Laws and Rules

What We Do

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) is granted authority by the Washington State Legislature to regulate the production, sale, and distribution of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and vapor products in the state of Washington. Through rulemaking, we support the agency's mission to promote public safety and trust through fair administration and enforcement of liquor, cannabis, tobacco, and vapor laws. Our rules impact licensees, the public, and stakeholders, including businesses like grocery stores, restaurants, bars, and cannabis retail outlets, as well as breweries, wineries, distilleries, and cannabis producers and processors, just to name a few. Our licensing division and enforcement and education division implement and enforce our rules.

We are committed to transparency, accountability, equity, and inclusion in rulemaking. Sign up for email updates about rulemaking activities and opportunities for public engagement (link). We offer many opportunities for the public to participate in policy and rule development! Learn how the rulemaking process works and ways to engage with us (link). 

News, Updates, and Events

Upcoming

• Wednesday, December 18, 2024:
  • The Board will consider a petition for rulemaking to amend WAC 314-55-082 to address the use of captive insurance companies to insure cannabis licensees.
    • Petition for Rulemaking
       
• Wednesday, January 29, 2025:
  • The Board will consider a petition for rulemaking seeking to create a rule that would allocate funding from cannabis revenue to support a trauma-informed counseling and research initiative.
    • Petition for Rulemaking
       
  • The Board will consider a petition for rulemaking to allow wineries, breweries and distilleries to sample, serve and sell bottles of their own production at public events.
    • Petition for Rulemaking

Recent

• LCB Seeks Feedback on Two Cannabis-Related Rulemakings prior to CR-102 filings - deadline Friday, Dec. 6, 2024:
  • GovDelivery Notice Nov. 20, 2024
    • Draft Rules for Minors on Non-Retail Premises
    • Draft Rules for Sale of Cannabis Waste
       
• Wednesday, December 4, 2024:
  • The Board accepted a rulemaking petition related to WAC 314-02-045 to allow changes in hours and days of operation for certain liquor licenses.
    • Petition Response December 4, 2024
    • Petition for Rulemaking
       
• Wednesday, November 20, 2024:
  • The Board denied a rulemaking petition to amend WAC 314-55-115 related to cannabis payment terms.
    • Petition Response November 20, 2024
    • Petition for Rulemaking 
       
  • The Board denied a rulemaking petition regarding replacing CCRS.
    • Petition Response November 20, 2024
    • Petition for Rulemaking
    • Cannabis Traceability (Phase 1) Project Survey - GovDelivery Notice with link to Survey. Survey runs through Dec. 31, 2024. 
       

• Wednesday, November 6, 2024:
  • The Board denied a rulemaking petition regarding adding a mandatory warning to alcohol containers.
    • Petition Response November 6, 2024
    • Petition for Rulemaking
       
  • The Board approved filing a CR-103 for permanent rules to replace gender-specific language with gender-neutral language in Title 314 WAC.
    • Memorandum
    • CR 103 filed as WSR 24-23-002 on Nov. 6, 2024
    • Permanent rules filed on Nov. 6, 2024
       
• Wednesday, October 23, 2024:
  • The Board approved filing a CR-102 on implementing House Bill 2204 on Emergency Liquor Permits. A public comment period is currently open until December 4, 2024.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • CR-102 filed as WSR 24-21-168 on October 23, 2024
  • The Board approved filing a Supplemental CR-102 to implement Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5080, related to expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program. A public comment period is currently open until December 4, 2024.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • CR-102 filed as WSR 24-21-169 on October 23, 2024
    • Board Presentation (Power point) October 23, 2024

• Wednesday, October 9, 2024:
  • The Board approved filing a CR 103 in rulemaking to implement Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5367 (THC Bill). The rule changes will be effective January 7, 2025.
    • Concise Explanatory Statement
    • Memorandum
    • CR 103P files as WSR 24-21-051 on October 9, 2024.
       
  • The Board approved filing a CR 101 to consider amending WAC 314-55-035 to allow Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP)
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • Response to Petition for Rulemaking
    • CR 101 filed as WSR 24-21-050 on October 9, 2024. 
       
  • The Board approved filing a CR 101 to consider amending WAC 314-11-025 and WAC 314-55-150 and other sections of Title 314 WAC related to allowable types of identification.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Oct. 9, 2024 Letter to Tribal Leaders
    • Memorandum
    • CR 101 filed as WSR 24-21-049 on October 9, 2024.

• Monday, September 30, 2024, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Stakeholder Feedback Session #1 on House Bill 2204 on Emergency Liquor Permits
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Emergency Liquor Permit Rulemaking Project
  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • Microsoft Teams Recording

• Thursday, October 3, 2024, 1 - 3 p.m.: Stakeholder Feedback Session #2 on House Bill 2204 on Emergency Liquor Permits
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Emergency Liquor Permit Rulemaking Project
  • PowerPoint Presentation
  • Microsoft Teams Recording
     

• Wednesday, September 25, 2024:
  • The Board approved filing a CR 103 in Cannabis Payment Flexibility rulemaking to amend WAC 314-55-115 to identify how licensees can pay other licensees for cannabis using a check. The rule change will be effective October 26, 2024.
    • Concise Explanatory Statement
    • Memorandum
    • CR 103P filed as WSR 24-20-055 on September 25, 2024
  • The Board denied five petitions for rulemaking related to title certificate holders in the Social Equity in Cannabis Program
    • Petition Response September 25, 2024
    • Petitions
       
• Wednesday, September 11, 2024:
  • The Board approved a petition to amend WAC 314-55-310 regarding cannabis transport.
    • Petition Approval
       
  • The Board approved filing a CR 103 on Implementing Substitute House Bill 1453 on the Medical Cannabis Patient Excise Tax Exemption. These rules will be effective October 12, 2024.
    • Concise Explanatory Statement
    • Memorandum
    • CR 103P filed as WSR 24-19-040 on September 11, 2024
       

• 2024 Semi-Annual Rule Development Agenda: On August 22, 2024, the 2024 Semi-Annual Rule Development Agenda was published as WSR 24-18-016. The agenda provides tentative timelines for rulemaking from July 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. 
   
• Wednesday, August 14, 2024:
  • The Board approved filing a CR 102 to amend WAC 314-55-096 related to Cannabis Sampling. The public comment period is open until the public hearing on September 25, 2024.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • CR 102 filed as WSR 24-17-051 on August 14, 2024
  • The Board denied three petitions regarding social equity cannabis license mobility
    • Petitions for Rulemaking and Materials
    • August 14, 2024 Response to Petition for Rulemaking
  • The Board approved filing a CR 101 on Implementing House Bill 2204 on Emergency Liquor Permits. There is an informal comment period open until September 14, 2024.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • CR 101 filed as WSR 24-17-049 on August 14, 2024

• Wednesday, July 31, 2024: 
  • The Board approved filing the CR-103 regarding the acronym used for the agency, replacing "WSLCB" with "LCB"
    • Concise Explanatory Statement
    • Memorandum 
    • CR 103P filed as WSR 24-16-064 on July 31, 2024
  • The Board approved filing the CR-102 to implement Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5367, concerning the regulation of products containing THC. The public comment period is open until the public hearing on September 11, 2024.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • Board approval 
    • CR 102 filed as WSR 24-16-126 on August 6, 2024
  • The Board approved filing the CR-102 to implement Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill (E2SSB) 5080, related to expanding and improving the social equity in cannabis program. The public comment period is open until the public hearing on September 11, 2024.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • Board approval
    • CR 102 filed as WSR 24-16-130 on August 6, 2024
      • Draft rules (Español)
  • The Board approved filing  a CR 102 on Cannabis Payment Flexibility. There is a formal comment period open until the public hearing on September 11, 2024.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • CR 102 filed as WSR 24-16-063 on July 31, 2024
       

• Wednesday, July 17, 2024:
  • The Board approved a CR 102 on implementing Substitute House Bill 1453 on the Medical Cannabis Patient Excise Tax Exemption. There is a formal comment period open until the public hearing on August 28, 2024.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • CR 102 filed as WSR 24-15-066 on July 17, 2024
       
  • The Board approved a CR 101 on implementing Second Substitute House Bill 2151 to Transfer Cannabis Testing Laboratory Accreditation to the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Public comments are open until August 16, 2024.
    • Notice to Stakeholders
    • Memorandum
    • CR 101 filed as WSR 24-15-067 on July 17, 2024. 
       
  • The Board denied a petition to consider amending WAC 314-55-095 regarding increasing the existing 10 mg THC serving limit for edibles.
    • Petition for Rulemaking
    • Petition Response July 17, 2024
       

For older materials, see Current Rulemaking Activity.