§ 5-02-02 — Qualifications for license

A retail license may not be issued to any person unless the applicant files a sworn
application, accompanied by the required fee, showing the following qualifications:
1. The applicant, other than an organization, must be a legal resident of the United
States and be a person of good moral character.
2. If the applicant is:
a. A corporation, then:
(1) The manager of the licensed premises and the officers and directors must
be legal residents of the United States and persons of good moral character;
and
(2) The shareholders:
(a) Who are individuals, must be legal residents of the United States and
of good moral character; and
(b) Which are organizations, must meet the requirements of this section
for applicants which are organizations.
Corporate applicants must first be properly registered with the secretary of state.
b. A limited liability company, then:
(1) The manager of the licensed premises and the managers and governors
must be legal residents of the United States and of good moral character.
(2) The members:

(a) Who are individuals, must be legal residents of the United States and
of good moral character; and
(b) Which are organizations, must meet the requirements of this section
for applicants that are organizations.
(3) The applicant must first be properly registered with the secretary of state.
c. A limited partnership, then:
(1) The manager of the licensed premises must be a legal resident of the
United States and of good moral character.
(2) The general partners and limited partners:
(a) If individuals, must be legal residents of the United States and of good
moral character; and
(b) If organizations, must meet the requirements of this section for
applicants that are organizations.
(3) The applicant must first be properly registered with the secretary of state.
d. A general partnership, then:
(1) The manager of the licensed premises must be a legal resident of the
United States and of good moral character; and
(2) The partners:
(a) Who are individuals, must be legal residents of the United States and
of good moral character; and
(b) Which are organizations, must meet the requirements of this section
for applicants that are organizations.
e. A limited liability partnership, then:
(1) The manager of the licensed premises must be a legal resident of the
United States and of good moral character; and
(2) The partners:
(a) Who are individuals, must be legal residents of the United States and
of good moral character; and
(b) Which are organizations, must meet the requirements of this section
for applicants that are organizations.
Limited liability partnership applicants must first be properly registered with the
secretary of state.
3. The applicant or manager must not have been convicted of an offense determined by
the attorney general to have a direct bearing upon an applicant's or manager's ability
to serve the public as an alcoholic beverage retailer, or, following conviction of any
offense, is determined not to be sufficiently rehabilitated under section 12.1-33-02.1.
4. The building in which business is to be conducted must meet local and state
requirements regarding the sanitation and safety.
5. The applicant for a state license must have first secured a local license.
6. The attorney general, or local governing body, may require the applicant to set forth
such other information in the application as necessary to enable them to determine if a
license should be granted.
7. The applicant may not have any financial interest in any wholesale alcoholic beverage
business.
8. As a condition precedent to a background check, the attorney general may require the
applicant to pay, in advance, an estimated additional fee necessary to defray the
actual cost of a background check of a person for whom adequate background
information sources are not readily available. The estimated additional fee must be
placed in the attorney general's refund fund for use to defray the actual expenses of
the background check. The remainder of the funds must be returned to the person
within thirty days of the conclusion of the background check. In addition, the attorney
general may require the applicant or such other person subject to a background check
to execute a written consent if needed by the attorney general to obtain background or
criminal history information.