Ohio: Where can you buy liquor?
Ohio sells bottled liquor through privately run businesses acting as agents of the state Division of Liquor Control, at state-set prices.
Ohio law lets a store owner act as the Division of Liquor Control's agent for selling spirits, paid a commission capped at 7 percent of sales. The Division fixes the wholesale and retail prices of spirits. State law allowed the state's liquor business to be transferred to JobsOhio, but the Division still manages pricing and the agency system. The number of agency stores per county is limited by population and local option votes.
What the law says
A person engaged in a mercantile business may act as the agent for the division of liquor control for the sale of spirituous liquor in a municipal corporation, in the unincorporated area of a township, or in an area designated and approved as a resort area under section 4303.262 of the Revised Code.
Sources
- Ohio Rev. Code § 4301.17 Official · codes.ohio.gov
- Ohio Rev. Code § 4301.10 Official · codes.ohio.gov
- Ohio Rev. Code § 4313.02 Official · codes.ohio.gov
- Ohio Division of Liquor Control, Contract Liquor Agency guide (2019) Official · dam.assets.ohio.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Ohio Division of Liquor Control (OHLQ)
- Website
- ohlq.com
How bordering states compare
- Indiana Private licensed storesIndiana issues liquor dealer permits to private package liquor stores and other retailers; the state does not sell spirits.
- Kentucky Private licensed storesKentucky licenses private package stores to sell distilled spirits; the state does not buy or sell liquor.
- Michigan State wholesale, private storesMichigan's Liquor Control Commission is the wholesaler of spirits, but privately owned licensed stores sell liquor to the public.
- Pennsylvania Government-run storesPennsylvania sells bottled liquor in state-run Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores operated by the Liquor Control Board.
- West Virginia State wholesale, private storesWest Virginia is the only liquor wholesaler, but privately owned licensed retail outlets sell liquor to the public.