TABC Code and Rules

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code is made up of the guiding laws for the alcoholic beverage industry and passed by the Texas State Legislature. 

You can view the Code in the first link below by choosing "Alcoholic Beverage Code" in the Select Code dropdown menu. Then you can filter by chapter and section.

You can also view the entire Code text in the linked PDF document below.

TABC’s Administrative Rules are created in an open and transparent process. Texas law gives TABC the ability to make the rules necessary to carry out the statutes adopted by lawmakers. Like other state agencies, TABC’s rules then become part of the Texas Administrative Code (Title 16, Part 3).

1. Agency staff drafts a rule.
2. Staff usually holds a stakeholder meeting open to the public to gather feedback.
3. Commission votes on publishing the proposed rule for comment.
4. Proposed rule published in the Texas Register.
5. For 30 days after publication, members of the public can file written comments with the agency.
6. Staff holds a public hearing and receives oral comments.
7. Commission votes on adoption of rule.
8. Adopted rule published in Texas Register.
9. Rule becomes effective.

This process is also followed for rule amendments and repeals. Throughout the process, staff may revise rules based on public feedback. A rule may repeat a step in certain instances, such as being tabled at a commission meeting to be sent to another stakeholder meeting to incorporate additional feedback.

A calendar of stakeholder meetings, commission meetings and public hearings is maintained on the TABC Agency Meetings and Events page. You can also sign up to receive email notifications by registering for the Industry Notifications email list through the agency's Social Media and Email Signup page.

At the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission meeting held May 25, 2023, the board voted to adopt amendments to the following agency rules:

• Amended Chapter 50, Alcoholic Beverage Seller/Server and Delivery Driver Training: The amendments are necessary to ensure the rules accurately reflect their scope and use proper grammar. They include:
  • The amendment to §50.23 removes the word “Location” from the rule title because the rule does not actually address location changes for seller/server schools.
  • The remaining amendments to §§50.4, 50.15, 50.17, 50.19 – 50.20, and 50.31 simply insert or delete commas and hyphens, all of which the agency consider to be non-substantive changes.

Next steps: A notice of adoption will be published in the Texas Register on the next available publication date. The amended rules will be effective 20 days after they are submitted to the Texas Register.

The agency also completed a review of, and the Commission voted to readopt, the following rules:

• Rule Review of Chapter 50, Alcoholic Beverage Seller/Server and Delivery Driver Training: After review, TABC finds that the reasons for adopting 16 TAC §§50.1, 50.3 – 50.5, 50.8, 50.12 – 50.20, 50.23, and 50.26 – 50.33 continue to exist. Therefore, TABC readopts those rules.

If you have questions about rules or commission action on rules, email rules@tabc.texas.gov.

TABC (and other agencies’) administrative rules are maintained by the Secretary of State website.