Learn About Your Responsibilities as a Licensee
At the establishment inspection or education session (if you are in the Lower Mainland), your liquor inspector will go over the requirements of the Liquor Control and Licensing Act and its Regulations, and the specific terms and conditions of your licence - what your responsibilities will be as a food-primary licensee.
Among other things, these terms and conditions state that:
- You may not sell, serve or supply liquor to a minor. When you verify a customer’s age, you must ask for two pieces of identification.
- You must keep food service the primary focus of your establishment at all times.
- Your kitchen must be fully equipped, open and in operation whenever you are serving liquor.
- You must make a reasonable variety of appetizers and main courses available to your customers - offering just salsa, chips, peanuts and other types of "finger food" is not enough.
- You must provide enough tables and chairs, and/or counters and stools for seating, and enough china, flatware and other table accessories for eating.
- You may not allow an intoxicated person to enter or remain in your restaurant.
- You may not sell, serve or supply liquor to an intoxicated person.
- You must not allow your restaurant to become overcrowded (your licence will tell you the maximum number allowed at one time).
- You must post your liquor licence in a prominent spot and keep a copy of your validated floor plan available for inspection.
- You must buy your liquor from the assigned BC Liquor Store (liquor bought from any other source is considered "illicit" liquor).
- You must record every liquor purchase in a register, to be ready for inspection at any time.
- You must follow strict limits on maximum drink size, and have a liquor price list available, showing the size of each drink you sell and its price.
- You may not agree to sell only one manufacturer’s products in your establishment exclusively, or to promote a particular product because of your association with a particular liquor manufacturer.
- You may not ask for, or receive, benefits (including money, items, products or services), for selling a particular liquor product.
- Certain promotional activities are permitted only if you document them in a Buy Sell Agreement LCLB300 – a contract between you and a liquor manufacturer/agent to promote his or her liquor products.
More detailed information about the terms and conditions is available in the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, its Regulations, and in Food-Primary Licence Terms and Conditions: A Guide for Liquor Licensees in British Columbia.
