Each liquor license application is unique and investigated individually. The board may inquire and request documents regarding all matters in connection with the liquor license application. Following is a general outline of the liquor license application process.

1. (1) Per RCW 66.24.010, the board shall send a notice to the local authority regarding the liquor license application. The local authority has twenty days to respond with a recommendation to approve or an objection to the applicant, location, or both.

   1. (a) The local authority may submit a written request to the board for an extension for good cause shown.
   2. (b) If the application is within a board-recognized alcohol impact area, the board will give the local authority sixty days to comment on the liquor license application or assumption (see WAC 314-12-215(7) for more information).
2. (2) For an application for a new liquor license privilege, the board may require a public posting notice to be posted at the site for fourteen days.
3. (3) For an application for a new liquor license privilege, the board shall notify schools, churches, or public colleges or universities within five hundred feet of the business (see RCW 66.24.010(9) for more information).
4. (4) The board will verify that the proposed business meets the minimum requirements for the type of license or privilege requested.
5. (5) The board may conduct an investigation of the applicants' criminal history and administrative violation history, per WAC 314-07-040 and 314-07-045.
6. (6) The board may conduct a financial investigation in order to verify the source of funds used for the acquisition and startup of the business.
7. (7) The board will conduct an investigation to establish the applicant's exclusive right to the real and personal property and to verify the true party(ies) of interest.
8. (8) The board may provide a briefing on liquor laws and rules.
9. (9) The board may conduct a final inspection of the proposed licensed business, in order to determine if the applicant has complied with all the requirements of the license or privilege requested.
10. (10) Per RCW 66.24.010 (2)(a), all applicants must have resided in the state of Washington for at least one month prior to issuance of a liquor license. For a corporation or a limited liability company, the entity meets this residency requirement if the entity was formed in Washington or has a certificate of authority to do business in Washington.
11. (11) All applicants and true parties of interest must be at least twenty-one years of age.
12. (12) Upon failure to respond to the board licensing and regulation division's requests for information within the timeline provided, the application will be administratively closed.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030 and 66.24.010. WSR 15-11-106, § 314-07-020, filed 5/20/15, effective 6/20/15; WSR 10-10-126, § 314-07-020, filed 5/5/10, effective 6/5/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 66.08.030, 66.24.010, 66.24.015, and 66.24.025. WSR 05-07-012, § 314-07-020, filed 3/4/05, effective 4/4/05.]