Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 66.24 - Licenses—Stamp Taxes.
66.24.590 - Hotel license—Fee—Limitations.

RCW 66.24.590
Hotel license—Fee—Limitations. (Effective until December 31, 2023.)

(1) There is a retailer's license to be designated as a hotel license. No license may be issued to a hotel offering rooms to its guests on an hourly basis. Food service provided for room service, banquets or conferences, or restaurant operation under this license must meet the requirements of rules adopted by the board.
(2) The hotel license authorizes the licensee to:
(a) Sell spirituous liquor, beer, and wine, by the individual glass, at retail, for consumption on the premises, including mixed drinks and cocktails compounded and mixed on the premises;
(b) Sell, at retail, from locked honor bars, in individual units, spirits not to exceed fifty milliliters, beer in individual units not to exceed twelve ounces, and wine in individual bottles not to exceed three hundred eighty-five milliliters, to registered guests of the hotel for consumption in guest rooms. The licensee must require proof of age from the guest renting a guest room and requesting the use of an honor bar. The guest must also execute an affidavit verifying that no one under twenty-one years of age will have access to the spirits, beer, and wine in the honor bar;
(c) Provide without additional charge, to overnight guests, spirits, beer, and wine by the individual serving for on-premises consumption at a specified regular date, time, and place as may be fixed by the board. Self-service by attendees is prohibited;
(d) Sell beer, including strong beer, wine, or spirits, in the manufacturer's sealed container or by the individual drink to guests through room service, or through service to occupants of private residential units which are part of the buildings or complex of buildings that include the hotel;
(e) Sell beer, including strong beer, spirits, or wine, in the manufacturer's sealed container at retail sales locations within the hotel premises;
(f) Sell beer to a purchaser in a sanitary container brought to the premises by the purchaser or furnished by the licensee and filled at the tap in the restaurant area by the licensee at the time of sale;
(g) Sell for on or off-premises consumption, including through room service and service to occupants of private residential units managed by the hotel, wine carrying a label exclusive to the hotel license holder;
(h) Place in guest rooms at check-in, a complimentary bottle of liquor in a manufacturer-sealed container, and make a reference to this service in promotional material.
(3) If all or any facilities for alcoholic beverage service and the preparation, cooking, and serving of food are operated under contract or joint venture agreement, the operator may hold a license separate from the license held by the operator of the hotel. Food and beverage inventory used in separate licensed operations at the hotel may not be shared and must be separately owned and stored by the separate licensees.
(4) All spirits to be sold under this license must be purchased from a spirits retailer or spirits distributor licensee of the board.
(5) All on-premises alcoholic beverage service must be done by an alcohol server as defined in RCW 66.20.300 and must comply with RCW 66.20.310.
(6)(a) The hotel license allows the licensee to remove from the liquor stocks at the licensed premises, liquor for sale and service at event locations at a specified date and place not currently licensed by the board. If the event is open to the public, it must be sponsored by a society or organization as defined by RCW 66.24.375. If attendance at the event is limited to members or invited guests of the sponsoring individual, society, or organization, the requirement that the sponsor must be a society or organization as defined by RCW 66.24.375 is waived.
(b) The holder of this license must, if requested by the board, notify the board or its designee of the date, time, place, and location of any event. Upon request, the licensee must provide to the board all necessary or requested information concerning the society or organization that will be holding the function at which the endorsed license will be utilized.
(c) Licensees may cater events on a domestic winery, brewery, or distillery premises.
(7) The holder of this license or its manager may furnish spirits, beer, or wine to the licensee's employees who are twenty-one years of age or older free of charge as may be required for use in connection with instruction on spirits, beer, and wine. The instruction may include the history, nature, values, and characteristics of spirits, beer, or wine, the use of wine lists, and the methods of presenting, serving, storing, and handling spirits, beer, or wine. The licensee must use the liquor it obtains under its license for the sampling as part of the instruction. The instruction must be given on the premises of the licensee.
(8) Minors may be allowed in all areas of the hotel where liquor may be consumed; however, the consumption must be incidental to the primary use of the area. These areas include, but are not limited to, tennis courts, hotel lobbies, and swimming pool areas. If an area is not a mixed use area, and is primarily used for alcohol service, the area must be designated and restricted to access by persons of lawful age to purchase liquor.
(9)(a) The annual fee for this license is $1,000.
(b) The annual fee in (a) of this subsection is waived during the 12-month period beginning with the second calendar month after February 28, 2021, for:
(i) Licenses that expire during the 12-month waiver period under this subsection (9)(b); and
(ii) Licenses issued to persons previously licensed under this section at any time during the 12-month period prior to the 12-month waiver period under this subsection (9)(b).
(c) The waiver in (b) of this subsection does not apply to any licensee that:
(i) Had their license suspended by the board for health and safety violations of state COVID-19 guidelines; or
(ii) Received an order of immediate restraint or citation from the department of labor and industries for allowing an employee to perform work where business activity was prohibited in violation of an emergency proclamation of the governor under RCW 43.06.220.
(d) Upon request of the department of revenue, the board and the department of labor and industries must both provide a list of persons that they have determined to be ineligible for a fee waiver under (b) of this subsection for the reasons described in (c) of this subsection. Unless otherwise agreed, any list must be received by the department of revenue no later than 15 calendar days after the request is made.
(10) As used in this section, "hotel," "spirits," "beer," and "wine" have the meanings defined in RCW 66.24.410 and 66.04.010.

[ 2022 c 116 § 3; 2021 c 6 § 14; 2012 c 2 § 115 (Initiative Measure No. 1183, approved November 8, 2011); 2011 c 119 § 403; 2008 c 41 § 11; 2007 c 370 § 11.]
NOTES:

Expiration date—2022 c 116 §§ 2-20: See note following RCW 66.24.420.


Effective date—Finding—Intent—2022 c 116: See notes following RCW 66.24.420.


Effective date—2021 c 6: See note following RCW 66.24.140.


Finding—Application—Rules—Effective date—Contingent effective date—2012 c 2 (Initiative Measure No. 1183): See notes following RCW 66.24.620.


Effective date—2008 c 41 §§ 3, 10, and 11: See note following RCW 66.20.310.


Effective date—2007 c 370 §§ 10-20: See note following RCW 66.04.010.


(1) There is a retailer's license to be designated as a hotel license. No license may be issued to a hotel offering rooms to its guests on an hourly basis. Food service provided for room service, banquets or conferences, or restaurant operation under this license must meet the requirements of rules adopted by the board.
(2) The hotel license authorizes the licensee to:
(a) Sell spirituous liquor, beer, and wine, by the individual glass, at retail, for consumption on the premises, including mixed drinks and cocktails compounded and mixed on the premises;
(b) Sell, at retail, from locked honor bars, in individual units, spirits not to exceed fifty milliliters, beer in individual units not to exceed twelve ounces, and wine in individual bottles not to exceed three hundred eighty-five milliliters, to registered guests of the hotel for consumption in guest rooms. The licensee must require proof of age from the guest renting a guest room and requesting the use of an honor bar. The guest must also execute an affidavit verifying that no one under twenty-one years of age will have access to the spirits, beer, and wine in the honor bar;
(c) Provide without additional charge, to overnight guests, spirits, beer, and wine by the individual serving for on-premises consumption at a specified regular date, time, and place as may be fixed by the board. Self-service by attendees is prohibited;
(d) Sell beer, including strong beer, wine, or spirits, in the manufacturer's sealed container or by the individual drink to guests through room service, or through service to occupants of private residential units which are part of the buildings or complex of buildings that include the hotel;
(e) Sell beer, including strong beer, spirits, or wine, in the manufacturer's sealed container at retail sales locations within the hotel premises;
(f) Sell beer to a purchaser in a sanitary container brought to the premises by the purchaser or furnished by the licensee and filled at the tap in the restaurant area by the licensee at the time of sale;
(g) Sell for on or off-premises consumption, including through room service and service to occupants of private residential units managed by the hotel, wine carrying a label exclusive to the hotel license holder;
(h) Place in guest rooms at check-in, a complimentary bottle of liquor in a manufacturer-sealed container, and make a reference to this service in promotional material.
(3) If all or any facilities for alcoholic beverage service and the preparation, cooking, and serving of food are operated under contract or joint venture agreement, the operator may hold a license separate from the license held by the operator of the hotel. Food and beverage inventory used in separate licensed operations at the hotel may not be shared and must be separately owned and stored by the separate licensees.
(4) All spirits to be sold under this license must be purchased from a spirits retailer or spirits distributor licensee of the board.
(5) All on-premises alcoholic beverage service must be done by an alcohol server as defined in RCW 66.20.300 and must comply with RCW 66.20.310.
(6)(a) The hotel license allows the licensee to remove from the liquor stocks at the licensed premises, liquor for sale and service at event locations at a specified date and place not currently licensed by the board. If the event is open to the public, it must be sponsored by a society or organization as defined by RCW 66.24.375. If attendance at the event is limited to members or invited guests of the sponsoring individual, society, or organization, the requirement that the sponsor must be a society or organization as defined by RCW 66.24.375 is waived.
(b) The holder of this license must, if requested by the board, notify the board or its designee of the date, time, place, and location of any event. Upon request, the licensee must provide to the board all necessary or requested information concerning the society or organization that will be holding the function at which the endorsed license will be utilized.
(c) Licensees may cater events on a domestic winery, brewery, or distillery premises.
(7) The holder of this license or its manager may furnish spirits, beer, or wine to the licensee's employees who are twenty-one years of age or older free of charge as may be required for use in connection with instruction on spirits, beer, and wine. The instruction may include the history, nature, values, and characteristics of spirits, beer, or wine, the use of wine lists, and the methods of presenting, serving, storing, and handling spirits, beer, or wine. The licensee must use the liquor it obtains under its license for the sampling as part of the instruction. The instruction must be given on the premises of the licensee.
(8) Minors may be allowed in all areas of the hotel where liquor may be consumed; however, the consumption must be incidental to the primary use of the area. These areas include, but are not limited to, tennis courts, hotel lobbies, and swimming pool areas. If an area is not a mixed use area, and is primarily used for alcohol service, the area must be designated and restricted to access by persons of lawful age to purchase liquor.
(9)(a) The annual fee for this license is two thousand dollars.
(b) The annual fee in (a) of this subsection is waived during the 12-month period beginning with the second calendar month after February 28, 2021, for:
(i) Licenses that expire during the 12-month waiver period under this subsection (9)(b); and
(ii) Licenses issued to persons previously licensed under this section at any time during the 12-month period prior to the 12-month waiver period under this subsection (9)(b).
(c) The waiver in (b) of this subsection does not apply to any licensee that:
(i) Had their license suspended by the board for health and safety violations of state COVID-19 guidelines; or
(ii) Received an order of immediate restraint or citation from the department of labor and industries for allowing an employee to perform work where business activity was prohibited in violation of an emergency proclamation of the governor under RCW 43.06.220.
(d) Upon request of the department of revenue, the board and the department of labor and industries must both provide a list of persons that they have determined to be ineligible for a fee waiver under (b) of this subsection for the reasons described in (c) of this subsection. Unless otherwise agreed, any list must be received by the department of revenue no later than 15 calendar days after the request is made.
(10) As used in this section, "hotel," "spirits," "beer," and "wine" have the meanings defined in RCW 66.24.410 and 66.04.010.

[ 2021 c 6 § 14; 2012 c 2 § 115 (Initiative Measure No. 1183, approved November 8, 2011); 2011 c 119 § 403; 2008 c 41 § 11; 2007 c 370 § 11.]
NOTES:

Effective date—2021 c 6: See note following RCW 66.24.140.


Finding—Application—Rules—Effective date—Contingent effective date—2012 c 2 (Initiative Measure No. 1183): See notes following RCW 66.24.620.


Effective date—2008 c 41 §§ 3, 10, and 11: See note following RCW 66.20.310.


Effective date—2007 c 370 §§ 10-20: See note following RCW 66.04.010.

Structure Revised Code of Washington