West Virginia Code 60-8-6e – Private wine delivery license for a licensed Class A wine licensee or a third party; requirements; limitations; third party license fee; private retail transportation permit; and requirements
(a) A Class A wine licensee who is licensed to sell wine for on-premises consumption may apply for a private wine delivery license permitting the order, sale, and delivery of wine in the original container of sealed bottles or cans, or sealed wine growlers, when separately licensed for wine growler sales. The order, sale, and delivery of wine in the original container of sealed bottles or cans, or sealed wine growlers is permitted for off-premises consumption when completed by the licensee or the licensee’s employees to a person purchasing the wine through a telephone, mobile ordering application, or web-based software program, authorized by the licensee’s license. There is no additional fee for a Class A wine licensee to obtain a private wine delivery license. The order, sale, and delivery process must meet the requirements of this section. The order, sale, and delivery process is subject to the penalties of this article.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 60-8-6e
- Licensee: means the holder of a license granted under the provisions of this article. See West Virginia Code 60-8-2
- person: means and includes an individual, firm, trust, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, association, or corporation. See West Virginia Code 60-8-2
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- Wine: means any alcoholic beverage obtained by the natural fermentation of the natural content of grapes, other fruits, or honey or other agricultural products containing sugar to which no alcohol has been added and includes table wine, hard cider, nonfortified dessert wine, wine coolers, and other similar wine-based beverages. See West Virginia Code 60-8-2
(b) A third party, not licensed for wine sales or distribution, may apply for a private wine delivery license for the privilege of ordering and delivery of wine in the original container of sealed bottles, or cans, or sealed wine growlers, from a licensee with a wine growler license. The order and delivery of wine in the original container of sealed bottles or cans, or sealed wine growlers is permitted by a third party licensee when sold by a Class A wine licensee to a person purchasing the wine through telephone orders, mobile ordering application, or web-based software program for off-premises consumption. The private wine delivery license non-prorated, nonrefundable annual fee is $200 per third party entity, with no limit on the number of drivers and vehicles.
(c) The private wine delivery license application shall comply with licensure requirements in this article and shall contain any information required by the commissioner.
(d) Sale Requirements. —
(1) The wine purchase shall accompany the purchase of prepared food or a meal and the completion of the sale may be accomplished by the delivery of prepared food or a meal, and sealed wine by the licensee or third-party licensee.
(2) Any purchasing person shall be 21 years of age or older, shall not be visibly or noticeably intoxicated at the time of delivery, and shall meet the requirements set forth in this article for the sale of wine.
(3) “Prepared food or a meal” for this article, means food that has been cooked, grilled, fried, deep-fried, air-fried, smoked, boiled, broiled, twice baked, blanched, sautéed, or in any other manner freshly made and prepared, and does not include pre-packaged food from the manufacturer.
(4) An order, sale, and delivery may consist of no more than 384 fluid ounces of wine per delivery order; and
(5) A third-party private wine delivery licensee may not have a pecuniary interest in a Class A wine licensee, as set forth in this article. A third-party private wine delivery licensee may only charge a convenience fee for the delivery of wine as provided in this section. The third-party private wine delivery licensee may not collect a percentage of the delivery order for the delivery of alcohol but may collect a percentage of the delivery order directly related to prepared food or a meal. The convenience fee charged by the third-party private wine delivery licensee to the purchasing person may be no greater than $20 per delivery order where wine is ordered by the purchasing person. For any third-party private wine delivery licensee also licensed for nonintoxicating beer or nonintoxicating craft beer growler delivery as set forth in §11-16-6d of the code or craft cocktail growler delivery as set forth in §60-7-8f of the code, the total convenience fee of any order, sale, and delivery of a sealed growler, wine growler, or craft cocktail growler shall not exceed $20.
(e) Private Wine Delivery Requirements. —
(1) Delivery persons employed for the delivery of sealed wine shall be 21 years of age or older. The third-party private wine delivery licensee or a Class A wine licensee shall file each delivery person’s name, driver’s license, and vehicle information with the commissioner;
(2) The third-party private wine delivery licensee or the Class A wine licensee shall train delivery persons on verifying legal identification and in identifying the signs of intoxication. The third-party private wine delivery licensee shall submit certification of the training to the commissioner;
(3) The third party private wine delivery licensee or Class A wine licensee shall hold a retail transportation permit for each vehicle delivering sealed wine per subsection (g) of this section: Provided, That a delivery driver may retain an electronic copy of his or her permit as proof of licensure;
(4) Delivery of food or a meal, and sealed wine orders by a third-party private wine delivery licensee or Class A wine licensee may occur in the county or contiguous counties where the wine licensee is located;
(5) The third-party private wine delivery licensee or Class A wine licensee may only deliver prepared food or a meal and sealed wine to addresses located in West Virginia. The third-party private wine delivery licensee or Class A wine licensee shall account for and pay all sales and municipal taxes;
(6) The third-party private wine delivery licensee or Class A wine licensee may not deliver prepared food or a meal, and sealed wine to any other wine licensees;
(7) Deliveries of food or a meal, and sealed wine are only for personal use, and not for resale; and
(8) The third-party private wine delivery licensee or Class A wine licensee shall not deliver and leave deliveries of prepared food or a meal, and sealed wine any address without verifying a person’s age and identification as required by this section.
(f) Telephone, mobile ordering application, or web-based software requirements. —
(1) The delivery person shall only permit the person who placed the order through a telephone order, a mobile ordering application, or web-based software to accept the prepared food or meal, and wine delivery which is subject to age verification upon delivery with the delivery person’s visual review and verification;
(2) Any mobile ordering application or web-based software used shall include the delivery driver’s name and vehicle information and delivery shall be subject to legal identification verification;
(3) Any telephone ordering system shall maintain a log or record of the purchasing person’s identification and details of the sale, accessible by the delivery driver for verification, shall include the delivery driver’s name and vehicle information, and delivery shall be subject to legal identification verification;
(4) All records are subject to inspection by the commissioner, and the third-party private wine delivery licensee and Class A wine licensee shall retain the records for inspection for three years. The third-party private wine delivery licensee or Class A wine licensee may not unreasonably withhold the records from the commissioner’s inspection; and
(5) Each vehicle delivering wine shall be issued a private wine retail transportation permit per subsection (g) of this section.
(g) Private Wine Retail Transportation Permit. —
(1) A Class A wine licensee or a third-party private wine delivery licensee shall obtain and maintain a retail transportation permit for the delivery of prepared food and sealed wine.
(2) A Class A wine licensee or a third-party private wine delivery licensee shall provide vehicle and driver information, requested by the commissioner. Upon any change in vehicles or drivers, the licensee shall update the driver and vehicle information with the commissioner within 10 days of the change.
(3) In conjunction with § 60-6-12 of this code, a private wine retail transportation permit shall meet the requirements of a transportation permit authorizing the permit holder to transport wine subject to the requirements of this chapter.
(h) Enforcement. —
(1) The licensee or the third-party private wine delivery licensee are responsible for any violations committed by their employees or independent contractors under this article, and more than one violation may be issued for a single violation involving multiple licensees, employees, or independent contractors.
(2) Any license or permit granted by this section is subject to the penalties of probation, monetary fines, suspension, and revocation, as set forth in this article, for violations committed by the licensee, its employees, or independent contractors.
(3) It is a violation for any licensee, its employees, or independent contractors to break the seal of a wine bottle, wine can, or wine growler. A person who violates the provisions of this subdivision is subject to the maximum penalties available in this article.
(4) For purposes of criminal enforcement of the provisions of this article, persons ordering, purchasing, and accepting delivery of orders are considered to be purchasers.