Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board

The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is the state agency that controls alcoholic beverages in Alabama through distribution, licensing and enforcement. The Board was created by the Legislature after Prohibition to provide strict state control over how alcohol is sold, and it operates a chain of retail stores that sell most of the liquor purchased in the state. The Board licenses businesses that sell alcoholic beverages, ranging from restaurants and nightclubs to small shops that sell beer to be consumed elsewhere. Applicants are screened, and proposed sale sites are reviewed through a survey of the surrounding neighborhood. Once licensed, businesses remain subject to ongoing Board inspection of their operations. The Board also conducts audits, collects alcohol taxes and distributes the resulting revenue to recipients that include the State General Fund. In an emergency, dial 911.