Liquor Licenses.
Liquor licenses for the manufacture, distribution, and retail sale of beer, wine, and spirits are issued by the Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB). The LCB issues liquor licenses and permits for more than 16,500 qualified businesses, such as breweries, wineries, grocery stores, restaurants, and nightclubs. A qualifying business or licensee may also obtain certain license endorsements or special occasion licenses that allow the license holder to serve alcohol for on premise consumption, or at certain specified events, such as banquets or tasting rooms.
License fees range from $20 to $2,500, depending on the license type, and are generally renewed annually. The vast majority of license fees fall within the range of $100 to $2,000.
Distribution of Liquor License Fees.
All license fees are deposited into the Liquor Revolving Account. The distribution of revenue from liquor license fees is governed by several statutes. The recipients of those funds include local jurisdictions, the University of Washington, Washington State University, and the Health Care Authority. After funds are distributed according to statutory requirements, a portion of the remaining funds are deposited into the State General Fund.
The fees for the following liquor licenses are waived for 12 months:
The 12-month waiver period begins the calendar month after the effective date of this act. The waiver applies to:
The waiver does not apply to a licensee:
The LCB and L&I must both provide to the Department of Revenue (DOR) a list of persons they have determined to be ineligible for a fee waiver. The list must be provided within 15 days following a request, unless agreed otherwise.