(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, it is unlawful for any retail spirits, beer, or wine licensee to purchase spirits, beer, or wine, except from a duly licensed distributor, domestic winery, domestic brewer, or certificate of approval holder with a direct shipment endorsement.

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Terms Used In Washington Code 66.28.070

  • Beer: means any malt beverage, flavored malt beverage, or malt liquor as these terms are defined in this chapter. See Washington Code 66.04.010
  • Domestic winery: means a place where wines are manufactured or produced within the state of Washington. See Washington Code 66.04.010
  • Liquor: includes the four varieties of liquor herein defined (alcohol, spirits, wine, and beer), and all fermented, spirituous, vinous, or malt liquor, or combinations thereof, and mixed liquor, a part of which is fermented, spirituous, vinous or malt liquor, or otherwise intoxicating; and every liquid or solid or semisolid or other substance, patented or not, containing alcohol, spirits, wine, or beer, and all drinks or drinkable liquids and all preparations or mixtures capable of human consumption, and any liquid, semisolid, solid, or other substance, which contains more than one percent of alcohol by weight shall be conclusively deemed to be intoxicating. See Washington Code 66.04.010
  • Manufacturer: means a person engaged in the preparation of liquor for sale, in any form whatsoever. See Washington Code 66.04.010
  • sell: include exchange, barter, and traffic; and also include the selling or supplying or distributing, by any means whatsoever, of liquor, or of any liquid known or described as beer or by any name whatever commonly used to describe malt or brewed liquor or of wine, by any person to any person; and also include a sale or selling within the state to a foreign consignee or his or her agent in the state. See Washington Code 66.04.010
  • Spirits: means any beverage which contains alcohol obtained by distillation, except flavored malt beverages, but including wines exceeding twenty-four percent of alcohol by volume. See Washington Code 66.04.010
  • Wine: means any alcoholic beverage obtained by fermentation of fruits (grapes, berries, apples, et cetera) or other agricultural product containing sugar, to which any saccharine substances may have been added before, during or after fermentation, and containing not more than twenty-four percent of alcohol by volume, including sweet wines fortified with wine spirits, such as port, sherry, muscatel, and angelica, not exceeding twenty-four percent of alcohol by volume and not less than one-half of one percent of alcohol by volume. See Washington Code 66.04.010
  • Wine distributor: means a person who buys wine from a domestic winery, wine certificate of approval holder, or wine importer, or who acquires foreign produced wine from a source outside of the United States, for the purpose of selling the same not in violation of this title, or who represents such vintner or winery as agent. See Washington Code 66.04.010
(2)(a) A spirits, beer, or wine retailer may purchase spirits, beer, or wine:
(i) From a government agency that has lawfully seized liquor possessed by a licensed distributor or retailer;
(ii) From a board-authorized manufacturer or certificate holder authorized by this title to act as a distributor of liquor;
(iii) From a licensed retailer which has discontinued business if the distributor has refused to accept spirits, beer, or wine from that retailer for return and refund;
(iv) From a retailer whose license or license endorsement permits resale to a retailer of wine and/or spirits for consumption on the premises, if the purchasing retailer is authorized to sell such wine and/or spirits.
(b) Goods purchased under this subsection (2) must meet the quality standards set by the manufacturer of the goods.
(3) Special occasion licensees holding a special occasion license may only purchase spirits, beer, or wine from a spirits, beer, or wine retailer duly licensed to sell spirits, beer, or wine for off-premises consumption, or from a duly licensed spirits, beer, or wine distributor.
[ 2012 c 2 § 118 (Initiative Measure No. 1183, approved November 8, 2011); 2006 c 302 § 8. Prior: 1994 c 201 § 5; 1994 c 63 § 2; 1987 c 205 § 1; 1937 c 217 § 1(23H) (adding new section 23-H to 1933 ex.s. c 62); RRS § 7306-23H.]

NOTES:

FindingApplicationRulesEffective dateContingent effective date2012 c 2 (Initiative Measure No. 1183): See notes following RCW 66.24.620.
Effective date2006 c 302: See note following RCW 66.24.170.