*Please keep in mind that this is information is specific to North Carolina law. Contact an attorney in your state to find out specific information about this.
*This information is provided by the NC Craft Brewers Guild. Read the original article here.
North Carolina now allows breweries and distilleries to be featured on highway road signs. Who would of thought?
We recently had a client ask about the legalities of advertising their brewery on road signs. I figured if one client had that question then many probably do.
There are 3 ways breweries and distilleries can have their name featured on a road sign.
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Logo Signing Program with service signs and company logo
- Breweries can advertise as “attractions”
- Must have an on-premise restroom in a permanent structure
- Open without appointment at least 8 hours per day, 5 days a week during normal operating season
- The taproom does not have to be serving during this timeframe
- Parking
- Telephone on the premise
- Primary purpose of providing amusement, historical, cultural, or leisure activities (i.e. drinking beer) to the public
- The cost of the signs vary from $300 to $1200
- More information: Logo Rules
-
Tourist Oriented Directional Signing for advertising on highway right of ways
- Helps tourist find businesses of interest
- Recommended for breweries or distilleries in rural areas
- On placed at intersections, not on freeways, interchanges, or on ramps
- Brewery/distillery must be tourist oriented, meaning:
- 30% of products and services are geared toward tourists’ interests
- Tourists must account for at least 40% of the total revenue
- 51% of income or visitors must be road users not living within a 20-mile radius of the facility
- Cost is $200 per sign
- More information: Application and Statute
-
Agricultural Tourism Signage promotes tourism, as well as the agricultural business
- Sign cannot exceed 5 miles from the agricultural tourism destination
- Facility must be open 10 months per year, 4 days per week, 32 hours per week
- Must offer tours to the public
- On-site permanent restrooms, drinking water, and telephone
- Must provide samples of sales of NC agricultural products
- Must have a sign as well as maintain a website with the hours of operation
- Cost-VERY EXPENSIVE, estimated $9,000 per sign
- More information: Application and Rules
Contact us!
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me at john@beerlawcenter.com or call 919-335-5291.
Be sure to check out Beer Law Center and Matheson Law Office for all things NC legal.
Contact the NC Craft Brewers Guild:
https://ncbeer.org/