2023 West Virginia Code › Chapter 60. State Control of Alcoholic Liquors › Article 3A. Sales by Retail Liquor Licensees › §60-3A-8. Retail License Application Requirements; Retail Licensee Qualifications

(a) Prior to or simultaneously with the submission of a bid for a retail license or the payment of a purchase option for a Class A retail license, each applicant shall file an application with the commissioner, stating under oath, the following:
(1) If the applicant is an individual, his or her name and residence address;
(2) If the applicant is other than an individual, the name and business address of the applicant; the state of its incorporation or organization; the names and residence addresses of each executive officer and other principal officer, partner, or member of the entity; a copy of the entity's charter or other agreement under which the entity operates; the names and residence addresses of any person owning, directly or indirectly, at least 20 percent of the outstanding stock, partnership, or other interests in the applicant; and all applicants and licensees must list a manager on the applicant's license application, or a licensee's renewal application. The manager shall meet all other requirements of licensure, including, but not limited to, United States citizenship or naturalization, passing a background investigation, being at least 21 years of age, being a suitable applicant, and being of good moral character, and meet other requirements, all as set forth in the code and the legislative rules, in order for the manager to be able to meet and conduct any regulatory matters, including, but not limited to, licensure or enforcement matters related to the applicant or licensee all in the interest of protecting public health and safety. In order to maintain active licensure, any change by a licensee in any manager listed on an application must be made immediately to the commissioner, in order to verify that the new manager meets licensure requirements;
(3) That the applicant and manager have not: (A) Been convicted in this state or any other state of any felony in the five years preceding the date of application; or (B) been convicted of any other crime involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit in the five years preceding the date of application; or (C) been convicted of any felony in this or any other state court or any federal court for a violation of state or federal alcohol laws. If the applicant is other than an individual, that none of its executive officers, other principal officers, partners, or members, or any person owning, directly or indirectly, at least 20 percent of the outstanding stock, partnership, or other interests in the applicant, has been convicted; and
(4) That the applicant and the manager, each is a United States citizen of good moral character and, if a naturalized citizen, when and where naturalized; and, if a corporation organized and authorized to do business under the laws of this state, when and where incorporated, with the name and address of each officer; that each officer is a citizen of the United States and a person of good moral character; and if a firm, association, partnership, or limited partnership, that each member is a citizen of the United States and, if a naturalized citizen, when and where naturalized, each of whom must sign the application.
(b) An applicant and manager shall provide the commissioner any additional information requested by the commissioner including, but not limited to, authorization to conduct a criminal background and credit records check.
(c) Whenever a change occurs in any information provided to the commissioner, the change shall immediately be reported to the commissioner in the same manner as originally provided.
(d) The commissioner shall disqualify each bid submitted by an applicant under 60-3A-10 of this code and an applicant shall not be issued or eligible to hold a retail license under this article, if the applicant:
(1) Has been, within the five years preceding the date of application: (A) Convicted in this state of any felony; or (B) convicted of a crime involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit; or (C) convicted of any felony in this or any other state court or any federal court for a violation of state or federal alcohol laws; or
(2) Any executive officer or other principal officer, partner, or member of the applicant, or any person owning, directly or indirectly, at least 20 percent of the outstanding stock, partnership, or other interests in the applicant, has been, within the five years preceding the date of application: (A) Convicted in this state of any felony; or (B) convicted of a crime involving fraud, dishonesty, or deceit; or (C) convicted of any felony in this or any other state court or any federal court for a violation of state or federal alcohol laws.
(e) The commissioner shall not issue a retail license to an applicant which does not hold a license issued pursuant to federal law to sell liquor at wholesale.