Alcoholic Beverage License (Class C/D) — Washington, DC
Serving alcohol in DC requires a Class C or D on-premises retailer license from ABCA, with quarterly food/alcohol reporting.
What it is. An on-premises retailer's license — Class C (spirits, beer, and wine) or Class D (beer and wine) for a restaurant.
Who issues it. DC Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA).
When you need it. Before serving alcohol. Restaurants must file quarterly statements reporting food and alcohol sales/expenditures.
How to apply. Apply through ABCA (application, placarding, and protest period apply).
Fees. Per the ABCA schedule — see source (⟢ VERIFY).
What SpoonSeal tracks. The document(s) you upload for this requirement, with automatic renewal/expiration tracking (Current, Due Soon, Expired). Where the city publishes health-inspection results (e.g., NYC and Chicago), SpoonSeal syncs them automatically; elsewhere they can be added manually.
References
- DC ABCA, Alcohol License Types and Classes — https://abca.dc.gov/page/types-alcohol-licenses — Official source last checked: 2026-07-02
Stay ahead of this requirement
SpoonSeal stores your documents, tracks expirations, and reminds you before anything lapses — so you are always inspection-ready.
Get started free →This guide is informational and not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with the official agency linked above.