wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2207 > Substitute Bill
There shall be a bonded and nonbonded beer warehouse license for beer warehouses that authorizes, to the extent allowed under federal law and under rules adopted by the board, the storage and handling of beer in bond and the storage and handling of tax-paid beer not in bond. Under this license a licensee may maintain a warehouse for the storage and handling of federally authorized beer off the premises of a brewery for brewers qualified under RCW 66.24.240, 66.24.244, or 66.24.270, or entities otherwise licensed and permitted in this state. Beer may also be transferred in bond from out-of-state manufacturers to the extent allowed by federal law and under rules adopted by the board. Beer may be stored and handled and is not for processing or bottling in the beer warehouse. An applicant must designate clearly in its license application to the board the sections of the warehouse that are bonded and nonbonded with a physical separation between such spaces. Only beer in bond may be stored in the bonded sections of the warehouse and only beer that has been removed from bond tax-paid may be stored in nonbonded areas of the warehouse. The proprietor of the warehouse must maintain a plan for tracking beer being stored in the warehouse to ensure compliance with relevant bonding and tax obligations. Nothing in this section prohibits the storage of nonalcohol products in a bonded or nonbonded section of the warehouse. The fee for this license is $150 per year, unless an applicant is already licensed under RCW 66.24.185, in which case there is no fee for a license under this section.
The board must adopt similar qualifications for a beer warehouse licensed under this section as required for obtaining a license as specified in RCW 66.24.010, 66.24.240, 66.24.244, and 66.24.270. A licensee must be a sole proprietor, a partnership, a limited liability company, or a corporation. One or more domestic breweries, microbreweries, beer manufacturers, or beer certificate of approval holders may operate as a partnership, corporation, business co-op, cotenant, or agricultural co-op for the purpose of obtaining a bonded and nonbonded beer warehouse license or storing beer in the facility under a common management and oversight agreement free of charge or for a fee.
Beer in bond and beer that is being removed from a beer warehouse licensed under this section tax-paid may be removed from a beer warehouse licensed under this section for the purpose of being:
Exported from the state;
Shipped to a licensed Washington beer distributor; or
Returned to a microbrewery, domestic brewery, certificate of approval holder, or bonded and nonbonded beer warehouse.
The ownership and operation of a beer warehouse facility licensed under this section may be by a person or entity other than those described in this section acting in a commercial warehouse management position under contract for such licensed persons or entities on their behalf.
A license applicant must demonstrate the right to have warehoused beer under a valid federal permit held by a licensee who maintains ownership and title to the beer while it is in storage in the beer warehouse licensed under this section.
The board must adopt rules requiring a beer warehouse licensed under this section to be physically secure, zoned for the intended use, and, except as otherwise authorized in this section, physically separated from any other use.
The operator or licensee operating a beer warehouse licensed under this section must submit to the board a monthly report of movement of beer to and from a warehouse licensed under this section in a form prescribed by the board. The board may adopt other necessary procedures by which such warehouses are licensed and regulated.
Handling of beer in the beer warehouse licensed under this section includes inventory management, packaging and repackaging services, and preparation for shipment as authorized in subsection (3) of this section. Relabeling or altering beer is prohibited in a manner not authorized by federal law or rules. A domestic brewery, microbrewery, beer manufacturer, or beer certificate of approval holder contracting with the operator of a beer warehouse licensed under this section for storage and handling of beer must comply with all applicable state and federal laws and rules.
Beer stored under a beer warehouse license in this section must remain under ownership of the contracting licensee or certificate of approval holder at all times. A license under this section does not allow wholesale sales or any type of retail or direct-to-consumer sale or shipment of beer, or title transfer, price negotiation, or invoicing related to sales of beer by the owner of the beer.
Beer may be stored in the same physical structure as wine and spirits if the proper licenses are held to warehouse wine or spirits under RCW 66.24.185 or 66.24.695 and federal permit, bond, and any other requirements are met. Beer, wine, and spirits must be physically and operationally separated. Separate records must be maintained with respect to storage and handling of any beer, wine, or spirits. The board shall ensure that an applicant's operations will be compliant with federal law and rules before issuing a license under this section.
Warehousing of beer is prohibited by any person other than: (a) A licensed microbrewery, domestic brewery, beer manufacturer, or beer warehouse licensed under this section; (b) a licensed Washington beer distributor; (c) a licensed Washington beer importer; or (d) a beer certificate of approval holder.
For purposes of this section, "beer" includes bottled, canned, or kegged beer and includes strong beer.
There shall be a license for bonded wine warehouses which shall authorize the storage and handling of bottled wine. Under this license a licensee may maintain a warehouse for the storage of wine off the premises of a winery.
The board shall adopt similar qualifications for a bonded wine warehouse license as required for obtaining a domestic winery license as specified in RCW 66.24.010 and 66.24.170. A licensee must be a sole proprietor, a partnership, a limited liability company, or a corporation. One or more domestic wineries may operate as a partnership, corporation, business co-op, or agricultural co-op for the purposes of obtaining a bonded wine warehouse license.
All bottled wine shipped to a bonded wine warehouse from a winery or another bonded wine warehouse shall remain under bond and no tax imposed under RCW 66.24.210 shall be due, unless the wine is removed from bond and shipped to a licensed Washington wine distributor. Wine may be removed from a bonded wine warehouse only for the purpose of being (a) exported from the state, (b) shipped to a licensed Washington wine distributor, (c) returned to a winery or bonded wine warehouse, or (d) shipped to a consumer pursuant to RCW 66.20.360 through 66.20.390.
Warehousing of wine by any person other than (a) a licensed domestic winery or a bonded wine warehouse licensed under the provisions of this section, (b) a licensed Washington wine distributor, (c) a licensed Washington wine importer, (d) a wine certificate of approval holder (W7), or (e) the board, is prohibited.
A license applicant shall hold a federal permit for a bonded wine cellar and may be required to post a continuing wine tax bond of such an amount and in such a form as may be required by the board prior to the issuance of a bonded wine warehouse license. The fee for this license shall be $150 per annum, unless an applicant is already licensed under section 1 of this act, in which case there is no additional annual fee under this subsection.
The board shall adopt rules requiring a bonded wine warehouse to be physically secure, zoned for the intended use and physically separated from any other use.
Every licensee shall submit to the board a monthly report of movement of bottled wines to and from a bonded wine warehouse in a form prescribed by the board. The board may adopt other necessary procedures by which bonded wine warehouses are licensed and regulated.
Handling of bottled wine, as provided for in this section, includes packaging and repackaging services; bottle labeling services; creating baskets or variety packs that may or may not include nonwine products; and picking, packing, and shipping wine orders direct to consumer. A winery contracting with a bonded wine warehouse for handling bottled wine must comply with all applicable state and federal laws and shall be responsible for financial transactions in direct to consumer shipping activities.
(1) There shall be a license for domestic breweries; fee to be $2,100 for production of 60,000 barrels or more of malt liquor per year.