I was counselling a new liquor store owner about some of the rules that they needed to be aware of as they launch the new business. One of the issues that came up was record keeping. Some stores use modern POS (“point of sale”) systems that track inventory, sales and produce various reports for the business owner to manage the business. Others use old fashioned cash registers or pen and papers sales tracking. The question was, exactly what records must a liquor store owner have available if the Authority comes for an inspection or audit. After reviewing the Authority’s bulletins and advisories, I conferred with the Counsel’s Office for the Authority and confirmed the following are record keeping requirements for retail licensees:

• Sales receipts summary log (POS system reports if available)
• credit card processing statements
• Check registers and banking statements
• Payroll records
• Tax returns
• Invoices for purchases of alcohol and other expenses (bills, receipts, account statements)
• If security guards are used, records concerning the licensing of each security guard, hours worked and amounts paid

Licensees must operate responsible businesses that support the responsible consumption of alcohol. If you have questions about practices for operating your licensed business, you can contact an experienced liquor law attorney or even the Authority itself to get clarification and ensure you are in compliance.