North Carolina alcohol laws

What it would do: Imposes a $10 fee per customer entry on sexually oriented businesses holding alcohol permits, with fees deposited into the Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Center Fund and businesses required to track daily customer numbers and remit fees quarterly.

What it would do: Requires alcohol law enforcement agents and local ABC officers to notify permit holders within five business days when citations are issued to employees for violations on permitted premises, and requires the ABC Commission to notify permit holders within five business days of receiving law enforcement reports documenting such violations.

What it would do: Revises North Carolina alcohol laws to allow ABC stores Sunday sales with local approval, authorizes premixed cocktail wholesaler permits, permits mobile bar services, allows mixed beverage permittees to purchase spirits from any designated ABC store statewide, increases game night and raffle limits, and permits temporary pricing promotions on alcoholic beverages.

What it would do: Requires holders of on-premises malt beverage, unfortified wine, fortified wine, or mixed beverages permits to provide potable drinking water without charge to customers requesting it, in servings of at least 6 fluid ounces, during hours alcoholic beverages may be sold.

What it would do: Decriminalizes possession of 5 grams or less of marijuana as a Class 3 misdemeanor, increases penalties for manufacturing and selling marijuana, raises the age to purchase tobacco and vapor products to 21, increases excise taxes on vapor products and marijuana, and expands Alcohol Law Enforcement jurisdiction.

What it would do: Transitions North Carolina from state and local operation of spirituous liquor sales to private package stores by July 1, 2029, requires local ABC boards to sell assets by public auction, increases the excise tax on spirituous liquor from 30% to 60%, and distributes resulting tax revenue to counties, cities, and state agencies.

What it would do: Creates a regulatory framework for hemp-derived consumable products containing up to 0.3% delta-9 THC, requiring permits from the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission for retail and delivery sellers, prohibiting sales to persons under 21, and establishing penalties for violations.

What it would do: Creates Chapter 18D regulating hemp-derived consumable products with delta-9 THC not exceeding 0.3% on dry weight basis. Requires licensing for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers; establishes testing, packaging, labeling, and advertising requirements; prohibits sales to persons under 21; and sets civil and criminal penalties for violations.

What it would do: Excludes nonalcoholic hemp-derived beverages from the definition of alcoholic beverages and establishes that manufacturing, selling, transporting, importing, delivering, furnishing, purchasing, consuming, or possessing hemp-derived beverages is unlawful except as otherwise provided in the chapter. Authorizes the ABC Commission to set standards for hemp-derived beverages.

What it would do: Appropriates $309,568,563 for an ABC warehouse to be repaid annually by the ABC Commission starting in 2029. Establishes service business permits allowing complimentary malt beverages and wine to customers, clarifies open container laws for takeout beverages, and makes technical corrections to ABC permit regulations.

What it would do: Legalizes cannabis possession and use for adults 21 and older, establishes a regulated cannabis market with licensing and taxation, creates an Office of Community Reinvestment to prioritize participation by communities harmed by prohibition, and automatically expunges prior marijuana convictions by July 1, 2028.

What it would do: Allows tribal enrollment cards issued by state or federally recognized Indian tribes to be used as valid proof of age for alcohol and tobacco purchases in North Carolina, effective December 1, 2025.

What it would do: Creates a Continuous Alcohol Monitoring Fund in the Department of Adult Correction to pay for continuous alcohol monitoring for persons courts determine cannot afford it, funded by a five-cent charge on each bottle of spirituous liquor sold at state uniform price.