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abra

Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration
 

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In observance of Christmas, ABCA’s office will close at 12 pm on, Tuesday, December 24, and reopen at 8:30 am on Thursday, December 26. ABCA’s office will also close at 12 pm on Tuesday, December 31, and will reopen at 8:30 am on Thursday, January 2, in observance of New Year's Day.

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Hotels

ABCA issues alcoholic beverage licenses to hotels in the District. ABCA issues two types of licenses to hotels:

  • On-premises Retailer Class C: Permits the sale, service and consumption of spirits, beer and wine at a hotel.
  • On-premises Retailer Class D: Permits the sale, service and consumption of beer and wine at a hotel.

A licensed hotel is permitted to sell and serve open containers of alcoholic beverages in the dining rooms, lounges, banquet halls and the private rooms of registered guests. A licensed hotel may also sell or serve closed containers of alcoholic beverages in the private rooms of registered guests.

In addition, a holder of a hotel license can apply for an off-premises class B retailer's license to have a beer and wine store located inside of a hotel. The store can have no public access to the street or the outside of the hotel's building. The store can sell single containers of beer, malt liquor, or ale, excluding miniatures, in sizes of 70 ounces or less. In order to obtain an off-premises license, the hotel licensee would need to file a new application for an off-premises class B license.

Hotels can obtain endorsements to expand their scope of operations. Endorsements can be applied for either at the time of initial application or after the license is issued:

  • Entertainment Endorsement: There are three different types of entertainment endorsement categories that allow a hotel to either provide live entertainment, dancing or to charge a cover. Hotels that want to provide entertainment, dancing or charge a cover can apply for one, two or all three endorsement categories.
  • Summer Garden or Sidewalk Café Endorsement: Allows a hotel to sell, serve and allow the consumption of alcoholic beverages on outdoor public or private space.
  • Brew Pub Endorsement: Allows a hotel to brew beer on or adjacent to the premises and to sell the beer for consumption at the licensed hotel. Also allows the licensee to sell the beer to wholesalers.
  • Wine Pub Endorsement: Allows a hotel to manufacture wine on or adjacent to the premises and to sell the wine for consumption at the licensed hotel. Also allows the licensee to sell the wine to wholesalers.
  • Distillery Pub Endorsement: Allows a hotel to manufacture, distill and store craft liquors on the licensed premises or in an area immediately adjacent to the premises.

A restaurant operating inside of a hotel is eligible to obtain a hotel license if the restaurant has a written agreement with the hotel to sell and serve alcoholic beverages in the hotel’s dining rooms, lounges, banquet halls or private rooms of registered guests, etc.

Learn more about licensing fees on ABCA's website.

License Renewals

A complete schedule of renewal deadlines are available on ABCA's website. 

Filing Quarterly Statements

Hotels are required to file quarterly statements with ABCA to report the previous quarter's food and alcohol sales and expenditures. File quarterly statements by the following dates:

  • April 30 reporting January–March (Q1)
  • July 30 reporting April–June (Q2)
  • October 30 reporting July–September (Q3)
  • January 30 reporting October–December (Q4)

Hotel Forms

If you are making any changes to an already licensed business, find the proper form here.

Additional Resources

More Resources