Washington liquor license types, in plain words

Full-bar restaurant, Lounge + (424)

There shall be a retailer's license, to be known and designated as a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, to sell spirituous liquor by the individual glass, beer, and wine, at retail, for consumption on the premises, including mixed drinks and cocktails compounded or mixed on the premises only.

A restaurant pouring spirits, beer and wine with a 21-and-over bar lounge; the plus and minus are the LCB's two lounge fee tiers, set by how much of the room is dining.

Grocery store, beer and wine (450)

There is a grocery store license to sell wine and/or beer, including without limitation strong beer at retail in original containers, not to be consumed upon the premises where sold.

Grocery, convenience or gas-station beer and wine to go.

Beer and wine restaurant (462)

There shall be a beer and/or wine restaurant license to sell beer, including strong beer, or wine, or both, at retail, for consumption on the premises.

A restaurant serving beer and wine, no spirits.

Full-bar restaurant, service bar only (442)

There shall be a retailer's license, to be known and designated as a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, to sell spirituous liquor by the individual glass, beer, and wine, at retail, for consumption on the premises, including mixed drinks and cocktails compounded or mixed on the premises only.

Full liquor but no lounge; drinks are mixed at a service bar and carried to the tables.

Full-bar restaurant, Lounge - (426)

There shall be a retailer's license, to be known and designated as a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license, to sell spirituous liquor by the individual glass, beer, and wine, at retail, for consumption on the premises, including mixed drinks and cocktails compounded or mixed on the premises only.

A restaurant pouring spirits, beer and wine with a 21-and-over bar lounge, on the other lounge fee tier from Lounge +.

Beer-only restaurant (452)

There shall be a beer and/or wine restaurant license to sell beer, including strong beer, or wine, or both, at retail, for consumption on the premises.

A restaurant serving beer only; often a taqueria, pizza or noodle shop.

Tavern, beer and wine (480)

There is a beer and wine retailer's license to be designated as a tavern license to sell beer, including strong beer, or wine, or both, at retail, for consumption on the premises.

A 21-and-over bar pouring beer and wine, no spirits.

Nightclub (481)

There shall be a spirits, beer, and wine nightclub license to sell spirituous liquor by the drink, beer, and wine at retail, for consumption on the licensed premises.

A late-night full bar where food is incidental.

Snack bar, beer and wine (473)

There shall be a retailer's license to be designated as a snack bar license to sell beer by the opened bottle or can at retail, wine by the glass at retail, or both, for consumption upon the premises only, such license to be issued to places where the sale of beer or wine is not the principal business conducted ...

Bottled beer and wine by the glass where drinks are a sideline, like a fast-casual chain or a venue.

Hotel (438)

There is a retailer's license to be designated as a hotel license.

A hotel pouring spirits, beer and wine in its restaurant, bar, banquets and room service.

Beer and wine specialty shop (422)

There shall be a beer and/or wine retailer's license to be designated as a beer and/or wine specialty shop license to sell beer, strong beer, and/or wine at retail in bottles, cans, and original containers, not to be consumed upon the premises where sold, at any store other than the state liquor stores.

A bottle shop or wine store selling to go.

Spirits retailer (482)

There is a spirits retail license to: Sell spirits in original containers to consumers for consumption off the licensed premises and to permit holders; sell spirits in original containers to retailers licensed to sell spirits for consumption on the premises, for resale at their licensed premises according to the terms of their licenses; and export spirits.

Liquor to go; usually paired with a grocery or specialty shop license.

Caterer, spirits, beer and wine (399)

There shall be a caterer's license to sell spirits, beer, and wine, by the individual serving, at retail, for consumption on the premises at an event location that is either owned, leased, or operated either by the caterer or the sponsor of the event for which catering services are being provided.

A caterer or event venue licensed to pour at events on its own.

Domestic winery, small (327)

There is a license for domestic wineries; fee to be computed only on the liters manufactured: Less than 250,000 liters per year, $150 per year; and 250,000 liters or more per year, $600 per year.

A Washington winery or cidery; usually has a tasting room.

Winery additional location (337)

A domestic winery licensed under this section, at locations separate from any of its production or manufacturing sites, may serve samples of its own products, with or without charge, may sell wine of its own production at retail, and may sell for off-premises consumption wines of its own production in kegs or sanitary containers ... provided that: ...

A winery's extra tasting room away from where it makes the wine.

Microbrewery (332)

There shall be a license for microbreweries; fee to be $150 for production of less than 60,000 barrels of malt liquor, including strong beer, per year.

A small brewery, usually with a taproom.

Winery warehouse (353)

... a winery operating as a distributor may maintain a warehouse off the premises of the winery for the distribution of wine of its own production provided that: (a) The warehouse has been approved by the board under RCW 66.24.010; and (b) the number of warehouses off the premises of the winery does not exceed one.

A winery's off-site storage; not a place that buys or pours.

Distillery off-site tasting room

There is a tasting room license available to distillery and craft distillery licensees.

A distillery's second tasting room, pouring and selling its own spirits.

Spirits warehouse

There shall be a bonded and nonbonded spirits warehouse license for spirits warehouses that authorizes the storage and handling of bonded bulk spirits and, to the extent allowed under federal law and under rules adopted by the board, bottled spirits and the storage of tax-paid spirits not in bond.

Storage for distillers; not a place that buys or pours.

Spirits certificate of approval (355)

The board must by rule provide for issuance of certificates of approval to spirits suppliers.

An out-of-state spirits maker cleared to sell into Washington; a supplier, not an account.

Not in the feed: nobody sells to these the way they sell to a bar or store.

Beer distributor (320)

There shall be a license for beer distributors to sell beer and strong beer, purchased from licensed Washington breweries, beer certificate of approval holders, licensed beer importers, or suppliers of foreign beer located outside of the United States, to licensed beer retailers and other beer distributors and to export same from the state of Washington ...

A wholesaler, not an account.

Takeout endorsement (379)

Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, the following licensees may sell alcohol products at retail for takeout or delivery or both under liquor and cannabis board licenses and endorsements: Beer and wine restaurants; spirits, beer, and wine restaurants; taverns; domestic wineries; domestic breweries and microbreweries; distilleries; snack bars; nonprofit arts licensees; and caterers.

Sealed beer and wine to go from a bar or restaurant; rides on its main license.

Growler takeout endorsement (381)

Licensees that were authorized by statute or rule before January 1, 2020, to sell growlers for on-premises consumption may sell growlers for off-premises consumption through takeout or, until July 1, 2025, delivery.

Growlers filled to go; rides on a restaurant, tavern or shop license.

Cocktails and wine to go (380)

Spirits, beer, and wine restaurant licensees may sell premixed cocktails for takeout and, until July 1, 2025, for delivery.

Cocktails or wine by the glass to go; rides on a restaurant license.

Soju endorsement (412)

The board shall create a soju endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license that allows the holder of a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license to serve soju for on-premises consumption by the bottle to tables of two or more patrons 21 years of age or older.

Soju by the bottle at the table, usually a Korean restaurant; rides on a full-bar restaurant license.

Bottled wine to go endorsement (488)

The board may issue an endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license that allows the holder of a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license to sell bottled wine for off-premises consumption.

Lets a full-bar restaurant or club sell unopened bottles of wine to go.

Kegs to go endorsement (491)

The board may issue an endorsement to the spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license that allows the holder of a spirits, beer, and wine restaurant license to sell for off-premises consumption malt liquor in kegs or other containers that are capable of holding four gallons or more of liquid and are registered in accordance with RCW 66.28.200.

Kegs and tap beer to go from a full-bar restaurant.

Catering endorsement (495)

The board may issue a caterer's endorsement to this license to allow the licensee to remove the liquor stocks at the licensed premises, for use as liquor for sale and service at event locations at a specified date and ... place not currently licensed by the board.

Lets a restaurant or tavern pour at off-site events; rides on its main license.

Winery or brewery pour endorsement (358)

There is an on-premises endorsement available to any: (a) Licensed domestic winery to sell beer, produced in Washington, by the single serving for on-premises consumption; and (b) Licensed domestic brewery or microbrewery to sell wine, produced in Washington, by the single serving for on-premises consumption.

Lets a winery pour Washington beer, or a brewery pour Washington wine.

Grocery growler endorsement

Upon approval by the board, a grocery store licensee with revenues derived from beer and/or wine sales exceeding 50 percent of total revenues or that maintains an alcohol inventory of not less than $15,000 may also receive an endorsement to permit the sale of beer and cider ... in a sanitary container brought to the premises by the purchaser, or provided by the licensee or manufacturer, and filled at the tap by the licensee at the time of sale ...

A grocery or bottle shop with a growler-fill tap; rides on its grocery license.

Direct shipment receiver, in-state (350)

Allows a licensed Washington retailer to receive direct shipments of wine, beer, or spirits from a domestic (in-state), or U.S. (out-of-state) winery, brewery, microbrewery or distillery holding a Certificate of Approval (COA) to ship product of its own production to Washington retailers.

Lets a retailer buy straight from Washington makers; rides on its main license.

Direct shipment receiver, in- and out-of-state (349)

Allows a licensed Washington retailer to receive direct shipments of wine, beer, or spirits from a domestic (in-state), or U.S. (out-of-state) winery, brewery, microbrewery or distillery holding a Certificate of Approval (COA) to ship product of its own production to Washington retailers.

Lets a retailer buy straight from makers in and outside Washington; rides on its main license.

Cannabis producer, tier 2 (391)

There shall be a cannabis producer's license regulated by the board and subject to annual renewal.

A cannabis grower; not an alcohol account.

Not in the feed: nobody sells to these the way they sell to a bar or store.

Cannabis producer, tier 3 (392)

There shall be a cannabis producer's license regulated by the board and subject to annual renewal.

A cannabis grower; not an alcohol account.

Not in the feed: nobody sells to these the way they sell to a bar or store.

Cannabis processor (393)

There shall be a cannabis processor's license to process, package, and label cannabis concentrates, useable cannabis, and cannabis-infused products for sale at wholesale to cannabis processors and cannabis retailers, regulated by the board and subject to annual renewal.

A cannabis processor; not an alcohol account.

Not in the feed: nobody sells to these the way they sell to a bar or store.

Cannabis retailer (394)

There shall be a cannabis retailer's license to sell cannabis concentrates, useable cannabis, and cannabis-infused products at retail in retail outlets, regulated by the board and subject to annual renewal.

A cannabis store; not an alcohol account.

Not in the feed: nobody sells to these the way they sell to a bar or store.