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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ South Carolina Department of Revenue
Alcohol Beverage Licensing
PO Box 125
Columbia, SC 29214-0907

Phone: 803-898-5864

Report alcohol-related violations:
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​​​​​​​​​​Are you ​catering and bartending alcohol at ​events?
To avoid violations as a caterer or bartender, learn​ the ABL Rules and Regulations for Catering & Bartending in South Carolina ​to ensure you are legally providing alcohol at events.​

​​Alcohol Beverage Licensing​ (ABL)​

South Carolina law regulates alcoholic beverage commerce through a three-tiered distribution and licensing structure that strictly separates manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing:

TIER ​ONE
Manufacturers

Manufacturers (Producers & Importers) require ​​licenses that authorize the production or importation of alcoholic beverages into the state.

TIER TWO
Wholesalers

Wholesalers "Distributors"​ require licenses ​​that authorize the purchase of alcoholic beverages from producers for resale to retailers.

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TIER THREE
Retailers

​​R​​etailer​s​​ ​require ​licenses that authorize the purchase of alcoholic beverages from wholesalers for resale to the public​.​​

​​ ABL chart explaining that ​Manufacturers must sell to distributors only and retailers must only purchase alcohol from distributors for resale to the public.

Manufacturers must ​sell to distributors only.​​​

Wholesalers are the "middleman" between the manufacturer​ and retailer.

Retailers may only purchase from a wholesaler - and never directly from a manufacturer.

Learn more about permits and licensing for beer and wine, liquor, and special events​. And see what you need to know to stay compliant if you are​ ​operating an ABL business​​​.​​​

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License and permit renewal schedule​

​Most businesses will follow the steps below when applying for a renewal. Find more answers to frequently asked questions about the licensing process on our Licenses ​page​ or see how to renew a license in our YouTube video​.

  1. Two months before your renewal application is due, our team will notify you of your upcoming ​renewal period and provide instructions for applying.
  2. Your renewal due date is based on the county where your business is located. Refer to the renewal schedule ​​below to see when each county's renewal application is due. You will usually need to renew every two years.
  3. If you don’t have any changes to your business information (address, name, etc.), we re​​commend renewing online using MyDORWAY.
  4. After we receive your application, we’ll notify you if your renewal was approved or if we need additional information from you. If your renewal was not approved, you’ll receive information on what to do next when we notify you.​

MyDORWAY logoonline services

 Read our latest article to see how you can avoid common application mistakes​​ that could delay your special event license being approved before the big day.

You can apply for any ABL license or permit on MyDORWAY! Some applications will require you to be logged in to your MyDORWAY account before you apply. Visit our Licenses page​ ​to be sure you have all t​he information you need before starting your application or renewing your license.


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​​​ Alcohol Taxes

Manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers can click on a listing below for more information on filing and paying taxes ​for​​:

 Register your brand

Beer, wine, and malt products can be registered online at: productregistrationonline.com​

Liquor brands must be submitte
d by paper using the Application for Liquor Brand Registration (ABL-107A).​

​​​ Prepare for your ​event

Our ​Events & Festivals ​Guide​ is designed to help hosts, promoters, and vendors understand their tax obligations and licensing requirements for their upcoming events.​

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