Section 9.96. Distribution rights

(a) Agreements, franchises or statements of distribution rights. Agreements, franchises or statements of distribution rights given by a manufacturer or by an importing distributor under section 441 of the Liquor Code (47 P. S. § 4-441) shall be in writing, and a correct copy thereof shall be permanently maintained on the licensed premises of each party to the agreement, franchise or statement. The agreement, franchise or statement of distribution rights shall be open to inspection by authorized representatives of the Board at all times.

(b) Filing and posting.

(1) An importing distributor and secondary importing distributor deriving rights of distribution by agreement with a manufacturer or importing distributor shall comply with the following:

(i) Post and keep posted at all times on the licensed premises of the importing distributor, in a conspicuous place near to the license issued to the importing distributor by the Board, a schedule designating the territorial areas of, limits of or rights vested in the importing distributor by a manufacturer or importing distributor. The importing distributor shall furnish to distributors and importing distributors in his territory to whom he intends to sell, a schedule in which the territorial areas of the selling distributor or importing distributor are set forth, and he shall obtain the signatures on a copy of the schedule of distributors or importing distributors to whom he intends to sell. These signed copies of schedules shall be kept on file in the selling distributor’s office or importing distributor’s office.

(ii) File with the Board’s Office of Malt Beverage Compliance, a certified copy of each franchise or territorial agreement entered into with a manufacturer or importing distributor.

(iii) File with the Board’s Office of Malt Beverage Compliance, a certified copy of each revised, altered or modified franchise or territorial agreement revising, altering or modifying previously existing agreements, within 10 days of execution thereof.

(iv) Repost on the licensed premises within 5 days of execution of the revised, altered or modified agreement the schedule required under paragraph (1) indicating changes in territorial areas, limits or rights as a result of revision, alteration or modification of a previously existing agreement; furnish to distributors or importing distributors in his territory to whom he intends to sell, a revised, altered or modified schedule indicating changes in territorial areas, limits or rights as a result of the revision, alteration or modification of a previously existing agreement; and obtain the signatures of the distributors or importing distributors on copies thereof.

(2) Distributors, when making purchases from importing distributors or secondary distributors, have the right to rely upon territorial areas, limits or rights posted on the premises of the importing and secondary distributors.

The provisions of this § 9.96 adopted June 26, 1952; amended through August 29, 1966; amended July 20, 1970, effective July 21, 1970, 1 Pa.B. 137; amended November 17, 1978, effective November 18, 1978, 8 Pa.B. 3202; amended January 16, 1998, effective January 17, 1998, 28 Pa.B. 279. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (229075) to (229076).