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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

Public Hearings for rulemaking – New Schedule

Public hearings for rulemaking will no longer be scheduled during Board meetings. Scheduled public hearings will generally be held on Thursday mornings unless there is a conflict that requires re-scheduling. Public hearings are scheduled with the filing of a CR-102 with proposed rules and will comply with RCW 34.05.320 which requires “at least twenty days” after the CR-102 has been published in the state register. 

The LCB is in the process of creating a new webpage dedicated to rulemaking public hearings. The new webpage will include links to attend public hearings virtually and details on any currently scheduled public hearings. To register to provide comments during upcoming public hearings, please email us at publichearings@lcb.wa.gov.

Format for Public hearings

Public hearings related to Liquor and Cannabis Board rulemaking activity will be held in a "hybrid" environment. This means that the public will have options for in-person or virtual attendance and for providing verbal comments during public hearings for rulemaking. A meeting room will be set up at LCB headquarters building in Olympia (1025 Union Avenue, Olympia, WA 98504) for in-person attendance and the public may also login using a computer or a device, or call-in using a phone, to listen to the meeting through the Microsoft Teams application. Please note that although the meeting room will be staffed during the hearing, agency staff may appear virtually.

The LCB encourages those who would like to provide public comment during public hearings to register in advance. Those who have not registered by 10 a.m. on the hearing date, or who arrive after the hearing has started, cannot be guaranteed the opportunity to speak. 

For questions about providing verbal comments at rules public hearings, and to register in advance to provide verbal comments, please email LCB at publichearings@lcb.wa.gov

Recent Rulemaking Activities

  • The Board received a Petition for Rulemaking on March 19, 2025, requesting amendments to Title 314 WAC related to cannabis testing terminology. The Board has until May 18, 2025, to respond.
  • Wednesday, April 23, 2025:
    • The Board approved a CR 103 (final rules) to implement 2SHB 2151 (Transfer of authority for accreditation of cannabis testing labs):
    • The Board approved a Supplemental CR 102 (proposed rulemaking) to allow minors on non-retail cannabis premises:
      • Link to materials
      • Public Hearing on proposed rulemaking is June 5, 2025, at 10 a.m. (PST)
        • In-person attendees:
          • Meeting room at LCB headquarters building in Olympia
        • Virtual attendees:
          • Register to provide verbal comments by emailing publichearings@lcb.wa.gov prior to hearing.
          • To Join Meeting via Microsoft Teams use the following link:  Join the meeting now
          • (Meeting ID: 244 141 551 603 2, Passcode: M3P8SE9X) 
             
  • The Board approved a CR 101 (preproposal statement of inquiry) to consider amending WAC 314-02-045 to allow seasonal operation for beer and/or wine restaurants.
  • The Board denied two Petitions for Rulemaking to amend WAC 314-55-095 and WAC 314-55-105 related to packaging of cannabis.
  • The Board denied a Petition for Rulemaking on RCW 66.24.395.
  • Wednesday, February 26, 2025:
  • Monday, Feb. 3 and Thursday, Feb. 6: 2SHB 2151 (Transfer of authority for accreditation of cannabis testing labs)

For older materials, see Current Rulemaking Activity.
 

January 2025 Updates
  • Wednesday, January 29, 2025:
  • Wednesday, January 29, 2025:
    • The Board approved a supplemental CR-102 (proposed rulemaking) on Cannabis Samples. Public comment is currently open until Mar. 12, 2025.

 

  • Wednesday, January 15, 2025:
    • The Board approved a CR-101 (preproposal statement of inquiry) on Retail Alcohol Product Placement rulemaking.
    • The Board approved a CR-102 (proposed rule making) to allow Minors on Non-Retail Cannabis Premises.
    • The Board approved a CR-102 (proposed rule making) to implement SSB 5376 authorizing the sale of cannabis waste by licensed cannabis producers and processors to persons who are not cannabis licensees under certain conditions.
December 2024 Updates

 

November 2024 Updates

 

October 2024 Updates

 

September 2024 Updates