Enforcement & Training
The state supervisor, chief of enforcement, agents of the division, prosecuting attorneys, sheriffs and police officers are all charged with enforcing Missouri’s liquor laws. The Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control enforcement section fulfills its responsibilities by investigating and responding to citizen and industry complaints. ATC enforces all Missouri statutes and regulations relating to the manufacture, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages as set out in Section 311.660, RSMo.
In addition, tobacco funds are used to create and update the tobacco vendor database and to perform compliance minor buys to prevent sales of tobacco and vaping products to underage youth. Each year, ATC conducts approximately 6,000 tobacco sales inspections checks to prevent the sale of tobacco and vaping products to minors. ATC also conducts inspections to ensure that health warning and no sales to minors statements are displayed.
ATC’s enforcement section is divided into five districts across the state with offices in Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and Jefferson City - Central District. (See district map). Agents are assigned to districts and are responsible for licensing and enforcement actions within their districts. All enforcement section personnel are required to fulfill the law enforcement training requirements established for peace officers by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission.
Training
The division provides a free in-person server training that educates servers of alcoholic beverages about their legal obligations concerning the service of intoxicating liquor and also includes a component on tobacco merchant training. Additionally, the State of Missouri Alcohol Responsibility Training (SMART) Online Server Training Program and Show Me Education and Compliance Training for Tobacco and Nicotine are free online training programs for alcohol and/or tobacco/nicotine retailers. The division also has a server training certification program to approve independent trainers.
Administrative Disciplinary
Missouri's liquor control laws and the state’s system of alcoholic beverage regulations are designed to ensure the public health and safety as affected by intoxicating liquor. The division is authorized by statute to take disciplinary action against any licensee that violates any provision of Chapter 311, RSMo, or any regulation relating to intoxicating liquor. This chapter and regulations prohibit, for example, sales of alcohol to minors or to intoxicated persons or lewd activity on licensed premises, and sales or possession of controlled substances on licensed premises. The statutory provisions allow warnings, suspensions, revocations, probation or fines for violations of alcohol statutes or regulations to help ensure conduct in accordance with public safety requirements.
The division is also authorized by statute to inspect stores and tobacco outlets for compliance with all laws related to access to tobacco products of minors and to take disciplinary measures against those in violation. Click here to access a list of warnings, suspensions, revocations or fines.
Complaints
To make a complaint regarding a liquor licensee or illegal alcohol practices, call (573) 751-2333 or email Ashley Lentz.
To make a complaint regarding a potential tobacco – related violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and associated regulations, click here.