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Retail Sales

Keg Registration

Laws specifying special requirements for the sale or purchase of beer kegs.
 

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Variables: Retail Sales: Keg Registration

  1. Definition of a Keg

    • In most States, kegs are defined by the minimum volume in gallons.  In some States, an exact volume is specified while in other States the volume may be defined as "greater than," "greater than or equal to," "less than," or "less than or equal to" some volume.  In a small number of cases, no definition of keg is established by statute or regulation.
  2. Prohibited
    • Some States stipulate that a person may not:

      • Possess an unregistered or unlabeled keg
      • Destroy the label on a keg
    • Where such prohibitions exist, statutes or regulations may specify a maximum penalty in terms of jail time, fine, or both.
  3. Purchaser Information Collected
    • In some States, information on the purchaser of a keg is collected at the time of sale.  This information may include any combination of the following: (1) name; (2) driver's license or other government-issued identification number; or (3) address at which the keg will be consumed.  A check mark appears in the Per Gov't ID column if:
    • * the retailer is required to record the purchaser's identification number or the form of identification presented by the purchaser together with the purchaser's name, address, and date of birth,
    • * the purchaser's name and address must be recorded as they appear on the identification produced by the purchaser.
  4. Warning Information to Purchaser
    • Some States require that warning information be presented to the purchaser concerning the violation of any laws related to keg registration. These warnings can address prohibitions such as serving alcohol to minors or failing to register a keg properly.  The warning may be "active" (requiring an action on the part of the purchaser—e.g., signing a document) or it may be "passive" (requiring no action on the part of the purchaser).
  5. Deposit Required by Statute or Regulation
    • In addition to deposits that may be required by the vendor, some States require a deposit as part of their keg registration policies. This deposit may be on the keg itself, the tapper mechanism used to serve the beer, or both, and is refundable when the empty keg and/or tapper are returned to the merchant.  In some cases, multiple deposits may be specified depending on the size of the keg. In these cases, the minimum deposit is shown in the comparison table and a Row Note or Jurisdiction Note provides specific information on the various deposits.
  6. Disposable Kegs
    • Disposable kegs (meant to be disposed of when empty) present a complicating factor for keg registration laws since they cannot be easily tagged or traced. Some States currently address disposable kegs by statute or regulation, while others do not.