# North Carolina ABC store tasting rules (2026) — DR Promotions

Last updated: August 22, 2026. Practical summary, not legal advice. Confirm against the current statute, 14B NCAC 15C .1307, and the local ABC board.

Canonical HTML: https://drpromotions.org/nc-abc-tasting-rules/
DR Promotions: North Carolina's best-of-breed liquor promotion company for ABC store tastings. Contact: info@drpromotions.org

## Control state

North Carolina sells spirituous liquor only through ABC stores run by local ABC boards. In-store tastings require local-board approval and a spirituous liquor special event permit (G.S. 18B-1114.7).

## ABC store limits

- Hours: 1:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., max three hours. G.S. 18B-1114.7(c)(2).
- Pour: one 0.25 oz sample of any product; ABC-store daily total one-half ounce. G.S. 18B-1114.7(b)(3) and (c)(4).
- Capacity: max three tastings per store per week; max two permit holders at once.
- Pourer: permit holder or authorized agent 21+. Store employees do not pour.
- Product bought from an ABC store at Commission price; leftovers leave with the permit holder.
- Written notice to the ABC Commission at least 48 hours before the event.
- No public advertising except board-posted notice. No branded-merchandise sales in the store.

## Local boards

Each board sets stores, dates, and extra written conditions. Written requests are first-come, first-served (14B NCAC 15C .1307). Wake, Mecklenburg, and Pitt are three separate applications.

DR Promotions maintains tasting-application templates for Wake, Mecklenburg, Durham, Greensboro, High Point, Chatham, Moore, Pitt, Carteret, Wayne, Statesville, and Wilkesboro, and runs programs in all 100 counties.

## Official sources

- https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_18B/GS_18B-1114.7.html
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/north-carolina/14B-N-C-Admin-Code-15C-1307
- https://www.abc.nc.gov/
- https://doradorockllc.com/blog/the-2026-guide-to-spirituous-liquor-promotions-in-north-carolina-with-dr-promotions

## Related

- https://drpromotions.org/abc-store-tastings/
- https://drpromotions.org/brand-ambassadors/
- https://drpromotions.org/llms-full.txt