(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, every person who sells or offers for sale distilled spirits, wines, or beer to any person other than a dealer is a retail dealer in liquors for purposes of this part. Every retail dealer in liquors must comply with the registration and other requirements of this part, unless the dealer is covered by an applicable exemption under subpart D of this part.

(b) Persons not deemed to be retail dealers in liquors. The following persons are not retail dealers in liquors within the meaning of this part:

(1) A retail dealer in beer as described in § 31.33(a),

(2) A limited retail dealer as described in § 31.35, or

(3) A person who sells or offers for sale distilled spirits, wines, or beer only as provided in § 31.61 through § 31.64 or § 31.65(a).

(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, every person who sells or offers for sale distilled spirits, wines, or beer to another dealer is a wholesale dealer in liquors for purposes of this part. Every wholesale dealer in liquors must comply with the registration and other requirements of this part, unless the dealer is covered by an applicable exemption under subpart D of this part.

(b) Persons not deemed to be wholesale dealers in liquors. The following persons are not wholesale dealers in liquors within the meaning of this part:

(1) A wholesale dealer in beer as described in § 31.34(a);

(2) A person who sells or offers for sale distilled spirits, wines, or beer only as provided in §§ 31.61 through 31.64, § 31.65(a), or § 31.66; or

(3) A person returning liquors for credit, refund, or exchange as provided in § 31.67.

(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, every person who sells or offers for sale beer, but not distilled spirits or wines, to any person other than a dealer is a retail dealer in beer for purposes of this part. Every retail dealer in beer must comply with the registration and other requirements of this part, unless the dealer is covered by an applicable exemption under subpart D of this part.

(b) Persons not deemed to be retail dealers in beer. The following persons are not retail dealers in beer within the meaning of this part:

(1) A limited retail dealer as described in § 31.35, or

(2) A person who does not sell or offer for sale distilled spirits or wines and sells beer or offers beer for sale only as provided in § 31.61 through § 31.63 or § 31.65(a).

(a) General. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, every person who sells or offers for sale beer, but not distilled spirits or wines, to another dealer is a wholesale dealer in beer for purposes of this part. Every wholesale dealer in beer must comply with the registration and other requirements of this part, unless the dealer is covered by an applicable exemption under subpart D of this part.

(b) Persons not deemed to be wholesale dealers in beer. The following persons are not wholesale dealers in beer within the meaning of this part:

(1) A person who does not sell or offer for sale distilled spirits or wines and sells beer or offers beer for sale only as provided in §§ 31.61 through 31.63, § 31.65(a), § 31.66, or § 31.67; or

(2) A person returning beer for credit, refund or exchange as provided in § 31.56.

Any person selling distilled spirits, beer, or wine, or any combination thereof, to members, guests, or patrons of bona fide fairs, reunions, picnics, carnivals, or similar outings, and any fraternal, civic, church, labor, charitable, benevolent, or ex-servicemen's organization selling distilled spirits, beer, or wine, or any combination thereof, on the occasion of any kind of entertainment, dance, picnic, bazaar, or festival held by it, is a “limited retail dealer” if the person or organization is not otherwise engaged in business as a dealer.

Any person who sells or offers for sale distilled spirits, wines, or beer, in quantities of 20 wine gallons (75.7 liters) or more, to the same person at the same time, shall be presumed and held to be a wholesale dealer in liquors or a wholesale dealer in beer, as the case may be, unless the seller shows by satisfactory evidence that the sale, or offer for sale, was made to a person other than a dealer.

Persons engaging in or carrying on the business or occupation of selling or offering for sale alcoholic liquors fit for use as a beverage, or any alcoholic liquors sold for use as a beverage, are subject to the provisions of this part. The classes of liquor dealer business and the conditions under which the provisions of this part apply to them are specified in §§ 31.31 through 31.34.

Whether the activities of any person constitute engaging in the business of selling or offering for sale is to be determined by the facts in each case. Any manner of selling or offering for sale, even though to a restricted class of persons or without a view to profit, is within the scope of this part.

(a) Subject to paragraph (b) of this section, a club or similar organization is a dealer for purposes of this part if the club or organization:

(1) Furnishes liquors to members under conditions constituting a sale (including the acceptance of orders therefor, furnishing the liquors ordered and collecting the price thereof); or

(2) Conducts a bar for the sale of liquors on the occasion of an outing, picnic, or other entertainment, unless the club is a “limited retail dealer” described in § 31.35. The registration of the proprietor of the premises where the bar is located will not relieve the club or organization from its own obligation to register; or

(3) Purchases liquors for members without prior agreement concerning payment therefor and such organization subsequently recoups those costs.

(b) Compliance with the registration and other requirements of this part is not required if money is collected in advance from members for the purchase of liquors, or if money is advanced for the purchase of liquors pursuant to an agreement with the members for reimbursement.

Proprietors of restaurants and other persons who serve liquors with meals to paying customers, even if no separate or specific charge for the liquors is made, are dealers subject to the provisions of this part.

A State, a political subdivision of a State, or the District of Columbia, that engages in the business of selling, or offering for sale, distilled spirits, wines, or beer is not exempt from the requirements of this part. However, no such governmental entity shall be required to register more than once as a retail dealer in liquors regardless of the number of locations at which the entity carries on business as a retail dealer in liquors. Any such governmental entity that has properly registered as a wholesale dealer at its principal office, and that has properly registered once as a retail dealer in liquors or beer, is not required to register again at its retail stores by reason of the sale of distilled spirits, wines, or beer at any of those locations to dealers qualified to do business as a dealer within the jurisdiction of that governmental entity.

It is illegal to sell denatured spirits, or any article containing denatured spirits, for beverage purposes. Any person who sells denatured spirits, or any substance or preparation made with or containing denatured spirits, for use, or for sale for use, for beverage purposes, or who sells any such products under circumstances in which it might reasonably appear that it is the intention of the purchaser to procure the same for sale or use for beverage purposes, is subject to the registration and other requirements of this part.

(a) General. Compliance with the provisions of this part is required with respect to the sale, or offering for sale, of alcoholic compounds, preparations, or mixtures containing distilled spirits, wines, or beer, unless those compounds, preparations, or mixtures are unfit for use for beverage purposes and are sold solely for use for nonbeverage purposes.

(b) Products unfit for beverage use. Products described in § 19.5 of this chapter, for which manufacturers are exempt from qualification requirements, shall be deemed to be unfit for beverage purposes for the purposes of this part.

Unless specifically exempt by statute, any agency or instrumentality of the United States, including post exchanges, ship's stores, ship's service stores, and commissaries, or any canteen, club, mess, or similar organization operated under regulations of any such agency or instrumentality, that sells, or offers for sale, distilled spirits, wines, or beer must comply with the registration and other requirements of this part as a dealer in liquors or a dealer in beer, as the case may be.

The sale of warehouse receipts for distilled spirits is equivalent to the sale of distilled spirits. Accordingly, every person who sells, or offers for sale, warehouse receipts for distilled spirits held or stored in a distilled spirits plant, customs bonded warehouse, or elsewhere, is required to register and keep records as a wholesale dealer in liquors, or as a retail dealer in liquors, as the case may be, at the place where those warehouse receipts are sold, or offered for sale, unless the person is exempt from those requirements under subpart D of this part.

Brewers and proprietors of distilled spirits plants, bonded wine cellars, bonded wine warehouses, and taxpaid wine bottling houses who make sales, whether of their own alcohol beverage products or of such products produced by others, are not exempt from registration and recordkeeping as dealers under this part. However, the registration and recordkeeping requirements applicable to such persons are prescribed in parts 19 (Distilled Spirits Plants), 24 (Wine), and 25 (Beer) of this chapter.