• Applicant must complete the ABL-900
• Fees:
• Beer and Wine ONLY: $10.00/day
• Alcoholic Liquors ONLY: $35.00/day
• Beer, Wine, and Alcoholic Liquors: $45.00 /day
• Events extending beyond midnight require an additional day's fee.
• Applicant must be 21 years of age.
• Applicant must be a resident of South Carolina for thirty days prior to the date of application.
• Applicant must be of good moral character.
• All principals must attach a criminal records check (CRC), not more than 90 days old. (Code Section 61-4-550)
• If the principal has lived in South Carolina for more than two (2) years, obtain the CRC from SLED at www.sled.state.sc.us or SLED Headquarters, Criminal Records Department, 4400 Broad River Rd., P.O. Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221.
• If the principal has lived in South Carolina less than two (2) years, obtain a statewide CRC from previous state of residency AND a CRC from SLED.
• If principal is not a South Carolina resident, obtain a statewide CRC from current state of residency.
• The location, in the opinion of the SCDOR, must be suitable for sale and consumption of beer, wine and/or liquor.
• Must have South Carolina Retail Sales and/or Admission Tax License; or proof of tax exemption. Contact the License and Registration Section at 803-896-1350.
• If an application for a permanent license/permit is pending for this location, a special event license cannot be issued to the same location.
• Form ABL-100 (included with the ABL-900) must be completed and returned with your application. Applications will not be processed without this form. If applying for alcoholic liquors the ABL-100 MUST be filed in the non-profit name per Code Section 61-6-2000(C).
• Location Approval: Special Event License is for a specific location only. Once you have been approved for the location for which you have applied, you cannot transfer the license to another location.

• Applicant must complete ABL-909
• Fees: Non-refundable $40.00 per license
• Only 4 events allowed per year per entity
• Multiple licenses within the same county and time period constitute one event
• Event must last no longer than 72 consecutive hours
• Applicant must be 21 years of age
• Applicant must be a resident of SC or registered to do business in the state 30 days prior to the date of application
• Applicant must be of good moral character.
• All principals must attach a criminal records check (CRC), not more than 90 days old. 
• If the principal has lived in SC for more than two (2) years, obtain the CRC from SLED at www.sled.state.sc.us or SLED Headquarters, Criminal Records Department, 4400 Broad River Rd., P.O. Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221. 
• If the principal has lived in SC less than two (2) years, obtain a statewide CRC from previous state of residency AND a CRC from SLED. 
• Multiple locations within the same county constitute one event (separate license and fees would be needed for each location)
• License allows for donations from manufacturer’s who are authorized in the state to donate product.
• Manufacturers include producers, vintners, brewers, microbrewers, importers, distillers, and micro-distillers licensed to do business in this state.
• Donated products must come through a SC wholesaler and be received by the nonprofit.
• Allow manufacturers to pour and serve alcohol at the event and to provide equipment used to dispense alcohol for on-premises consumption.
• The location, in the opinion of the SCDOR, must be suitable for sale and consumption of beer, wine and/or liquor.
• Must have SC Retail Sales and/or Admission Tax License; or proof of tax exemption. Contact the License and Registration Section at 803-896-1350.
• If an application for a permanent license/permit is pending for this location, a special event license will not be issued for the same location.
• Form ABL-100 (included with the ABL-909) must be completed and returned with your application. Applications will not process without this form. If applying for alcoholic liquors the ABL-100 MUST be in the nonprofit name.

For Beer Tastings:

• On premises beer and wine permit holders are prohibited by SC Code Ann. § 61-4-160 to hold tastings unless it is done:
  
1. On an individual basis;
2. To a fraternal organization in the course of its fund raising activities;
3. To a person attending a private function;
4. To a customer attending a function sponsored by the permit holder. No more than two functions are permitted per year and each function must be approved by the SCDOR.
• Off premises beer and wine permit holders are prohibited by the restriction on the permit prohibiting on premises consumption of beer or wine. Notwithstanding, a location holding an off premises beer and wine permit whose primary product is beer or wine may conduct not more than 24 beer tastings in a calendar quarter. To be permissible, the permit holder is required to:
  
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1. Notify SLED at least 10 days in advance;
2. Conduct the tasting;
3. Use only the retailer’s product(s);
4. Use not more than eight products at a tasting;
5. Only use one product at a time;
6. Provide samples of not more than two ounces for low-alcohol beer;
7. Provide samples of not more than one ounce of high-alcohol beer;
8. Provide not more than one sample of any one product to any one customer;
9. Provide no more than two of the eight samples contain more than 10% of alcohol by weight;
10. Serve more than one sample of each product to any one person;
11. Not offer to or allow consumption by anyone under 21 years of age;
12. Not offer a tasting event lasting more than four hours;
13. Not hold any beer tasting and any wine tasting at the same time;
14. Not offer more than one tasting event per day; and
15. Not offer a tasting, even in conjunction with a tasting in a retail liquor store, which is adjacent to and licensed in the same name as the off premises beer and wine permit holder.
• Beer tastings at locations with a Brewery Permit (“PWY”) located in South Carolina are authorized to offer samples of beer brewed in this state on its licensed premises, with or without cost, to consumers. To be permissible, the permit holder must:
  
1. Offer the tastings in conjunction with a tour by the consumer of the licensed premises;
2. Not offer a tasting to or allow consumption by a person under 21 years of age;
3. Offer no more than two ounces per brand of beer with over 8% alcohol by weight and no more than four ounces of beer with under 8% alcohol by weight; 4) not allow more than four brands of beer to be tasted by any one consumer in a 24-hour period.

For Wine Tastings:

• Wine tastings at locations holding an off premises beer and wine permit, whose primary product is beer and wine, may conduct not more than 24 wine tastings per quarter (wholesalers may only conduct two of these).
• Wine tastings at locations holding an on premises beer and wine permit are prohibited from holding wine tastings unless it is done:
1. On an individual basis;
2. To a fraternal organization in the course of its fund raising activities;
3. To a person attending a private function;
4. To a customer attending a function sponsored by the permit holder.

No more than two functions are permitted per year.

• Wine tastings at locations holding a Winery Permit (“PWY”) that are located in South Carolina are authorized to offer wine tasting samples to prospective customers on its licensed premises, with or without cost, provided the wine contains an alcoholic content of 16% or less.
• Wine containing 16% or less alcohol:
  
• Licensed wineries may conduct tastings without limitations.
• Retail liquor stores may conduct 24 wine tastings per quarter (wholesalers may only conduct two of these).
• Wine containing over 16% alcohol and alcoholic liquors:
  
• Micro distilleries and other liquor manufacturers: A holder of a valid micro-distillery or manufacturer license issued by South Carolina may permit tastings and retail sales of the alcoholic liquors produced at the licensed premises subject to the following limitations and any other limitations:
  
1. Tastings by and sales to consumers must be held in conjunction with a tour by the consumer of the on-site licensed premises;
2. The micro-distillery or manufacturer shall establish appropriate protocols to ensure that a consumer sold or served alcoholic liquors pursuant to this section is not under 21 years of age and that a consumer shall not attend more than one tasting in a day;
3. The micro-distillery or manufacturer shall dispense alcoholic liquors for tasting in quantities no greater than one-half ounce per sample;
4. The micro-distillery or manufacturer may not dispense more than three ounces to an individual consumer in one day;
5. Tastings and sales may occur only between the hours of 9 am and 7 pm, Monday through Saturday;
6. The micro-distillery or manufacturer may charge for alcoholic liquors consumed at a tasting, but must collect and remit the liquor by the drink excise tax pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 33 of Title 12;
7. Tastings may not occur in conjunction with the service of food in a restaurant setting; and
8. Only brands of alcoholic liquors actually manufactured, distilled or fermented at and distributed to wholesalers from the licensed premises may be sold or offered for tasting.
• Tastings at licensed premises of a micro-disti​​llery or manufacturer is expressly intended for the promotion of education regarding production of alcoholic liquors in the State and is not intended to create competition between producers and retailers.
• In the event a Micro-Distiller or Liquor Manufacturer charges for any samples or tastings, whether directly (e.g. $2 for each half-ounce “shot”) or indirectly (e.g. charging admission for a tour), retail sales tax and appropriate liquor by the drink taxes must be remitted.

Retail liquor stores may conduct tastings provided:


• No sample may be offered from more than four products at a time;
• The sample is limited to products from no more than one wholesaler at a time;
• No more than one bottle of each of the four products to be sampled may be opened;
• The sampling must be held in a designated tasting area of the retail liquor store and all open bottles must be visible at all times. All open bottles must be removed at the end of the tasting;
• Samples must be less than one-half ounce for each product sampled;
• No person may be served more than one sample of each product;
• No sampling may be offered for more than four hours;
• At least 10 days before the sampling, a letter detailing the specific date and hours of the sampling must be mailed first class to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The letter must include a copy of a certificate of liability insurance for the manufacturer, the retail establishment, or its agent, conducting the tastings;
• No sample may be offered to, or allowed to be consumed by, an intoxicated person or a person under the age of 21 years. This person must not be allowed to loiter on the store premises;
• The tastings must be conducted by the manufacturer or an agent of the manufacturer or retailer, and must not be conducted by a wholesaler, an employee of a wholesaler, or any agent of a wholesaler.
• No retail alcoholic liquor store may offer more than one sampling per day.
• All product samples used for tasting must be purchased by the retailer from a South Carolina Licensed Wholesaler.
• All associated costs for the tasting must be by the manufacturer, the retailer, or agent conducting the tastings.

Establishments holding liquor by the drink licenses may conduct tastings of alcoholic liquors and of wine containing in excess of 16% provided:

• The establishment must have a permanent seating capacity of 50 persons or more;
• Samples may not be offered from more than four products at any one time;
• The sampling must be held in the bar area of a licensed establishment and all open bottles must be visible at all times. All open bottles must be removed at the conclusion of the tasting;
• Samples must be less than one-half ounce for each product sampled;
• A person may not be served more than one sample of each product;
• A sampling may not be offered for more than four hours;
• At least five days before the sampling, a letter detailing the specific date and hours of the sampling must be mailed first class to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division;
• A sample must not be offered to, or allowed to be consumed by, an intoxicated person or a person under the age of 21 years;
• A licensed establishment may not offer more than on sampling each day; and
• The sampling must be conducted by the manufacturer or wholesaler or an agent of the manufacturer or wholesaler.

A holder of a valid micro-distillery or manufacturer license issued by the State may permit tastings and retail sales of the alcoholic liquors produced at the licensed premises subject to the following limitations:

1. Tastings by and sales to consumers must be held in conjunction with a tour by the consumer of the on-site licensed premises;
2. The micro-distillery or manufacturer shall establish appropriate protocols to ensure that a consumer sold or served alcoholic liquors pursuant to this section is not under twenty-one years of age and that a consumer shall not attend more than one tasting a day;
3. The micro-distillery or manufacturer shall dispense alcoholic liquors for tasting in quantities not greater than one-half ounce per sample;
4. The micro-distillery or manufacturer may not dispense more than three ounces to an individual consumer in one day;
5. Tastings and sales may occur only between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday;
6. The micro-distillery or manufacturer may charge for alcoholic liquors consumed at a tasting, but must collect and remit the liquor by the drink excise tax pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 33 of Title 12;
7. Tastings may not occur in conjunction with the service of food in a restaurant setting; and
8. Only brands of alcoholic liquors actually manufactured, distilled, or fermented at and distributed to wholesalers from the licensed premises may be sold or offered for tasting. In addition, a micro-distillery desiring to offer tastings and sales of alcoholic liquors to consumers at its licensed premises shall remit taxes to the department for alcoholic liquors sold and dispensed in an amount equal to taxes paid by wholesalers on alcoholic liquors. All alcoholic liquors produced and sold on licensed premises must be taxed and remitted as provided in Chapter 33 of Title 12;
9. The micro-distillery or manufacturer licensee shall maintain adequate records to ensure the collection of this tax.

Watercraft is understood to mean boats, vessels, and ships.

No statute exists in Title 61 of the South Carolina Code of Laws addressing the permitting of a watercraft for the sale, possession, and on-premises consumption of beer and wine. Therefore, for purposes of licensing we consider a watercraft as the premises. The licensed premises does not extend beyond the watercraft itself. The dock, land/lot, or out buildings are not included in the licensed premises. S.C. Code of Regulations 7-202.1.

1. Must provide an address, boat slip number, and name of boat to be licensed as the premises. The entity seeking a permit must have direct control of the watercraft where they will conduct business. S.C. Code of Regulations 7-202.1.
2. Must have functioning restroom available for use by customers in order to meet requirements for suitability. S.C. Code Ann.  §§61-4-520(5) and 61-4-520(6).
3. Must provide a designated route of travel in order to meet requirements for suitability. S.C. Code Ann.  §§61-4-520(5) and 61-4-520(6).
4. Route of travel must not venture into waters of another state or jurisdiction. This is beyond the authority of the Department of Revenue.

Watercraft is understood to mean boats, vessels, and ships.

No statute exists in Title 61 of the South Carolina Code of Laws addressing the licensing of a watercraft for the sale, possession, and on-premises consumption of alcoholic liquors. Therefore, for purposes of licensing we consider a watercraft as the premises and a floating restaurant. In order to license a watercraft as a restaurant the entity must be a business primarily engaged in the preparation and serving of meals. S.C. Constitution Article 8-A and S.C. Code Ann.  §§61-6-20(2), 61-6-1610(A)(1). The licensed premises does not extend beyond the watercraft itself. The dock, land/lot, or out buildings are not included in the licensed premises. S.C. Code of Regulations 7-202.1.

The following requirements must be met to qualify as a business primarily engaged in the preparation and serving of meals:

1. Must have seating for at least 40 people simultaneously at tables for the service of meals each day it is open for business. S.C. Code Ann.  §61-6-20(2).
2. Must have a kitchen that is in a separate area used solely for the preparation and serving of solid foods that make up meals. S.C. Code Ann.  §§61-6-20(2)(a) and 61-6-1610(I)(1).
3. Kitchen must have a working fixed grill, stove or microwave oven. S.C. Code Ann.  §61-6-1610(I)(1).
4. Must have a functioning cold storage unit with a minimum of 21 cubic feet capacity. S.C. Code Ann.  §61-6-1610(I)(1).
5. Must have a menu or sign listing the meals offered at your place of business. S.C. Code Ann.  §61-6-20(2)(b).
6. Must have adequate supply of food and types of prepared foods on the premises of the business. S.C. Code Ann.  §61-6-1610(I)(2) and (3).
7. Must have a Grade A Restaurant license issued by DHEC. S.C. Code Ann.  §61-6-1610(H).

Additional requirements necessary to license a watercraft for the sale, possession, and on-premises consumption of alcoholic liquors:

1. Must provide an address, boat slip number, and name of boat to be licensed as the premises. The entity seeking a license must have direct control of the watercraft where they will conduct business. S.C. Code of Regulations 7-202.1.
2. Must have functioning restroom available for use by customers in order to meet requirements for suitability. S.C. Code Ann.  §61-6-910(2).
3. Must provide a designated route of travel in order to meet requirements for suitability. S.C. Code Ann.  §61-6-910(2).
4. Route of travel must not venture into waters of another state or jurisdiction. This is beyond the authority of the Department of Revenue.