Section 28-3A-7 Importer License; Issuance; Restrictions on Sales; Registration of Labels; Seizure of Unregistered Goods; Monthly Reports; Inspections.
AI-assisted research summary: An importer license is required to bring outside-manufactured alcoholic beverages into the state, and licensees face limits on sales, delivery, label registration, reporting, and inspection.
(a) Upon an applicant’s compliance with this chapter and the rules thereunder, the board shall issue to the applicant an importer license that authorizes the licensee to import into this state alcoholic beverages that are manufactured outside of this state for sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages to the board or sale or distribution of table wine and beer to wholesalers. No person shall import alcoholic beverages manufactured outside of this state into this state unless the person is granted an importer license issued by the board. (b) A licensee shall not sell any alcoholic beverages to a consumer; nor, unless also issued a wholesale license, sell or deliver to any retailer; nor deliver any alcoholic beverages in other than original containers approved as to capacity by the board and in accordance with standards of fill prescribed by the U.S. Treasury Department; nor maintain or operate within the state any location, other than the location covered by the license, where alcoholic beverages are sold or distributed. (c) Each importer licensee shall be required to file with the board, prior to making any sale in the state, a list of its labels to be sold and its federal certificate of label approvals or its certificates of exemption as required by the U.S. Treasury Department. All liquors and wines whose labels have not been registered shall be considered contraband and may be seized by the board or its agents, or any law enforcement officer of the State of Alabama, without a warrant, and the contraband shall be delivered to the board and disposed of as provided by law. (d) All licensees shall be required to mail to the board prior to the twentieth day of each month a consolidated report of all shipments of beer and table wine made to each wholesaler during the preceding month and of all shipments of alcoholic beverages received during the preceding month. Reports shall be in the form and contain the information prescribed by the board. (e) The books and records of a licensee shall at all times be open to inspection by members of the board or by individuals authorized by the board. Members of the board and authorized agents shall have the right, without hindrance, to enter any location that is licensed pursuant to this section, or any location where the records are kept, for the purpose of inspection. (f) Licenses issued under this section shall, unless revoked or suspended in the manner provided in this chapter, be valid for the license year commencing October 1.