Virginia Law

A. The Board may suspend or revoke any license if it has reasonable cause to believe that:

1. The licensee, or if the licensee is a partnership, any general partner thereof, or if the licensee is an association, any member thereof, or a limited partner of 10 percent or more with voting rights, or if the licensee is a corporation, any officer, director, or shareholder owning 10 percent or more of its capital stock, or if the licensee is a limited liability company, any member-manager or any member owning 10 percent or more of the membership interest of the limited liability company:

a. Has misrepresented a material fact in applying to the Board for such license;

b. Within the five years immediately preceding the date of the hearing held in accordance with § 4.1-903, has (i) violated any provision of Chapter 11 (§ 4.1-1100 et seq.), Chapter 12 (§ 4.1-1200 et seq.), or Chapter 13 (§ 4.1-1300 et seq.); (ii) committed a violation of this subtitle in bad faith; (iii) violated or failed or refused to comply with any regulation, rule, or order of the Board; or (iv) failed or refused to comply with any of the conditions or restrictions of the license granted by the Board;

c. Has been convicted in any court of a felony or of any crime or offense involving moral turpitude under the laws of any state or of the United States;

d. Is not the legitimate owner of the business conducted under the license granted by the Board, or other persons have ownership interests in the business that have not been disclosed;

e. Cannot demonstrate financial responsibility sufficient to meet the requirements of the business conducted under the license granted by the Board;

f. Has been intoxicated or under the influence of some self-administered drug while upon the licensed premises;

g. Has maintained the licensed premises in an unsanitary condition, or allowed such premises to become a meeting place or rendezvous for members of a criminal street gang as defined in § 18.2-46.1 or persons of ill repute, or has allowed any form of illegal gambling, as defined in § 18.2-325, to take place upon such premises;

h. Has allowed any person whom he knew or had reason to believe was intoxicated to loiter upon such licensed premises;

i. Has allowed any person to consume upon the licensed premises any alcohol, marijuana, or marijuana product;

j. Is physically unable to carry on the business conducted under such license or has been adjudicated incapacitated;

k. Has possessed any illegal gambling device upon the licensed premises;

l. Has upon the licensed premises (i) illegally possessed, distributed, sold, or used, or has knowingly allowed any employee or agent, or any other person, to illegally possess, distribute, sell, or use, controlled substances, imitation controlled substances, drug paraphernalia, or controlled paraphernalia as those terms are defined in Articles 1 (§ 18.2-247 et seq.) and 1.1 (§ 18.2-265.1 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2 and the Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq.); (ii) laundered money in violation of § 18.2-246.3; or (iii) conspired to commit any drug-related offense in violation of Article 1 or 1.1 of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2 or the Drug Control Act. The provisions of this subdivision l shall also apply to any conduct related to the operation of the licensed business that facilitates the commission of any of the offenses set forth herein;

m. Has failed to take reasonable measures to prevent (i) the licensed premises, (ii) any premises immediately adjacent to the licensed premises that is owned or leased by the licensee, or (iii) any portion of public property immediately adjacent to the licensed premises from becoming a place where patrons of the establishment commit criminal violations of Article 1 (§ 18.2-30 et seq.), 2 (§ 18.2-38 et seq.), 2.1 (§ 18.2-46.1 et seq.), 2.2 (§ 18.2-46.4 et seq.), 3 (§ 18.2-47 et seq.), 4 (§ 18.2-51 et seq.), 5 (§ 18.2-58 et seq.), 6 (§ 18.2-59 et seq.), or 7 (§ 18.2-61 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 18.2; Article 2 (§ 18.2-266 et seq.) of Chapter 7 of Title 18.2; Article 3 (§ 18.2-346 et seq.) or 5 (§ 18.2-372 et seq.) of Chapter 8 of Title 18.2; or Article 1 (§ 18.2-404 et seq.), 2 (§ 18.2-415), or 3 (§ 18.2-416 et seq.) of Chapter 9 of Title 18.2 and such violations lead to arrests that are so frequent and serious as to reasonably be deemed a continuing threat to the public safety;

n. Has failed to take reasonable measures to prevent an act of violence resulting in death or serious bodily injury, or a recurrence of such acts, from occurring on (i) the licensed premises, (ii) any premises immediately adjacent to the licensed premises that is owned or leased by the licensee, or (iii) any portion of public property immediately adjacent to the licensed premises; or

o. Has been sanctioned by the Board pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Board for a violation pursuant to Chapter 16 (§ 4.1-1600 et seq.).

2. The place occupied by the licensee:

a. Does not conform to the requirements of the governing body of the county, city, or town in which such establishment is located, with respect to sanitation, health, construction, or equipment, or to any similar requirements established by the laws of the Commonwealth or by Board regulations;

b. Has been adjudicated a common nuisance under the provisions of this subtitle or § 18.2-258; or

c. Has become a meeting place or rendezvous for illegal gambling, illegal users of narcotics, drunks, prostitutes, pimps, panderers, or habitual law violators or has become a place where illegal drugs are regularly used or distributed. The Board may consider the general reputation in the community of such establishment in addition to any other competent evidence in making such determination.

3. The licensee or any employee of the licensee discriminated against any member of the Armed Forces of the United States by prices charged or otherwise.

4. Any cause exists for which the Board would have been entitled to refuse to grant such license had the facts been known.

5. The licensee is delinquent for a period of 90 days or more in the payment of any taxes, or any penalties or interest related thereto, lawfully imposed by the locality where the licensed business is located, as certified by the treasurer, commissioner of the revenue, or finance director of such locality, unless (i) the outstanding amount is de minimis; (ii) the licensee has pending a bona fide application for correction or appeal with respect to such taxes, penalties, or interest; or (iii) the licensee has entered into a payment plan approved by the same locality to settle the outstanding liability.

6. The licensee has been convicted for a violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(f), as amended, for actions of its agents or employees constituting a pattern or practice of employing unauthorized aliens on the licensed premises in the Commonwealth.

7. The Board finds that the licensee assigned, sold, or transferred a license or changed ownership or control of the license without prior written approval of the Board as required pursuant to § 4.1-702.

8. Any other cause authorized by this subtitle.

B. The Board shall promulgate regulations regarding suspension and revocation standards and protocols.

2026, Sp. Sess. I, c. 1.