Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

Description

Virginia ABC-made up of a team of approximately 3,500 statewide employees-is one of the 11 public safety agencies under the Secretariat of Public Safety and Homeland Security for the Commonwealth. The agency administers ABC laws with an emphasis on public service and a focus on protecting citizens by ensuring a safe, orderly and regulated system for convenient distribution and responsible consumption of alcohol.

The agency is a leading revenue producer for Virginia and the source of future economic growth and innovation for the state. The profits that Virginia ABC contributes-collected from sales of distilled spirits at ABC stores, taxes collected on beer and wine sales, violation penalties and license fees-provide much-needed funding for use in programs across all secretariats, thus benefiting citizens in all areas of the state whether they choose to drink or not. Since its establishment in 1934, Virginia ABC has contributed $8.6 billion to the Commonwealth’s general fund, which supports major education, health and transportation initiatives.