Under 18: May serve beer and wine in sealed containers only. May not serve distilled spirits.

Over 18: May serve beer, wine and distilled spirits in open containers.

Note: Persons under the age of 21 may not be employed as Bartenders.

Beer and Wine Permits Generally

• ​§ 61-4-120 Sunday sales; exception:
  
• On premises beer & wine (PBW) or Off premises beer & wine (PBG) – Can sell from Monday at sunrise until Saturday at 11:59 p.m. However, an establishment that has a PBW and Business (restaurant/hotel/motel) liquor by the drink license (PLB) or Nonprofit private club liquor by the drink license (PLC) is authorized to sell beer and/or wine during those hours in which the sale of alcoholic liquors by the drink is lawful. (See below for PLB and/or PLC hours)​
​

Beer and Wine Permits– Off Premises sales on Sundays (only in counties where the beer and wine referendum has passed pursuant to § 61-6-2010)

• § 61-4-510 Special retail beer and wine permits.
  
• 7-Day Off premises beer & wine (P7B) can sell beer and wine for off premises consumption only (to go) seven days a week and twenty-four hours a day. (To qualify for this license, your county or municipality must have passed the beer and wine referendum pursuant to § 61-6-2010)
• 7-Day On premises beer & wine (PO7) can sell beer and wine for off premises consumption seven days a week and twenty-four hours a day. (See § 61-4-630 below for regulation of On Premises sales on Sundays) (To qualify for this license, you must be located in a county or municipality where both referendums were passed pursuant to § 61-6-2010)

On Premise Beer and Wine Permit On Premises sales on Sundays (only in counties where the LOP referendum has passed pursuant to § 61-6-2010)

• § 61-4-630 Sunday sales
  
• On premises beer & wine (PBW) can sell beer and wine on Sunday from 12:00am until 2:00am and 10:00am until 11:59pm for consumption on the premises only.
• 7-Day On premises beer & wine (PO7) can sell beer and wine on Sunday from 12:00am until 2:00am and 10:00am until 11:59pm for consumption on the premises. (To qualify for this license, you must be located in a county or municipality where both referendums were passed pursuant to § 61-6-2010)

Business (Restaurant/Hotel/Motel) Liquor by the Drink License

• § 61-6-1610 Food-service establishments or places of lodging; Sunday and other time restrictions on sale of alcoholic beverages; refilling bottles.
  
• Business (restaurant/hotel/motel) liquor by the drink (PLB) licensees can sell liquor by the drink Monday through Friday from 10:00am until 2:00am the next morning and on Saturday from 10:00am until 11:59pm. They can sell on Sundays if they have a Local Option Permit (LOP) (see § 61-6-2010 below).

Nonprofit Private Club Liquor by the Drink License

• § 61-6-1600 Nonprofit organizations; time when sale of alcoholic beverages prohibited.
  
• Nonprofit private club liquor by the drink (PLC) licensees can sell liquor by the drink seven days a week between 10:00am and 2:00am the next day.

Special license allowing Sunday sales at restaurants/hotels/motels (only in counties where the LOP referendum has passed pursuant to § 61-6-2010)

• § 61-6-2010 Temporary permits upon referendum vote.
  
• Business (restaurant/hotel/motel) liquor by the drink (PLB) licensees can obtain a Local Option Permit (LOP) to sell liquor by the drink on Sunday for on premise consumption. The Department has exercised its discretion to specify the following terms for the Local Option Permit (LOP) – liquor can only be sold on Sunday from 12:00am until 2:00am and 10:00am until 11:59pm.

Retail Liquor Stores

• § 61-6-1500 Restrictions upon retail dealers; unlawful practices; penalties.
  
• § 61-6-4160 Sunday sales; Christmas Day sales; penalties.
  
• Retail liquor stores (PRL) can only sell liquor for off premises consumption (to go) Monday through Saturday from 9:00am until 7:00pm.

Establishments with a separate food service establishment

• § 61-6-2015 Temporary permit to sell beer and wine for on-premises consumption; terms; qualifications.
  
• An establishment that has a separate food service establishment inside of it, such as a grocery store with a separate café inside, can obtain a special permit to allow on premises consumption of beer and wine 7-days a week in the separate food service establishment. The remainder of the establishment must already have either the regular Off Premises beer & wine permit (PBG) or the special 7-Day Off Premises beer & wine permit (P7B).
• Café area:
  Food service establishment (PFS) can sell for on premise consumption from Monday at sunrise until Sunday at 2:00am and Sunday from 10:00am until 11:59pm.
• Remaining business area Off premises beer & wine (PBG) – can sell for off premises consumption (to go) from Monday at sunrise until Saturday at 11:59pm.
• 7-Day Off premises beer & wine (P7B) can sell for off premises consumption (to go) from Monday at sunrise until Sunday at 11:59pm. (To qualify for this license your county or municipality must have passed the beer and wine referendum pursuant to § 61-6-2010)

Wineries – Sundays

• § 61-4-725 Wine sales by temporary permit; authorized hours.
  
• Licensed wineries in counties that allow liquor by the drink to be sold on Sunday can sell wine on Sunday for consumption on the premises from 12:00am until 2:00am and 10:00am until 11:59pm.

After the original ABL license and/or permit has been turned in to the SCDOR, the SCDOR will determine if a refund is due. A year or more must be left on the license when the SCDOR receives it in order to receive a refund. If you operate even one day into the next year a refund will not be granted. Your refund will equal one half of the amount of the biennial license fee. For example: if the license is set to expire on May 31, 2011, the SCDOR must have the original license in its possession no later than May 31, 2010. You will only receive a refund for the license(s) turned in, regardless of how many you have.

Once the original license and request for a refund has been received by the SCDOR, it will take 6-8 weeks for the refund to be processed. If you want your refund to be mailed to an address not on file with the SCDOR, please submit a request in writing with the mailing address your refund should be mailed to.

You will not be granted a refund for the following reasons:

• The original license has not been turned in.
• There is less than a year left on your license when it is received by the SCDOR.

NOTE: Filing fees for Special Events and LOPs are non-refundable.

In accordance with SC Code 61-6-1540 you may sell the following items:

• Drinking glassware packaged together with alcoholic liquors if the glassware and alcoholic liquors are packaged together by the wholesaler or producer in packaging provided by the producer;
• Nonalcoholic items, other than beer or wine, packaged together with alcoholic liquors if the nonalcoholic items and alcoholic liquors are in sealed packages and are packaged together by the alcoholic liquor producer at its place of business; and
• Lottery tickets under the provisions of Chapter 150 of Title 59.

(B) Retail dealers licensed pursuant to the provisions of this article may sell all wines in the stores or places of business covered by their respective licenses, whether declared alcoholic or non-alcoholic or non-intoxicating by the laws of this state. Wines containing more than sixteen percent of alcohol by volume may be sold only in licensed alcoholic liquor stores or in establishments licensed to sell and permit consumption of alcoholic liquors by the drink. The provisions of this section do not amend, alter, or modify the taxes imposed on wines or the collection and enforcement of these taxes.

• 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:
  
​
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 one and one-half 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 one and one-half 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.