Laws and Rules
What We Do
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) is granted authority by the Washington State Legislature to regulate the production, sale, and distribution of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and vapor products in the state of Washington. Through rulemaking, we support the agency's mission to promote public safety and trust through fair administration and enforcement of liquor, cannabis, tobacco, and vapor laws. Our rules impact licensees, the public, and stakeholders, including businesses like grocery stores, restaurants, bars, and cannabis retail outlets, as well as breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cannabis producers and processors, just to name a few. Our licensing division and enforcement and education division implement and enforce our rules.
We are committed to transparency, accountability, equity, and inclusion in rulemaking. Sign up for email updates about rulemaking activities and opportunities for public engagement (link). We offer many opportunities for the public to participate in policy and rule development! Learn how the rulemaking process works and ways to engage with us (link).
News, Updates, and Events
Upcoming
- Wednesday, January 29, 2025:
- The Board will consider a petition for rulemaking to allocate funding from cannabis revenue to support a trauma-informed counseling and research initiative.
- The Board will consider a petition for rulemaking to allow wineries, breweries and distilleries to sample, serve and sell bottles of their own production at public events.
- The Board will consider a petition for rulemaking to allow wineries, breweries, distilleries and alcohol retailers to sell spirits, beer, and wine by individual servings for on-premise consumption and for the sale of unopened containers for off-premise consumption at public events.
Recent
- Wednesday, December 18, 2024:
- The Board approved a CR-103P for permanent rules on implementing House Bill 2204 on Emergency Liquor Permits. The permanent rules will be effective January 18, 2025.
- The Board approved withdrawing the CR-101 on ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plans) in cannabis rulemaking.
- The Board approved a CR-103P on final rules for implementing Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5080, related to expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program. The permanent rules will be effective January 18. 2025.
- The Board denied a petition for rulemaking to amend WAC 314-55-082 to address the use of captive insurance companies to insure cannabis licensees.
- Wednesday, November 20, 2024:
- LCB Seeks Feedback on Two Cannabis-Related Rulemakings prior to CR-102 filings - deadline Friday, Dec. 6, 2024:
- Wednesday, December 4, 2024:
- The Board accepted a rulemaking petition related to WAC 314-02-045 to allow changes in hours and days of operation for certain liquor licenses.
- Wednesday, November 20, 2024:
- The Board denied a rulemaking petition to amend WAC 314-55-115 related to cannabis payment terms.
- The Board denied a rulemaking petition regarding replacing CCRS.
- Petition Response November 20, 2024
- Petition for Rulemaking
- Cannabis Traceability (Phase 1) Project Survey - GovDelivery Notice with link to Survey. Survey runs through Dec. 31, 2024.
- Wednesday, November 6, 2024:
- The Board denied a rulemaking petition regarding adding a mandatory warning to alcohol containers.
- The Board approved filing a CR-103 for permanent rules to replace gender-specific language with gender-neutral language in Title 314 WAC.
- Wednesday, October 23, 2024:
- The Board approved filing a CR-102 on implementing House Bill 2204 on Emergency Liquor Permits. A public comment period is currently open until December 4, 2024.
- The Board approved filing a Supplemental CR-102 to implement Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5080, related to expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program. A public comment period is currently open until December 4, 2024.
- Wednesday, October 9, 2024:
- The Board approved filing a CR 103 in rulemaking to implement Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5367 (THC Bill). The rule changes will be effective January 7, 2025.
- The Board approved filing a CR 101 to consider amending WAC 314-55-035 to allow Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP)
- The Board approved filing a CR 101 to consider amending WAC 314-11-025 and WAC 314-55-150 and other sections of Title 314 WAC related to allowable types of identification.
- Monday, September 30, 2024, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Stakeholder Feedback Session #1 on House Bill 2204 on Emergency Liquor Permits
- Thursday, October 3, 2024, 1 - 3 p.m.: Stakeholder Feedback Session #2 on House Bill 2204 on Emergency Liquor Permits
- Wednesday, September 25, 2024:
- The Board approved filing a CR 103 in Cannabis Payment Flexibility rulemaking to amend WAC 314-55-115 to identify how licensees can pay other licensees for cannabis using a check. The rule change will be effective October 26, 2024.
- The Board denied five petitions for rulemaking related to title certificate holders in the Social Equity in Cannabis Program
- Petition Response September 25, 2024
- Petitions
- Wednesday, September 11, 2024:
- The Board approved a petition to amend WAC 314-55-310 regarding cannabis transport.
- The Board approved filing a CR 103 on Implementing Substitute House Bill 1453 on the Medical Cannabis Patient Excise Tax Exemption. These rules will be effective October 12, 2024.
- 2024 Semi-Annual Rule Development Agenda: On August 22, 2024, the 2024 Semi-Annual Rule Development Agenda was published as WSR 24-18-016. The agenda provides tentative timelines for rulemaking from July 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.
- Wednesday, August 14, 2024:
- The Board approved filing a CR 102 to amend WAC 314-55-096 related to Cannabis Sampling. The public comment period is open until the public hearing on September 25, 2024.
- The Board denied three petitions regarding social equity cannabis license mobility
- The Board approved filing a CR 101 on Implementing House Bill 2204 on Emergency Liquor Permits. There is an informal comment period open until September 14, 2024.
- Wednesday, July 31, 2024:
- The Board approved filing the CR-103 regarding the acronym used for the agency, replacing "WSLCB" with "LCB"
- Concise Explanatory Statement
- Memorandum
- CR 103P filed as WSR 24-16-064 on July 31, 2024
- The Board approved filing the CR-102 to implement Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5367, concerning the regulation of products containing THC. The public comment period is open until the public hearing on September 11, 2024.
- The Board approved filing the CR-102 to implement Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5080, related to expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program. The public comment period is open until the public hearing on September 11, 2024.
- The Board approved filing a CR 102 on Cannabis Payment Flexibility. There is a formal comment period open until the public hearing on September 11, 2024.
- The Board approved filing the CR-103 regarding the acronym used for the agency, replacing "WSLCB" with "LCB"
- Wednesday, July 17, 2024:
- The Board approved a CR 102 on implementing Substitute House Bill 1453 on the Medical Cannabis Patient Excise Tax Exemption. There is a formal comment period open until the public hearing on August 28, 2024.
- The Board approved a CR 101 on implementing Second Substitute House Bill 2151 to Transfer Cannabis Testing Laboratory Accreditation to the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Public comments are open until August 16, 2024.
- The Board denied a petition to consider amending WAC 314-55-095 regarding increasing the existing 10 mg THC serving limit for edibles.
For older materials, see Current Rulemaking Activity.