Overview

ABCA encourages members of the public to submit complaints about and report incidents originating at licensed and unlicensed alcohol and medical cannabis businesses located in DC. Complaints and incident reports may be submitted online or by phone 24/7.

If the issue that you are reporting is not within ABCA’s jurisdiction such as illegal cigarette and hookah sales, your complaint will be forward to the appropriate agency.

Complaints may be submitted anonymously. If you file your complaint anonymously, ABCA investigators will not be able to contact you to request additional information to assist in their investigation of your complaint.
 

How to Submit a Complaint or Report an Incident

There are two (2) methods to submit complaints. Complaints should not be submitted by email.

• Online Portal (Recommended)

• Phone—ABCA Main Line | 202.442.4423

Please note that ABCA deployed a call center on January 16, 2024, that allows members of the public to submit a complaint or report an incident 24/7. Accordingly, the afterhours hotline should no longer be used and will be formally sunsetted on February 29, 2024.

What to Include in Your Submission 

Whether submitting a complaint or reporting an incident online or by phone, be prepared to provide the following information:

• Business name

• Business address including street number, name, and quadrant

• Date and time of incident

• Nature of your complaint—be as specific as possible

What to Expect After Submitting a Complaint or Reporting an Incident

If your complaint is about noise, ABCA investigators will need to enter your residence to determine the source of the noise and substantiate that the level of sound constitutes a violation. This requirement applies regardless of the time of day, including between 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. when most noise complaints are submitted. Detailed information on noise regulations is available online.

Complaints and incident reports are responded to within 24 hours of receipt.

If a violation is observed by an ABCA investigator, a case report will be drafted and submitted to the ABC Board for determination. Case reports may only be released to the public following review by the ABC Board. To request a case report, submit a document request through FOIAXpress.