There is a State caterer’s license. The license may be issued as a general statewide or a limited statewide caterer’s license.

The Executive Director may issue a State caterer’s license to a person that: is engaged in the business of catering; meets all State and local requirements for and holds all required licenses relating to the conduct of the catering business; holds any catering license that may be required under this article in the jurisdiction in which the person’s principal place of business is located; holds a retail license that may be annually renewed other than a Class C license; or does not hold a license but has a permanent office and storage facility for alcoholic beverages in the State; and meets all other requirements of this subtitle. A licensed retail dealer that operates only in the jurisdiction under authority of the local licensing board need not acquire a State caterer’s license.

A general statewide or limited statewide caterer’s license authorizes the holder to: acquire alcoholic beverages: if the holder operates under a retail license that may be annually renewed, through a holder of a wholesaler’s license; or except as provided in §§ 25–307, 29–306,32–306, 32–309(e), and 33–305 of this article, through a licensed retail dealer that has off–sale privileges; serve alcoholic beverages at a catered event anywhere in the State to individuals who have attained the legal drinking age on premises that are unlicensed or for which a temporary license has been issued by the local licensing board; and except as provided in § 2–504(b)(2) of this subtitle, store unused alcoholic beverages at the holder’s principal place of business for use at other catered events. The holder may sell and serve alcoholic beverages during the hours and on the days that a holder of a Class B license may operate in the jurisdiction where the catered event is conducted. A general statewide caterer’s license authorizes the holder to provide catering services in any jurisdiction in the State. A limited statewide caterer’s license authorizes the holder to provide catering services in not more than three contiguous and designated jurisdictions in the State if the total population of the designated jurisdictions does not exceed 1,000,000, based on the most recent population records of the Maryland Department of Health.

At each catered event at which alcoholic beverages are served, the holder of a general statewide or limited statewide caterer’s license shall: supply service personnel, including bartenders and waiters; ensure that the service personnel are present at all times during the catered event; have at least one individual at the catered event who has been certified by an alcohol awareness program under § 4–505 of this article; ensure that the sale of food represents at least 70% of the total cost of the catered event; and return all unopened containers of alcoholic beverages to the holder’s principal place of business at the end of the catered event. The holder of a general statewide or limited statewide caterer’s license may not: deliver alcoholic beverages to a catered event without service personnel present on the premises of the catered event; and except when operating under an on–premises retail license that may be annually renewed issued by a local licensing board, serve alcoholic beverages at: the holder’s principal place of business; or an event for which the holder is a sponsor or promoter. To ensure product integrity, a partially used keg of a malt beverage may not be used at another catered event.

The annual fee for a general statewide caterer’s license is $2,000. The annual fees for a limited statewide caterer’s license are: for designated jurisdictions that have a total population of not more than 300,000, $750; for designated jurisdictions that have a total population of more than 300,000 but less than 600,000, $1,000; and for designated jurisdictions that have a total population of at least 600,000, $1,500. The fee for a limited statewide caterer’s license is based on the most recent population records of the designated jurisdictions in which the applicant or limited statewide caterer’s license holder provides catering services, as compiled by the Maryland Department of Health. Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an applicant for a general statewide or limited statewide caterer’s license that holds a retail license that may be annually renewed and a special catering license or that is required to pay an additional fee to provide catering services in the applicant’s jurisdiction is entitled to a credit against the license fee. The credit may be granted if: the credit does not exceed the additional catering fee required to be paid in the jurisdiction; and after the credit is applied against the license fee, at least a $250 fee remains to be paid.

A local licensing board may conduct an investigation at a catered event to enforce the prohibitions under §§ 6–304 and 6–307 of this article against selling or providing alcoholic beverages to individuals who have not attained the legal drinking age or are visibly under the influence of an alcoholic beverage. If a local licensing board determines that alcoholic beverages were unlawfully sold or provided at a catered event: the local licensing board shall report its findings to the Executive Director; and the Executive Director shall take the action the Executive Director determines is appropriate.