West Virginia: Where can you buy liquor?
West Virginia is the only liquor wholesaler, but privately owned licensed retail outlets sell liquor to the public.
Retail licensees must buy all liquor other than wine from the state's Alcohol Beverage Control Commissioner, who sells to them at a uniform wholesale price. Once a private retail outlet opens in a market zone, the state must close its own stores there. The state may run a store in a zone only when no licensed outlet can operate. Retailers set their own prices but may not sell liquor below 110 percent of their cost.
What the law says
The commissioner shall sell liquor, other than wine, to retail licensees according to a uniform pricing schedule. ... A retail licensee shall purchase all liquor, other than wine, for resale in this state only from the commissioner and the provisions of §60-6-12 and §60-6-13 of this code shall not apply to the transportation of the liquor: Provided, That a retail licensee shall purchase wine from a wine distributor who is duly licensed under §60-8-1 et seq. of this code.
Sources
- W. Va. Code § 60-3A-17 Official · code.wvlegislature.gov
- W. Va. Code § 60-3A-3 Official · code.wvlegislature.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration
- Phone
- 304-356-5500
- Website
- abca.wv.gov
How bordering states compare
- Kentucky Private licensed storesKentucky licenses private package stores to sell distilled spirits; the state does not buy or sell liquor.
- Maryland Private licensed storesMaryland licenses private stores through local boards; the state does not sell liquor, though Montgomery County runs its own system.
- Ohio Private agency storesOhio sells bottled liquor through privately run businesses acting as agents of the state Division of Liquor Control, at state-set prices.
- Pennsylvania Government-run storesPennsylvania sells bottled liquor in state-run Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores operated by the Liquor Control Board.
- Virginia Government-run storesVirginia sells liquor only in state-run Virginia ABC stores; private stores may sell beer and wine but not spirits.
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