Frequently Asked Boards and Stores Questions
ABC Boards
A local ABC Board consists of three or five members depending upon the Board’s size. The members are appointed by the town, city, or county’s governing authority. The local ABC Board owns and operates the ABC Stores within its jurisdiction to serve their localities responsibly by controlling the sale of spirituous liquor.
No. ABC Boards in North Carolina are independent local governmental subdivisions. They operate as separate entities establishing their own policies and procedures in conformity with ABC Laws and Commission Rules.
Yes. A local ABC Board shall submit to the ABC Commission an annual audit conducted by an independent certified public accountant of its operations. The audit includes the distribution of profits, sales records, and other reports relating to the operations of the local ABC Boards. This annual audit is conducted at the end of the fiscal year using generally accepted accounting standards and a chart of accounts prescribed by the ABC Commission. The ABC Commission may also audit the operation of a local ABC Store or Board.
A local Board owns and operates the local ABC Stores within its operating jurisdiction.
ABC Stores
There are approximately 451 stores in North Carolina as of January 2, 2026.
The local ABC board chooses the location of the ABC stores within its jurisdiction, and the locations are subject to the approval of the ABC Commission.
Yes. A sign notifying the public of the intent to open an ABC Store must be posted at the site of the proposed new store. It must be posted at least 30 days prior to the Commission members’ vote on the store location approval request.
ABC Stores shall not be open between 9:00 pm and 9:00 am or on Sundays. Each local ABC Board shall otherwise determine the operating hours of its stores.
No. ABC stores shall not be open or sell alcoholic beverages on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas Day. Local boards may otherwise determine the days their ABC stores will be closed.
No. The retail prices of spirituous liquor sold in NC ABC stores are determined by the suppliers and are uniform throughout the state. The suppliers may offer monthly discounts on select products, but these are also uniform across the state. The exception would be a local Board’s decision to no longer offer a product, and they can request a price reduction to deplete the inventory.
No. In North Carolina, spirituous liquor may only be sold in local ABC stores operated by local ABC Boards or by-the-drink in mixed beverage retail outlets (North Carolina distilleries may sell their products at the distillery).
Spirituous liquor sold in the local ABC Stores is delivered to the ABC Boards from the NC State Warehouse in Raleigh, NC. Suppliers send their products to the State Warehouse, and the Boards receive regular deliveries of their ordered products.
No. ABC Store employees are employed by the local ABC Board.
Many spirituous liquor products are available for special orders. A list of the current special-order items can be found at Special Items - NC ABCC. Visit your local ABC store and place an order for a special-order product. If a product you are interested in purchasing is not included on the current list, you can request your local ABC Store contact the ABC Commission regarding the product. The ABC Commission special orders staff will contact the supplier to determine if the product can be made available in North Carolina for special orders. If it can be special ordered, the local ABC Board will be notified to place the order.
Click for information on special orders
The timing will vary depending upon the supplier. If the supplier is established in North Carolina, the fulfillment of the special order may take four to six weeks, depending upon the availability of the product and the supplier’s delivery schedule. If the supplier has not previously been established in North Carolina, it may take additional time.
No. All items are shipped by the supplier directly to the State Warehouse for delivery to the local ABC Board. The local ABC store will advise the customer when the item is available for pickup.
The ABC Store Locator can be found on our homepage under Search.
If you are interested in working at an ABC store, you will need to contact the local ABC Board directly. A list of the ABC Boards can be found under the ABC Board List.
Openings at the ABC Commission are posted on the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources website NC OSHR: Work for North Carolina. They are posted under the Department of Public Safety.
Currently, two counties do not have ABC stores, Graham County and Madison County.
Neither individuals nor private entities may open liquor stores in North Carolina. Counties, cities, townships or municipalities must hold elections for the establishment of ABC Stores. If the establishment of ABC Stores is approved, the appointing authority of the county, city, township, or municipality appoints board members to the local ABC Board which is responsible for the establishment of an ABC Store.
Click here to learn more about local ABC Boards
State Warehouse
Spirituous liquor that comes into the State of North Carolina is stored in a state-owned warehouse in Raleigh. The warehouse is managed by a private contractor who oversees the operation of the warehouse and distribution of the spirituous liquor to the ABC Boards.
The ABC Commission is responsible for the administrative oversight of the state-owned warehouse and the receipt, storage, and distribution of spirituous liquor utilizing an independent contractor.
The state-owned warehouse is operated by a private contractor, currently LB&B Associates, who is responsible for the receipt, storage, and distribution of products throughout the entire state.
The State Warehouse operates under a bailment system in which the ownership of the product remains with the distillery/supplier until it is delivered to the local ABC boards. Upon delivery, the Boards have 30 days to pay for the product. A fee called a “bailment fee,” (currently $2.75 per case) is incorporated in the case cost for the liquor to pay for the warehousing and delivery to the local ABC boards.