What does a spirits certificate of approval license allow?
(1) A spirits certificate of approval license may be issued to spirits manufacturers located outside of the state of Washington but within the United States.
(2) There are three separate spirits certificate of approval licenses as follows:
(a) A holder of a spirits certificate of approval may act as a distributor of spirits they are entitled to import into the state by selling directly to spirits distributors or spirits importers licensed in Washington state. The fee for a certificate of approval is two hundred dollars per year.
(b) A holder of an authorized representative out-of-state spirits importer or brand owner for spirits produced in the United States but outside of Washington state may obtain a spirits authorized representative domestic certificate of approval license which entitles the holder to import spirits into the state by selling directly to spirits distributors, or spirits importers licensed in Washington state. The fee for an authorized representative certificate of approval for spirits is two hundred dollars per year.
(c) A holder of an authorized representative out-of-state spirits importer or brand owner for spirits produced outside of the United States obtains a spirits authorized representative foreign certificate of approval which entitles the holder to import spirits into the state by selling directly to spirits distributors, or spirits importers licensed in Washington state. The fee for an authorized representative certificate of approval for foreign spirits is two hundred dollars per year.
(3) A spirits certificate of approval holder, a spirits authorized representative domestic certificate of approval holder, and/or a spirits authorized representative foreign certificate of approval holder must obtain an endorsement to the certificate of approval that allows the shipment of spirits the holder is entitled to import into the state directly to licensed liquor retailers. The fee for this endorsement is one hundred dollars per year and is in addition to the fee for the certificate of approval license.
(4) The holder of a certificate of approval license that sells directly to licensed liquor retailers must report to the board monthly, electronically or on forms provided by the board, the amount of all sales of spirits to licensed spirits retailers and spirits distributors.
[Statutory Authority: Chapter
66.24 RCW, RCW
66.08.030 and Court of Appeals Decision: Washington Restaurant Association, et al., v. WSLCB, 200 Wn.App. 119, 401 P.3d 428 (2017). WSR 19-21-002, § 314-23-030, filed 10/2/19, effective 1/1/20. Statutory Authority: RCW
66.24.640,
66.08.030. WSR 13-07-009, § 314-23-030, filed 3/7/13, effective 4/7/13. Statutory Authority: RCW
66.08.030,
66.24.055,
66.24.160,
66.24.630, and
66.24.640. WSR 12-12-065, § 314-23-030, filed 6/5/12, effective 7/6/12.]
