Virginia Law

A. Every person intending to apply for any license authorized by this chapter shall file with the Board an application on forms provided by the Board and a statement in writing by the applicant swearing and affirming that all of the information contained therein is true.

Applicants for retail licenses for establishments that serve food or are otherwise required to obtain a food establishment permit from the Department of Health or an inspection by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall provide a copy of such permit, proof of inspection, proof of a pending application for such permit, or proof of a pending request for such inspection. If the applicant provides a copy of such permit, proof of inspection, proof of a pending application for a permit, or proof of a pending request for an inspection, a license may be issued to the applicant. If a license is issued on the basis of a pending application or inspection, such license shall authorize the licensee to purchase alcoholic beverages in accordance with the provisions of this subtitle; however, the licensee shall not sell or serve alcoholic beverages until a permit is issued or an inspection is completed.

B. In addition, each applicant for a license under the provisions of this chapter, except applicants for annual banquet, banquet, tasting, special events, club events, annual mixed beverage banquet, wine and beer shipper's, delivery permit, annual arts venue, or museum licenses issued under the provisions of Chapter 2 (§ 4.1-200 et seq.), or beer or wine importer's licenses, shall post a notice of his application with the Board on the front door of the building, place, or room where he proposes to engage in such business for no more than 30 days and not less than 10 days. Such notice shall be of a size and contain such information as required by the Board, including a statement that any objections shall be submitted to the Board not more than 30 days following initial publication of the notice required pursuant to this subsection.

The applicant shall also cause notice to be published at least once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in or having a general circulation in the county, city, or town wherein such applicant proposes to engage in such business. Such notice shall contain such information as required by the Board, including a statement that any objections to the issuance of the license be submitted to the Board not later than 30 days from the date of the initial newspaper publication. In the case of wine and beer shipper's licensees, third-party delivery licensees, delivery permittees, or operators of boats, dining cars, buffet cars, club cars, buses, and airplanes, the posting and publishing of notice shall not be required.

Except for applicants for annual banquet, banquet, tasting, mixed beverage special events, club events, annual mixed beverage banquet, wine and beer shipper's, beer or wine importer's, annual arts venue, or museum licenses, the Board shall conduct a background investigation, to include a criminal history records search, which may include a fingerprint-based national criminal history records search, on each applicant for a license. However, the Board may waive, for good cause shown, the requirement for a criminal history records search and completed personal data form for officers, directors, nonmanaging members, or limited partners of any applicant corporation, limited liability company, or limited partnership.

Except for applicants for wine and beer shipper's licenses and delivery permits, the Board shall notify the local governing body of each license application through the county or city attorney or the chief law-enforcement or administrative officer of the locality. Local governing bodies shall submit objections to the granting of a license within 30 days of the filing of the application.

C. Each applicant shall pay the required application fee at the time the application is filed. Each license application fee, including annual banquet and annual mixed beverage banquet, shall be $195, plus the actual cost charged to the Department of State Police by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Central Criminal Records Exchange for processing any fingerprints through the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Central Criminal Records Exchange for each criminal history records search required by the Board, except for banquet, tasting, or mixed beverage club events licenses, in which case the application fee shall be $15. The application fee for banquet special event and mixed beverage special event licenses shall be $45. Application fees shall be in addition to the state license fee required pursuant to § 4.1-231.1 and shall not be refunded.

D. Subsection A shall not apply to the continuance of licenses granted under this chapter; however, all licensees shall file and maintain with the Board a current, accurate record of the information required by the Board pursuant to subsection A and notify the Board of any changes to such information in accordance with Board regulations.

E. Every application for a permit granted pursuant to § 4.1-212 shall be on a form provided by the Board. Such permits shall confer upon their holders no authority to make solicitations in the Commonwealth as otherwise provided by law.

The fee for a temporary permit shall be one-twelfth of the combined fees required by this section for applicable licenses to sell wine, beer, or mixed beverages computed to the nearest cent and multiplied by the number of months for which the permit is granted.

F. The Board shall have the authority to increase state license fees from the amounts set forth in § 4.1-231.1 as it was in effect on January 1, 2022. The Board shall set the amount of such increases on the basis of the consumer price index and shall not increase fees more than once every three years. Prior to implementing any state license fee increase, the Board shall provide notice to all licensees and the general public of (i) the Board's intent to impose a fee increase and (ii) the new fee that would be required for any license affected by the Board's proposed fee increases. Such notice shall be provided on or before November 1 in any year in which the Board has decided to increase state license fees, and such increases shall become effective July 1 of the following year.

Code 1950, §§ 4-26, 4-30, 4-31, 4-33; 1952, c. 535; 1954, cc. 301, 351; 1956, c. 523; 1960, c. 476; 1968, c. 7, § 4-98.16; 1970, c. 627; 1972, cc. 178, 717; 1974, c. 267; 1975, c. 408; 1976, cc. 67, 496, 696, 698; 1978, cc. 190, 446; 1980, cc. 299, 324, 524, 526, § 4-25.1; 1981, c. 410; 1982, cc. 66, 527; 1984, cc. 53, 180, 200, 559, 703; 1985, c. 457; 1986, cc. 94, 190, 615; 1988, c. 786; 1989, c. 311; 1990, cc. 108, 300, 390, 442, 707, 727, 810; 1991, c. 425; 1992, c. 350; 1993, cc. 166, 866; 1994, c. 825; 1996, cc. 584, 596; 1998, c. 535; 1999, cc. 112, 756; 2003, cc. 1029, 1030; 2004, cc. 382, 487; 2004, Sp. Sess. I, c. 4; 2005, cc. 361, 951; 2006, Sp. Sess. I, c. 2; 2007, cc. 99, 799; 2008, c. 765; 2011, c. 65; 2015, c. 412; 2017, c. 596; 2018, cc. 405, 406, 657; 2020, cc. 1113, 1114; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 82, 186; 2022, cc. 78, 79.

A. Every person intending to apply for any license authorized by this chapter shall file with the Board an application on forms provided by the Board and a statement in writing by the applicant swearing and affirming that all of the information contained therein is true.

Applicants for retail licenses for establishments that serve food or are otherwise required to obtain a food establishment permit from the Department of Health or an inspection by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall provide a copy of such permit, proof of inspection, proof of a pending application for such permit, or proof of a pending request for such inspection. If the applicant provides a copy of such permit, proof of inspection, proof of a pending application for a permit, or proof of a pending request for an inspection, a license may be issued to the applicant. If a license is issued on the basis of a pending application or inspection, such license shall authorize the licensee to purchase alcoholic beverages in accordance with the provisions of this subtitle; however, the licensee shall not sell or serve alcoholic beverages until a permit is issued or an inspection is completed.

B. In addition, each applicant for a license under the provisions of this chapter, except applicants for annual banquet, banquet, tasting, special events, club events, annual mixed beverage banquet, wine and beer shipper's, delivery permit, annual arts venue, or museum licenses issued under the provisions of Chapter 2 (§ 4.1-200 et seq.), or beer or wine importer's licenses, shall post a notice of his application with the Board on the front door of the building, place, or room where he proposes to engage in such business for no more than 30 days and not less than 10 days. Such notice shall be of a size and contain such information as required by the Board, including a statement that any objections shall be submitted to the Board not more than 30 days following initial publication of the notice required pursuant to this subsection.

The applicant shall also cause notice to be published at least once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in or having a general circulation in the county, city, or town wherein such applicant proposes to engage in such business. Such notice shall contain such information as required by the Board, including a statement that any objections to the issuance of the license be submitted to the Board not later than 30 days from the date of the initial newspaper publication. In the case of wine and beer shipper's licensees, delivery permittees, or operators of boats, dining cars, buffet cars, club cars, buses, and airplanes, the posting and publishing of notice shall not be required.

Except for applicants for annual banquet, banquet, tasting, mixed beverage special events, club events, annual mixed beverage banquet, wine and beer shipper's, beer or wine importer's, annual arts venue, or museum licenses, the Board shall conduct a background investigation, to include a criminal history records search, which may include a fingerprint-based national criminal history records search, on each applicant for a license. However, the Board may waive, for good cause shown, the requirement for a criminal history records search and completed personal data form for officers, directors, nonmanaging members, or limited partners of any applicant corporation, limited liability company, or limited partnership.

Except for applicants for wine and beer shipper's licenses and delivery permits, the Board shall notify the local governing body of each license application through the county or city attorney or the chief law-enforcement or administrative officer of the locality. Local governing bodies shall submit objections to the granting of a license within 30 days of the filing of the application.

C. Each applicant shall pay the required application fee at the time the application is filed. Each license application fee, including annual banquet and annual mixed beverage banquet, shall be $195, plus the actual cost charged to the Department of State Police by the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Central Criminal Records Exchange for processing any fingerprints through the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Central Criminal Records Exchange for each criminal history records search required by the Board, except for banquet, tasting, or mixed beverage club events licenses, in which case the application fee shall be $15. The application fee for banquet special event and mixed beverage special event licenses shall be $45. Application fees shall be in addition to the state license fee required pursuant to § 4.1-231.1 and shall not be refunded.

D. Subsection A shall not apply to the continuance of licenses granted under this chapter; however, all licensees shall file and maintain with the Board a current, accurate record of the information required by the Board pursuant to subsection A and notify the Board of any changes to such information in accordance with Board regulations.

E. Every application for a permit granted pursuant to § 4.1-212 shall be on a form provided by the Board. Such permits shall confer upon their holders no authority to make solicitations in the Commonwealth as otherwise provided by law.

The fee for a temporary permit shall be one-twelfth of the combined fees required by this section for applicable licenses to sell wine, beer, or mixed beverages computed to the nearest cent and multiplied by the number of months for which the permit is granted.

F. The Board shall have the authority to increase state license fees from the amounts set forth in § 4.1-231.1 as it was in effect on January 1, 2022. The Board shall set the amount of such increases on the basis of the consumer price index and shall not increase fees more than once every three years. Prior to implementing any state license fee increase, the Board shall provide notice to all licensees and the general public of (i) the Board's intent to impose a fee increase and (ii) the new fee that would be required for any license affected by the Board's proposed fee increases. Such notice shall be provided on or before November 1 in any year in which the Board has decided to increase state license fees, and such increases shall become effective July 1 of the following year.

Code 1950, §§ 4-26, 4-30, 4-31, 4-33; 1952, c. 535; 1954, cc. 301, 351; 1956, c. 523; 1960, c. 476; 1968, c. 7, § 4-98.16; 1970, c. 627; 1972, cc. 178, 717; 1974, c. 267; 1975, c. 408; 1976, cc. 67, 496, 696, 698; 1978, cc. 190, 446; 1980, cc. 299, 324, 524, 526, § 4-25.1; 1981, c. 410; 1982, cc. 66, 527; 1984, cc. 53, 180, 200, 559, 703; 1985, c. 457; 1986, cc. 94, 190, 615; 1988, c. 786; 1989, c. 311; 1990, cc. 108, 300, 390, 442, 707, 727, 810; 1991, c. 425; 1992, c. 350; 1993, cc. 166, 866; 1994, c. 825; 1996, cc. 584, 596; 1998, c. 535; 1999, cc. 112, 756; 2003, cc. 1029, 1030; 2004, cc. 382, 487; 2004, Sp. Sess. I, c. 4; 2005, cc. 361, 951; 2006, Sp. Sess. I, c. 2; 2007, cc. 99, 799; 2008, c. 765; 2011, c. 65; 2015, c. 412; 2017, c. 596; 2018, cc. 405, 406, 657; 2020, cc. 1113, 1114; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 82, 186; 2022, cc. 78, 79; 2024, cc. 105, 159.