Notice of Licensee Extension of Hours
From May 30, 2025, to June 9, 2025, and on June 18, 22, and 26, 2025
The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Board (“Board”), pursuant to the authority set forth in D.C. Official Code § 25-723(g), hereby gives notice that it is extending the authorized hours of sales, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages at, and authorized hours of operation of, on-premises retailer licensees, manufacturers holding an on-site sales and consumption permit, and temporary licensees (collectively, “eligible licensees”) for the period of Friday evening, May 30, 2025 until 4:00 a.m. on Monday, June 9, 2025, and for the evenings of June 18, 2025, June 22, 2025, and June 26, 2025, until 4:00 a.m. the following mornings. Specifically, the Board is authorizing each eligible licensee to extend its hours of sales, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages until 4:00 a.m. and extend its hours of operation to 24 hours each day, during the designated period, if the eligible licensee: (1) registers with the Board by May 27, 2025, and (2) pays a $100 fee.
The Board is taking this action pursuant to the authority provided by the On-Premises and On-Site Extended Hours Program Emergency Amendment Act of 2025, effective April 22, 2025, (D.C. Act 26-58; 72 DCR 004924) (“Act”). The Act added a new subsection (g) to section 25-723 of Title 25 of the District of Columbia Official Code. This new subsection authorizes the Board to extend the authorized hours of sales, service, and consumption of alcoholic beverages at on-premises retailer licensees, manufacturers holding an on-site sales and consumption permit, and temporary licensees until 4:00 a.m., and the hours of operation to 24 hours a day, for cultural events, sporting events, or tourism-related events; provided, that the licensee registers with the Board, pays the registration fee as established by the Board, and provides written notice to the Board no later than 3 calendar days before the first day of the event of its extended hours of operations, sales, service, and consumption.
Under the law, a cultural event is defined as an event “that aims to highlight the customs, arts, music, dances, or cuisines of various cultures through performances and displays of artistic expression,” D.C. Official Code § 25-723(g)(5)(A); a sporting event is defined as “a professional or amateur event involving a game or athletic competition that occurs either once annually or every 4 years that is organized by a league or association,” D.C. Official Code § 25-723(g)(5)(B); and a tourism-related events is defined as “major festival, convention, or trade show, with the potential to attract visitors from outside a 50-mile radius of the District, and that is likely to produce a significant positive financial impact for the District,” D.C. Official Code § 25-723(g)(5)(C).
On May 30, 2025, and running through June 9, 2025, World Pride 2025, a major tourism-related event, will be taking place in Washington, DC. Furthermore, on June 18, 22, and 26, 2025, the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), is hosting soccer matches at Audi Field as part of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Licensees are also advised that the Juneteenth federal holiday will occur on June 19, 2025. As part of the holiday extended hours program authorized by D.C. Official Code § 25-723(c), licensees currently registered under the extended hours holiday program may operate under the regular extended hours holiday program without registering for the additional extended hours authorized by D.C. Official Code § 25-723(g).
In light of these upcoming major events, on April 30, 2025, the Board, in a 4-0 vote, decided to approve extending the hours of operation and alcohol sales for eligible licensees beginning Friday evening, May 30, 2025, through 4:00 a.m. on Monday, June 9, 2025. The Board also voted to extend the hours of operation and alcohol sales for the evenings of June 18, 2025, June 22, 2025, and June 26, 2025. On these days, the extended hours will start the evenings of June 18, 2025, June 22, 2025, and June 26, 2025, and end at 4:00 a.m. the following mornings.
The Board also directed ABCA to provide notice of these extended hours to the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) at least 48 hours before the extended hours of operation take effect, and to provide MPD with a list of the licensees authorized to participate in the extended hours. The Board also directed ABCA to promptly post notice of the Board’s action to authorize the extended hours on the ABCA website and to promptly submit this notice to the Administrator of the Office of Documents and Administrative Issuances for publication in the District of Columbia Register.
