(a) A licensee shall refuse to sell, serve, or deliver an alcoholic beverage to any person who, upon request of the licensee, fails to produce a valid identification document.
(b) A licensee or his agent or employee shall take steps reasonably necessary to ascertain whether any person to whom the licensee sells, delivers, or serves an alcoholic beverage is of legal drinking age. Any person who supplies a valid identification document showing his or her age to be the legal drinking age shall be deemed to be of legal drinking age.
(c) Upon finding that a licensee has violated subsection (a) or (b) of this section in the preceding 2 years:
(1) Upon the first violation, the Board shall fine the licensee not less than $1,000, and not more than $2,000, and suspend the licensee for 5 consecutive days. The 5-day suspension may be stayed by the Board for one year if all employees who serve alcoholic beverages in the licensed establishment complete an alcohol training program within 3 months.
(2) Upon the second violation, the Board shall fine the licensee not less than $2,000, and not more than $4,000, and suspend the licensee for 10 consecutive days. The Board may stay up to 6 days of the 10-day suspension for one year if all employees who serve alcoholic beverages in the licensed establishment complete an alcohol training program within 3 months.
(3) Upon the third violation, the Board shall fine the licensee not less than $4,000, and not more than $10,000, and suspend the licensee for 15 consecutive days, or revoke the license. The Board may stay up to 5 days of the 15-day suspension for one year if all employees who serve alcoholic beverages in the licensed establishment complete an alcohol training program within 3 months.
(4) Upon the fourth violation, the Board may revoke the license.
(5) The Board may revoke the license of a licensed establishment that has 5 or more violations of this section within a 5-year period.
(d) The provisions of this section notwithstanding, no licensee shall discriminate on any basis prohibited by Unit A of Chapter 14 of Title 2.
CREDIT(S)
(Jan. 24, 1934, 48 Stat. 331, ch. 4, § 20; Aug. 27, 1935, 49 Stat. 901, ch. 756, § 10; June 29, 1953, 67 Stat. 104, ch. 159, § 404(g); Sept. 29, 1982, D.C. Law 4-157, § 12, 29 DCR 3617; Sept. 26, 1984, D.C. Law 5-106, § 2, 31 DCR 3381; Feb. 24, 1987, D.C. Law 6-178, § 2(a), 33 DCR 7654; Mar. 7, 1987, D.C. Law 6-217, § 12, 34 DCR 907; Sept. 11, 1993, D.C. Law 10-12, § 2(c), 40 DCR 4020; May 24, 1994, D.C. Law 10-122, § 2(i), 41 DCR 1658; May 3, 2001, D.C. Law 13-298, § 101, 48 DCR 2959.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
D.C. Law 13-298 amended and enacted into law Title 25 of the District of Columbia Official Code. The text of this section is derived from provisions formerly found in D.C. Code § 25-121(c), (d)(1), (f), (g)(1). For notes from former § 25-121, see § 25-781.
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 25-783.
1973 Ed., § 25-121.
Legislative History of Laws
For D.C. Law 13-298, see notes following § 25-101.