If you drink spirits in North Carolina, monthly specials are the one time you’ll see prices drop. Understanding how they work helps you time your purchases and stretch your budget.
What Are NC ABC Monthly Specials?
Each month, the NC ABC Commission designates a selection of products for temporary price reductions. These discounts are applied statewide — every ABC store in North Carolina offers the same sale prices — and they’re valid for the entire calendar month.
Specials are announced on the 1st of the month, alongside the updated regular price list.
How Much Are the Discounts?
Discounts typically range from $2 to $8 off the regular retail price, depending on the product. Premium products tend to have larger dollar discounts; value products tend to have smaller ones. Percentage-wise, most specials represent a 5–15% reduction.
The discount is already reflected in the listed sale price — there’s no coupon to clip, no app to open, no account to create. Walk in, pick up the bottle, pay the sale price.
Who Sets the Specials?
The NC ABC Commission sets the monthly specials list based on supplier promotions, inventory management, and seasonal considerations. Individual boards cannot set their own additional discounts beyond the statewide list.
How to Find the Current Specials
On NCABC.net: The specials page at ncabc.net/specials shows the current month’s sale items in a searchable format, updated on the 1st of each month.
On your local board’s website: Boards using the StateABC platform display the current specials list on their homepage and specials page.
At the store: Most stores post the monthly specials list at the register. Some print paper flyers for the specials items.
From the Commission: The official NC ABC Commission publishes the price list (including specials) at abc.nc.gov.
Tips for Maximizing Specials
Check on the 1st. Specials release on the 1st of every month. If you’re planning a special event or stocking up, the 1st is when you’ll see what’s available and at what price.
Plan ahead for events. If you’re hosting an event in March, check the February specials early — some February specials may include products you’d want for a March event, but they expire when the month turns.
Call ahead for popular items. High-demand specials can sell out at individual stores, especially smaller rural locations. If there’s a specific special you want, call your store first.
Use the NC code. If you’re looking for a specific product, knowing its NC code is the fastest way to find it in the search and check if it’s on special.
For Mixed Beverage Permittees
Monthly specials apply to retail pricing. MXB (mixed beverage) pricing is a separate price list that also has monthly promotional items, but the retail specials and MXB specials are different lists.
Check with your county board for current MXB promotional items, or search MXB pricing through your board’s portal if they have one enabled.
The NCABC.net Specials Page
We built the specials page on NCABC.net to be the fastest way to see what’s on sale. It pulls directly from the NC ABC Commission’s monthly price data — no manual entry, no risk of outdated information.
You can sort by category (Bourbon, Vodka, Tequila, etc.), sort by discount amount, or search for a specific product by name or NC code.
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