To be eligible to apply for and to hold an ABC permit, a person must:
- Be at least 21 years old, unless the person is a manager of a business selling only malt beverages and unfortified wine, in which case the person must be at least 19 years old
- Be a resident of North Carolina if responsible for management of day-to-day operations of the permittee
- Not have been convicted of a felony within three years, and, if convicted before then, must have had citizenship restored
- Not have been convicted of an alcoholic beverage offense within two years
- Not have been convicted of a misdemeanor controlled-substance offense within two years
- Not have had an ABC permit revoked within three years
Provide proof that the resident manager has up-to-date Responsible Alcohol Server (or RASP) Training, which is provided through ABC and ALE.
Best management practices include the permittee requiring all employees who serve or sell alcoholic beverages to receive RASP training at least once a year.
To be eligible to sell or serve alcoholic beverages for ABC permittee, a person must:
- Be at least 18 years old or, in the case of pouring or preparing mixed beverages, be at least 21 years old
- Not have been convicted of a felony within three years, and, if convicted before then, must have had citizenship restored
- Not have been convicted of an alcoholic beverage offense within two years
- Not have been convicted of a misdemeanor controlled-substance offense within two years
If a permittee wishes to hire a person who is not qualified under these criteria, the permittee (not the potential employee) may submit a written request to ABC for a waiver, which ABC will generally grant to avoid undue hardship.
