Alcohol Delivery — Senate Bill 5448

Photo by Rowan Freeman on Unsplash

In April, the Washington State Legislature passed Senate Bill 5448, concerning liquor license privileges for the delivery of alcohol. The new law, which took effect on July 1, 2023, impacts privileges related to alcohol delivery, curbside service, and take-out for the following license types:

• Beer and Wine Restaurants
• Spirits, Beer, and Wine Restaurants
• Taverns
• Wineries
• Breweries and Microbreweries
• Distilleries
• Snack Bars
• Hotels
• Non-profit Arts Organizations
• Liquor Caterers

Effective July 1, 2023:

• Takeout/delivery services for the temporary endorsements have been extended until July 1, 2025. To learn more about these endorsements, please visit our Temporary Added Alcohol Endorsements page.
• The use of a third-party delivery service is now prohibited.
• Curbside service is no longer allowed.
• Spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licensees are no longer allowed to sell cocktail kits with mini-bottles for takeout or delivery.
• All temporary outside seating rules are now permanent. To learn more, please visit our Outdoor Alcohol Service page.
• Alcohol delivery must be performed by an employee of the licensee who is 21 years of age, or older.

Delivery and Takeout Requirements:

• Employees delivering alcohol must have Class 12 Servers Permit.
• Employees must be provided training on requirements and best practices.
• Alcohol must be accompanied by a meal prepared and sold by the licensee (if a Beer and Wine Restaurant or Spirits, Beer, and Wine Restaurant).
• Alcohol must be in a factory-sealed or a tamper-resistant container.
• When delivering, a signature must be obtained from the person age 21 or over who is receiving the delivery.

To conduct these activities, you will be required to have an added endorsement to your liquor license. You can locate the Temporary Added Endorsement Application on our Licensing Forms and Applications page, or contact the Licensing customer service unit for more information.

The rulemaking process will soon be underway to reflect these legislative changes. You can find additional information on our Alcohol Rulemaking Activity page.