Shipping Wine & Alcohol Legally: Complete Compliance Guide

Shipping alcohol is heavily regulated at federal, state, and carrier levels. Here's how to ship wine and spirits legally.

Why Alcohol Shipping Is Complex

Regulatory layers:

Federal: TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau)
State: Each state has different laws
Carrier: Private policies on top of laws
Local: Some jurisdictions add restrictions

Federal Requirements

Who Can Ship Alcohol?

Shipper Type	Can Ship?	Requirements
Licensed winery	Yes	State permits
Licensed retailer	Maybe	State-specific
Individual	Very limited	Personal, small quantity
Unlicensed business	No	Prohibited

TTB Licensing

For commercial alcohol shipping:

Federal Basic Permit required
Covers production and wholesale
Does not override state laws

State Shipping Laws

Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping

State	Wine DTC Allowed	Permit Required
California	Yes	Yes
New York	Yes	Yes
Texas	Yes	Yes
Florida	Yes	Yes
Pennsylvania	Limited	Yes
Utah	No	N/A
Alabama	No	N/A

Reciprocal States

Many states allow wine shipping only from wineries in states that reciprocate.

Common Restrictions

Restriction	Examples
Volume limits	2 cases/month
Permit requirements	Per-state licensing
Reporting	Monthly sales reports
Age verification	Adult signature required
Label registration	Some states require

Carrier Policies

USPS

Status: Alcohol shipping PROHIBITED

Federal law prohibits USPS alcohol shipping
No exceptions for consumers or businesses
Severe penalties for violations

UPS

Requirement	Details
Contract	Alcohol shipper agreement required
Licensing	Must be licensed shipper
Packaging	Carrier-approved materials
Labeling	Adult signature required
States	Only to permitted states

FedEx

Requirement	Details
Agreement	Alcohol shipping agreement
Licensing	Valid state/federal licenses
Adult signature	Required on all shipments
Packaging	Must meet carrier standards
Restrictions	Honors state laws

Getting Licensed

For Wineries

Federal TTB Basic Permit

State winery license

Out-of-state shipping permits (each state)

Carrier alcohol shipping agreement

For Retailers

Federal license (if applicable)

State retail license

Shipping permits (state-by-state)

Carrier agreement

Costs

License Type	Typical Cost
State shipping permit	$50-500 per state
Carrier agreement	Free to nominal
Compliance software	$100-500/month

Packaging Requirements

Carrier-Approved Packaging

Element	Requirement
Inner packaging	Styrofoam or pulp shippers
Bottle separation	Each bottle protected
Leak protection	Sealed inner liner
Outer box	Strong corrugated
Cushioning	Prevents movement

Labeling

Label	Purpose
"Contains Alcohol"	Content identification
"Adult Signature Required"	Delivery requirement
"Fragile"	Handling instruction
Age statement	Some states require

Age Verification

Shipping Requirements

Carrier	Verification Method
UPS	Adult Signature
FedEx	Direct Signature

Delivery Process

Driver requests ID

Verifies age (21+)

Records signature

If minor answers: no delivery

Compliance Best Practices

Record Keeping

Maintain records of:

All shipments by state
Volume shipped per customer
Age verification confirmations
Permit expiration dates
Tax payments

Monthly Reporting

Many states require:

Sales volume reports
Tax remittance
Customer information
Filing by deadline

Common Violations

Violation 1: Shipping to Prohibited State

Penalty: License revocation, fines Prevention: Verify state laws before shipping

Violation 2: Missing Age Verification

Penalty: Fines, license issues Prevention: Always require adult signature

Violation 3: Exceeded Volume Limits

Penalty: State penalties Prevention: Track per-customer limits

Violation 4: Using USPS

Penalty: Federal charges Prevention: Only use UPS/FedEx with agreement

International Wine Shipping

Challenges

Import duties and taxes
Country-specific alcohol laws
Carrier restrictions
Temperature concerns

General Rule

Very difficult for non-commercial shippers:

Most countries restrict imports
Duties make small shipments expensive
Many carriers won't ship internationally

Technology Solutions

Compliance Software

Features to look for:

State law database
Age verification integration
Volume tracking
Reporting automation
Permit management

Integration

Connect with:

E-commerce platform
Carrier systems
Payment processor
Compliance service

atoship Alcohol Shipping

For licensed shippers:

Carrier options: UPS and FedEx with agreements

State verification: Check destination compliance

Adult signature: Required option

Rate comparison: Volume shipping discounts

Documentation: Compliant labels

Conclusion

Shipping wine and alcohol legally requires proper licensing, compliance with state laws, and using approved carriers. Never use USPS, always require adult signatures, and track your shipments carefully. Licensed shippers can use atoship to compare rates and ensure compliant delivery.