Delaware Code
Subchapter III. Determination of Applications
§ 543. Grounds for refusal of license; transfer or extension of premises.

(a) The Commissioner shall refuse to grant a license to be used in any county or subdivision thereof, if contrary to any prohibitory law then in force, in such county or subdivision thereof.
(b) The Commissioner may refuse to license an applicant if the Commissioner has substantial evidence that would reasonably support a belief that:

(1) Except for restaurants, there are sufficient licensed premises in the locality; or the granting of a license in the locality stated in the application is not otherwise demanded by public interest or convenience;
(2) The applicant is an importer of alcoholic liquors and has not furnished an acceptable bond for the purpose of assuring tax payments;
(3) The applicant appears to be financially irresponsible;
(4) The applicant has been provided with funds by, or has any forbidden connection with, a manufacturer, supplier or importer of alcoholic liquors;
(5) The applicant has made false statements to the Commissioner;
(6) The applicant has been convicted of violating any of the liquor laws of this State, or has been convicted and imprisoned for a crime;
(7) The applicant or any of the applicant's directors or officers, or any of the applicant's shareholders who hold more than 10% of the outstanding issued shares has been convicted of violating any of the prohibited acts defined in Chapter 47 of Title 16, the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, or its functional equivalent under the laws of the United States, any state or territory or any other country, including, but not limited to, the illegal manufacture, delivery, trafficking, possession or consumption of any controlled or noncontrolled substance, or the delivery or possession of illegal drug paraphernalia or illegal hypodermic syringes or needles, or the conspiracy, solicitation or other attempt to engage in such illegal activities;
(8) As to a restaurant applicant, the applicant has failed to designate a substantial portion of the premises' floor space, as determined by the Commissioner, to be used for the storage, preparation, service and consumption of complete meals;
(9) As to a restaurant applicant, the applicant's projected or actual receipts from the sale of complete meals fails to represent a substantial portion of the establishment's total gross receipts as determined by the Commissioner, provided that gross receipts received as payments from the State Lottery Office shall not be included by the Commissioner in his or her determination;
(10) As to a restaurant applicant, the applicant's proposed premises or any proposed extension of the premises of an existing licensed restaurant is protested in accordance with the provisions contained in § 541(b) of this title or any applicable Commissioner rule, and the Commissioner finds that substantial evidence exists to conclude that the establishment's primary purpose will be the serving of alcoholic liquor to patrons. In reaching its decision, the Commissioner shall consider factors including, but not limited to, the number and sizes of bars in the establishment, the establishment's floor plan, an approximate percentage of the projected revenue to be derived from the sale of alcoholic liquor as compared to the percentage of revenue to be derived from the sale of complete meals, the establishment's seating capacity, storage and preparation area for food service, and the number of service employees employed, or to be employed, in the establishment and their functions.
(11) A substantial objection to the granting of the license has been presented by the community within which the license is to operate, or that the granting of such license is otherwise not in the public interest. For the purposes of this subsection, the term “substantial objection” shall include:

a. Any objection, or group of objections, presented to the Commissioner either individually or as a group, by persons who reside within the election district where the license is to operate and all contiguous election districts, sufficient to give the Commissioner reason to believe that a majority of the residents of the community within which the license is to operate oppose the issuance of the license; or
b. Any objection, or group of objections, presented to the Commissioner either individually or as a group, the content of which gives the Commissioner reason to believe the quality of life of the community within which the license is to operate will be adversely affected by the granting of the license.
(c) The Commissioner may refuse to grant a license to sell alcoholic liquor to any new establishment to be located in the vicinity of a church, school or college. The Commissioner may issue a license to any establishment located in the vicinity of a church, school or college when such establishment has been located in a place prior to the time any church, school or college may thereafter be located in the vicinity of such establishment.
(d) The Commissioner shall refuse to grant a license for the sale of alcoholic liquor by any store, or establishment for consumption off the premises, when there is an existing licensed establishment of similar type within a ½ mile by accessible public road or street in any incorporated city or town, or within 3 miles by accessible public road or street in any unincorporated or rural area measured in driving distance both ways between the existing and proposed establishments. This subsection does not apply to any of the following:

(1) An existing license or to the sale, transfer of ownership, or renewal of an existing license.
(2) A club licensed to sell off the premises where sold, farm winery, brewery-pub, microbrewery, or craft distillery.
(3) A licensee who desires to move the location of the license to a location within 500 feet thereof by accessible public road or street. However, a licensee located in a shopping center or shopping mall may move the location of the license any distance within the same shopping center or shopping mall, whether such center or mall consist of 1 or more than 1 separate buildings.
(4) [Repealed.]
(e) The Commissioner may grant a new license to a licensee who desires to move the location of the license due to the destruction of the building, loss of lease, diversion of highway traffic pattern, or similar reason beyond the control of the licensee, if the application meets all of the following:

(1) The requirements under subsection (d) of this section and all other requirements under this title.
(2) The location to which the licensee proposes to move meets either of the following:

a. If in an incorporated city or town, is within 500 feet of the existing location of the licensee.
b. If in an unincorporated or rural area, is within a ½ mile by accessible public road or street of the existing location of the licensee.
(f) (1) The Commissioner shall refuse to grant a license to sell alcoholic liquor to any restaurant or eating place located on or a part of the Delaware Turnpike.
(2) The Commissioner shall refuse to grant a license to sell alcoholic liquor to any new store located in an unincorporated area on or along any state highway listed in § 701(d) of Title 21 within 1½ miles of a Department of Motor Vehicles' facility on or along the same state highway.
(g) [Repealed.]
(h) Any existing restaurant which was licensed by the State to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages and which was in compliance with applicable state, county or municipal laws and regulations as of June 14, 1991 shall be permitted to continue to operate in the same manner as it was operating on said date so long as said license is in effect, notwithstanding any ordinance or other restriction subsequently enacted by a municipal corporation.
(i) The Commissioner shall refuse to grant a license for the sale of alcoholic liquor by any taproom or tavern establishment when there is an existing licensed establishment of similar type within 1200 feet by accessible public road or street in any incorporated city or town, or within 9/10 of a mile by accessible public road or street in any unincorporated or rural area measured in driving distance both ways between the existing and proposed establishments. This subsection does not apply to any of the following:

(1) An existing license or to the sale, transfer of ownership, or renewal of an existing license.
(2) A licensee who desires to move the location of the license to a location within 500 feet thereof by accessible public road or street. However, a licensee located in a shopping center or shopping mall may move the location of the license any distance within the same shopping center or shopping mall, whether the center or mall consists of 1 or more separate buildings.
(j) The Commissioner shall not grant a new license of any type and shall not grant an extension of premises of an existing license of any type unless the application for said new license or for said extension is accompanied by a Certificate of Compliance from the appropriate political subdivision showing:

(1) That the premises where the license is to be used are properly zoned for the applicant's intended use; and
(2) That all necessary permits have been approved; and
(3) That the applicant has complied with all other applicable licensing requirements of the appropriate political subdivision.
This subsection shall not apply to any application for a temporary extension of premises as authorized by Commissioner rule; provided, that any such application has not been objected to by the appropriate political subdivision which shall be provided with notice of the application by the applicant within 7 days of the date the application is filed with the Commissioner.
This subsection shall not apply to any extension of premises of an existing license granted by the Commissioner pursuant to § 524(i) of this title even if the State of Emergency is no longer in effect.

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