Virginia Administrative Code Title 3 - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE AND CANNABIS CONTROL
Here’s a comprehensive look at Virginia Administrative Code – Title 3: Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Control:
📑 Overview
Title 3 governs regulations on both alcohol and cannabis in Virginia, administered by two agencies:
Agency 5: Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC)
Covers Chapters 10–70, regulating licensing, sales, advertising, product approvals, tied-house laws, retail operations, and enforcement procedures (law.cornell.edu).
Agency 10: Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA)
Covers Chapters 20–80, establishing rules for cannabis products, licensing, and general cannabis oversight (law.lis.virginia.gov).
🧩 Agency 5 – ABC Authority (Chapters 10–70)
Chapter 10: Hearing procedures and administrative law judge processes.
Chapter 11: Public participation guidelines.
Chapter 20: Advertising rules.
Chapter 30: Tied-house restrictions (anti-ownership).
Chapter 40: Product approval standards.
Chapter 50: Retail operations – store operations, hours, licensing.
Chapter 60: Manufacturer & wholesaler operations.
Chapter 70: Catch-all provisions and penalties.
Regulatory authority includes licensing for distilleries, wineries, breweries, retailers, permit issuance, tax collection, enforcement, inspections, and regulating wholesale/retail relationships (regulations.justia.com).
🌿 Agency 10 – Cannabis Control Authority (Chapters 20–80)
This newly established agency oversees:
License categories and application requirements.
Product standards, packaging, labeling, testing.
Regulations for cannabis retailers, testing labs, processors, and processors.
For example, 3 Va. Admin. Code §10‑50‑20 is a placeholder ("Reserved") under Chapter 50 – Cannabis Products, reflecting updates effective January 1, 2024 (law.cornell.edu, en.wikipedia.org).
📝 Recent Updates & Context
Title 3 is updated quarterly; current through at least June 20, 2025 on VA LIS (law.cornell.edu).
On cannabis: While adult recreational use of cannabis became legal at the statutory level in 2021, commercial sales and regulatory structure were delayed. The CCA is now actively defining operational rules through the admin code .
On alcohol: The ABC continues refining product and retail regulations, licensing, and enforcement under Title 3’s structure.
📚 Where to Find the Text
Official Source: VA General Assembly’s LIS site (law.lis.virginia.gov), Title 3.
Alternate Reliable Sources: Cornell LII provides browsable chapters (law.cornell.edu).
Justia has Agency 5 chapters with summaries, updated through Register Vol 41, No 16 (March 24, 2025) (regulations.justia.com).
✅ Summary Table
Area
Agency
Chapters
Key Topics
Alcoholic Beverage
Agency 5
10–70
Licensing, retail & wholesale rules, advertising, enforcement, hearings
Cannabis
Agency 10
20–80
Licensing, product standards, distribution, lab/testing rules
🎯 Next Steps
Want help with something specific? I can:
Direct you to chapters on store hours, dispensary licensing, packaging standards, hearing procedures, and more.
Show recent amendments or rule changes.
Provide details or PDFs from VA LIS for any chapter or section.
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