Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control

The Department of Liquor Control is a government agency within the County of Montgomery, Maryland and holds monopoly on the sale of certain alcoholic beverage throughout the county's 507-square-mile (1,310 km²) radius. It is one of four counties in Maryland designated as an Alcohol Beverage Control County, the other ABC Control counties being Somerset, Worcester and Wicomico.

Established on July 1, 1951, Montgomery County's Liquor Control Board was created under the terms of Section 159 of Article 2B of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Board of License Commissioners, which had been created on December 5, 1933, became a completely separate entity. The Board is responsible for licensing and regulation of liquor, a responsibility which they share with both local and county police departments.

The Department of Liquor Control distributes spirits, wines and liquors through its 24 owned and operated retail stores throughout the county. The MCDoLC is the only authorized sellers of spirits for off-premises consumption in the county.

According to the Liquor Control Department Rules and Regulations the only exception to this monopoly are four grocery stores whose licenses to sell hard liquor were grandfathered prior to the change of the alcohol laws in the state but according to the Liquor Commission's annual report, page 3, this number has been reduced to one establishment. Other off-premise license holders may sell only wine and beer.

External links

• Department of Liquor Control
• Department of Liquor Control - History and Philosophy
• Information about the Department, from the Montgomery County Archives