When is a search warrant required under the TABC?

• A. When entering an unlicensed premises to search for illicit alcohol—authorized under §101.03.
• B. Always.
• C. Only during business hours.
• D. Never.

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is that searches of private property by enforcement agencies typically require a court-issued warrant, especially when the location is unlicensed. In the context of the TABC, entering an unlicensed premises to search for illicit alcohol is an action that must be backed by a warrant under applicable law (as reflected by §101.03). This ensures that the search is grounded in probable cause and due process, rather than being arbitrary.

This is why the best choice is that a search warrant is required when dealing with an unlicensed premises. In contrast, searches are not automatically required in every situation (there are consent and regulatory inspection scenarios for licensed premises, or exigent circumstances), and the idea that a warrant is never or always required does not fit the regulatory and constitutional framework.