District Of Columbia § 25-830 - Civil penalties.
Full text of District Of Columbia D.C. Code § 25-830 — Civil penalties., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 25-830. Civil penalties.
25-830Within 90 days after May 3, 2001, the Board shall submit proposed regulations setting forth a schedule of civil penalties (“schedule”) for violations of this title to the Council for a 60-day period of review, including Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and periods of Council recess. If the Council does not approve, in whole or in part, the proposed regulations by resolution with the 60-day review period, the regulations shall be deem [deemed] disapproved. The schedule shall replace all civil penalties, except as expressly provided in this title.
The schedule shall be prepared in accordance with the following provisions:
The schedule shall contain 2 tiers that reflect the severity of the violation for which the penalty is imposed:
The primary tier shall apply to more severe violations, including service to minors or violation of hours of sale or service of alcoholic beverages.
The secondary tier shall apply to less severe violations, including the failure to post required signs.
A subsequent violation in the same tier, whether a violation of the same provision or different one, shall be treated as a repeat violation for the purposes of imposing an increased penalty; provided, that all secondary tier infractions cited by ABRA investigators or Metropolitan Police Department Officers, during a single investigation or inspection on a single day, shall be deemed to be one secondary tier violation for the purposes of determining repeat violations under this section.
For primary tier violations, the penalties shall be no less than the following:
For the first violation, no less than $1,000;
For the second violation within 2 years, no less than $2,000;
For the third violation within 3 years, no less than $4,000;
For the fourth violation within 4 years, the Board shall revoke the licensee’s license or fine the licensee no less than $30,000 and suspend the licensee’s license for 30 consecutive days; and
For the fifth violation within 4 years, the Board shall revoke the licensee’s license.
Repealed.
Repealed.
Repealed.
For secondary tier violations, the penalties shall be no less than the following:
For the first violation, no less than $250.
For the second violation within 2 years, no less than $500.
For the third violation within 3 years, no less than $750.
For the fourth violation within 4 years, no less than $1,000.
For the fifth violation within 4 years, no less than $2,000.
For the sixth or subsequent violation within 4 years, no less than $4,000.
Repealed.
Except for an egregious violation as may be later defined by ABC rulemaking, no licensee shall be found to be in violation of a first-time violation of (sales to minors), unless the licensee has been given a written warning, or received a citation, for the violation, or had an enforcement proceeding before the Board, during the 4 years preceding the violation.
A warning for a first-time violation of shall include a description of the violation. The Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration shall make available a schedule of fines that could be imposed upon subsequent violation. Within one year of [March 25, 2009], the Board shall submit a report on the status of the warning requirement for violations, including a statement on repeat offenders and subsequent fines or sanctions imposed. The provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection, and the provisions of shall expire one year from [March 25, 2009], unless the Board finds each of the following:
That the warning requirement was effective in correcting behavior that was the subject of the warning for those licensees; and
That the warning requirement contributed to the overall prevention of sales to minors in the District of Columbia.
Within 60 days of [March 25, 2009], the Board shall issue proposed regulations for a comprehensive warning and violation structure, which shall include recommendations on which violations of the act or regulations shall require a warning for a first-time violation prior to penalty.
Proposed rules under this subsection shall be submitted to the Council for a 30-day period of review. The Council may approve these proposed regulations, in whole or in part, by resolution. If the Council has not approved the regulations upon expiration of the 30-day review period, the regulations shall be deemed disapproved.
The Board or the Council may amend the schedule. An amendment by the Board shall be submitted to the Council for its approval in accordance with subsection (a) of this section. The Board may fine for a violation not listed on the schedule consistent with the primary tier violation penalties set forth in subsection (c)(1) of this section.
The schedule and any amendments to the schedule shall be published in the District of Columbia Register and promulgated by the procedure adopted under .
Penalties or fines assessed under this chapter shall be credited to the General Fund of the District of Columbia.
It shall be a primary tier violation for a licensee to sell or serve alcohol on a suspended or expired license or a license held in safekeeping.
It shall be a primary tier violation for a licensee to fail to comply with either of the statutory food requirements in .
A licensee’s failure to timely remit a fine issued pursuant to this section shall be cause for the Board to suspend the license until the licensee pays the fine.
If a licensee is 90 days delinquent on the payment of the fine, the Board shall give notice of its intent to revoke the licensee’s license.
The licensee shall have 14 days to respond to the notice issued pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection.
If the Board determines that the failure to pay the fine issued pursuant to this section is not for good cause, the Board shall revoke the licensee’s license.
Annotations
Resolution 18-701, the “Georgetown Moratorium Zone Revised Approval Resolution of 2010”, was approved effective December 21, 2010.
Resolution 18-540, the “Drinking and Driving Warning Sign Regulation Approval Resolution of 2010”, was approved effective July 13, 2010.
Resolution 18-522, the “East Dupont Circle Moratorium Zone Regulations Approval Resolution of 2010”, was approved effective June 29, 2010.
Resolution 18-488, the “Egregious First Time Sale to Minor Violation Clarification Regulations Approval Resolution of 2010”, was approved effective June 1, 2010.
Resolution 15-340, the “Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Civil Penalty Schedule Regulations Approval Resolution of 2003”, was approved effective December 2, 2003.
Source: official District Of Columbia text · Last verified 2026-08-27
Frequently Asked Questions About District Of Columbia § 25-830
What does D.C. Code § 25-830 cover?
Section 25-830 ("Civil penalties.") is part of the D.C. Code, the codified statutory law of District Of Columbia. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite District Of Columbia § 25-830?
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Is this the official text of District Of Columbia law?
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How does District Of Columbia § 25-830 apply to my situation?
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Sources & Verification
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in District Of Columbia.