)
October 14, 2019 Stakeholder Meeting (PDF)

WHAT IS A LICENSEE?

This section of the website is designed to assist licensees in maintaining a safe, regulated business.

ABC grants a range of privileges, or "licenses," to businesses, groups and individuals enabling the manufacture, distribution, selling and serving of alcoholic beverages in the Commonwealth. Holders of these privileges are commonly called “licensees."

ZERO TOLERANCE

The selling and serving of alcoholic beverages is a business that is subject to higher legal and social accountability than almost any other industry. As a licensee, you shoulder many responsibilities, including preventing underage sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages. Virginia ABC has a strict "zero tolerance" policy for underage consumption and looks to you to aggressively avoid these sales.