Is there any way to mail or ship liquor?
There is a loophole that helps consumers ship beer, liquor, and wine to other states – if that other state permits the shipment of alcohol to consumers. Instead of shipping a bottle from your state to their state, simply find a retailer based in the state you’re shipping to and order it from that retailer.
Is it illegal to send alcohol in the mail?
The United States Postal Service (USPS) prohibits sending alcoholic beverages through the mail, but you can ship alcohol via couriers, such as FedEx or UPS if you’re a licensed alcohol shipper.
Can you mail alcohol from one state to another?
Yes, you can mail alcohol! Here is your handy guide to shipping alcohol across state lines or international waters.
What is the penalty for mailing alcohol?
You must advise the carrier your package contains alcohol. A surcharge will be applied to the shipment. And an adult must sign for it. However, there's more that you can do than brush up on these carriers' policies to get booze from Point A to Point B. (And no, we're not talking about sneaking it.)
Can I mail alcohol through FedEx?
Only FedEx-approved, licensed alcohol shippers who've entered into a FedEx Alcohol Shipping Agreement may ship alcohol via FedEx® services. Consumers may not ship alcohol of any type via FedEx services.
How do you send a bottle of liquor in the mail?
You must package the alcohol in the center of the shipment, away from the package's sides. Your package must be deemed sturdy by UPS. You must clearly label the shipment and meet UPS, origin state, and destination state guidelines. You must clearly label the package as containing alcohol.15-Apr-2020
Will USPS know if I ship alcohol?
Heads up: USPS will deny your shipment if your package has any labeling or branding that shows it MIGHT carry alcohol! If you're asking yourself why this matters, keep in mind that lots of people like to reuse old packaging for new shipments.08-Nov-2018
How do I ship a bottle of whiskey?
To safely ship alcoholic beverages, you should use strong cardboard boxes that have trays inside of them that provide sections for each bottle. This will keep the bottles separate and prevent them from smashing into one another. You can also wrap the bottles in bubble wrap for additional safety.09-Jan-2018
Can you ship alcohol via UPS as a gift?
No, you can't ship alcohol via UPS as a gift. Federal and state laws also mandate that only licensed businesses ship alcohol, too, so in broad terms, it's a no-go.
How can I ship alcohol without getting caught?
Tightly wrap each individual bottle and six-pack before you get to your shipping store. As a guideline, you will want approximately two inches of bubble wrap encasing the beer. You'll also need a sturdy, corrugated, shipping box and a garbage bag. Do not use one of those lightweight cardboard box people use to move.
Can you hide alcohol in a package?
It's considered a restricted substance, which means that there are safe, legal ways to do it; however, because you're an individual and not a licensed company, you can't do that. Not only do state and national laws prevent it, USPS, UPS, and FedEx all prohibit people from shipping alcohol.03-Mar-2020
How do you send a bottle of wine to someone?
It is illegal in the US for non-licensed individuals to ship wine through the mail. If you would like to send someone wine, you will need to buy wine through a licensed company. Fortunately, there are many companies that can send fine vintages, bottles, gift baskets, and club memberships to your recipient.
How much alcohol can you deliver in Ohio?
ALLOWED. Ohio has relaxed laws for alcohol delivery fulfillment but prohibits producers that make more than 250,000 gallons of alcohol from delivery to consumers. You will need to become compliant for mailing alcohol to consumers in Ohio, as well as be aware of local and city laws.
Why is there a loophole in shipping?
There is a loophole that helps consumers ship beer, liquor, and wine to other states – if that other state permits the shipment of alcohol to consumers.
Is alcohol delivery allowed in Texas?
Texas. ALLOWED. Texas has loose laws for direct-to-consumer alcohol delivery and is the second market for at-home alcohol delivery. You will need to become compliant for mailing alcohol to consumers in Texas, as well as be aware of local and city laws across the state.
Is North Dakota a craft alcohol state?
ALLOWED. North Dakota has relaxed laws for alcohol delivery fulfillment and is a growing market for craft alcohol. You will need to become compliant for mailing alcohol to consumers in North Dakota, as well as be aware of local and city laws.
Is Nebraska a craft alcohol delivery state?
ALLOWED. Nebraska has relaxed laws for alcohol delivery fulfillment and is a growing market for craft alcohol. You will need to become compliant for mailing alcohol to consumers in Nebraska, as well as be aware of local and city laws.
Is Maryland a middle of the pack state?
ALLOWED. Due to its proximity to Washington D.C, Maryland has a middle of the pack market for alcohol delivery and has relaxed laws for alcohol delivery fulfillment. You will need to become compliant for mailing alcohol to consumers in Maryland, as well as be aware of local and city laws.
Is Kansas a direct to consumer state?
ALLOWED. Kansas has relaxed laws for alcohol delivery fulfillment and is a growing market for those looking at developing direct-to-consumer states. You will need to become compliant for mailing alcohol to consumers in Kansas, as well as be aware of local and city laws.
Can I Ship Alcohol To A Friend?
Maybe you just want to share one of your favorite beers with your friend who lives across town. Or maybe you want to send a bottle of your favorite whiskey to an old college friend across the country. Can you legally do this? The short answer is no.
Shipping Alcohol Within The Same State
This is the easiest way to ship beer or alcohol as it only requires knowledge of your local state laws. You should also be familiar with county and municipality laws as well since some counties and municipalities set their own rules regarding alcohol. This means that the law could be different from one town to the next within the same state.
Shipping Alcohol Out Of State
Shipping alcohol to another state adds another level of complexity to the situation. Even for e-commerce retailers who are licensed and authorized to ship alcohol, shipping between states can present challenges. Not only do you have to know the laws for the state in which you are located, but you also need to know the laws in the destination state.
Shipping Alcohol Out Of The Country
Many people ask, “Can you mail alcohol out of the country?” If you thought it was difficult to mail alcohol across state lines, then just imagine how hard it is to send it between countries. Regardless of the type of alcohol, it is extremely complicated to send alcohol products from one country to another.
USPS Alcohol Shipping Requirements
This is an easy one. The U.S. Postal Service does not allow alcohol shipments of any kind. So, the post office will not allow you to mail beer, wine, or liquor using any of their services. This dates back to the Prohibition era when alcohol was illegal in the United States.
UPS Alcohol Shipping Requirements
Can you ship alcohol via UPS? While shipping alcohol with UPS is possible, it is still not easy. You must comply with all the rules when it comes to these shipments. First, you must have a UPS account number, and you must have already signed an alcohol shipping agreement with UPS.
FedEx Alcohol Shipping Requirements
So, can you ship alcohol via FedEx? Yes! If you have selected FedEx as your shipping carrier, then here are the rules that will apply. The FedEx rules are very similar to the rules set forth by UPS. You will first need a FedEx account number as well as the proper state and local licenses for shipping wine or other alcohol.
Read about our temperature-controlled wine shipping process
Get the details on how we route wine shipments to make sure they arrive in top shape. Available in California, Oregon, and Washington.
Save on FedEx shipping by joining a wine association
Membership can help you grow your business and give you a voice with lawmakers. Plus, you’ll get access to FedEx discounts.
Your customers can control their deliveries with FedEx
With FedEx Delivery Manager ®, your customers can pick up wine and alcohol shipments on their schedules at more than 6,000 locations.
What is DHL shipping?
DHL is a shipping service that specializes in international shipments. The requirements for shipping alcohol through DHL will include: Must sign DHL’s Agreement to Transport Alcoholic Beverages. Shipment must adhere to all FDA and TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) guidelines and regulations.
What shipping companies accept alcohol?
There are four major shipping companies that are most commonly used by sellers shipping alcohol: UPS, FedEx, USPS, and DHL. All carriers that accept alcohol shipments will have a few things in common. First and foremost, you must indicate that the shipment contains alcohol, as a surcharge will be added to the delivery.
How old do you have to be to ship spirits?
All shipments must meet UPS packaging requirements for spirits. Must provide the signature of an adult 21 years of age or older upon delivery for confirmation. All packages must contain a special alcoholic beverages shipping label for domestic shipments.
How to keep beer palatability?
To maintain palatability, keep beer in an environment that’s around 40 degrees. Light: Especially for brews that highlight their hoppiness, keeping light away from beer is a must-have for shipping. In order to preserve the designed taste and freshness, beer should be kept in a dark storage environment.
Why should beer be airtight?
Make sure that beer is packaged in a cold environment and padded for protection to prevent unwanted air from getting inside storage.
How to protect wine bottles?
Make sure to protect bottles with padding and void-filling materials such as bubble wrap and cardboard dividers. Know the Product: Take note of how specific wines need to be stored, as some bottles need to be stored standing up while other blends may need to be placed on their side.
Can you ship alcohol through USPS?
Unfortunately, if USPS is your preferred shipping courier, you won’t be shipping alcohol through them. Beer, wine, and liquor are restrictive substances and are not able to be mailed through USPS. Since alcohol shipments are so often determined by the specific state laws and regulations, USPS abides by all federal laws and regulations, making alcohol shipments prohibited. Even if you want to mail an item in a box that was once used for alcohol, those labels must be completely removed.
What is perishable mail?
Perishable items are materials that can deteriorate in the mail, such as live animals, food , and plants. Permissible perishable items are sent at the mailer’s own risk. These items must be specially packaged and mailed so that they arrive before they begin to deteriorate. Shipping Perishable Materials Guidelines.
Can dry ice be mailed?
Dry ice is permitted to be mailed when it is used as a refrigerant to cool the content of a mailable hazardous or nonhazardous material. Packages containing dry ice must be packed in containers that permit the release of carbon dioxide gas.
Can you ship nail polish flammable?
Flammable nail polishes may be mailed domestically if they are a consumer commodity. Some nail polishes may only be sent by ground transportation. Shipping Flammable & Combustible Liquids.
Can glue be sent by ground?
Flammable glues may be mailed if they are a consumer commodity. Some glues may only be sent by ground transportation. Glues are categorized as “adhesives” in the below resources.
Can you mail prescription drugs?
When sending medicine or drugs through the mail, mailers and shippers must know the characteristics of the items they are sending and treat them correctly. Medicines are controlled substances and are subject to strict regulations. Prescription medications may only be mailed by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registered distributors. Similar regulations apply to some over-the-counter medications.
Does USPS treat APO as domestic mail?
The Postal employee will verify that an individual recipient is of legal age to receive the shipment. When shipping to APO/FPO/DPO locations in foreign countries, USPS treats the mail as domestic mail, but shipping is still subject to those foreign countries’ prohibitions and restrictions.
Can you ship cremated remains?
USPS ® is the only shipping company that ships cremated remains (human or pet ashes). You may ship cremated remains domestically but must use Priority Mail Express ®. Make sure the inner primary container is strong, durable, and properly sealed. For the outer shipping package, you must use one of our two Cremated Remains Kits or use your own strong, durable container properly packaged and labeled with Cremated Remains Label 139 on all four sides of the box, plus top and bottom. Order free cremated remains shipping supplies on The Postal Store ®.
Important Updates
Effective October 1, 2021, Addendum A was updated. View International Alcohol Shipping Guide.
Who Can Ship Spirits
UPS only accepts packages containing Spirits from shippers who are licensed under applicable law and who have signed and entered into a contract with UPS for the transportation of Spirits.
Permissible Shipments
All spirits shippers must enter into a "UPS Agreement for Approved Spirits Shippers".
Package Preparation
All shipments must meet UPS packaging requirements for Spirits. UPS will accept inner packaging of molded Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam, folded corrugated tray, or molded fiber tray. Each packaging component secures the bottles into the center of the shipping container away from the side walls of the shipper.
Quantum View Notify
UPS recommends that Spirits shippers use Quantum View Notify® for Delivery Confirmation Adult Signature Required Spirits shipments. UPS sends a shipment notification email to the recipient informing them when the Spirits shipment will be delivered so that an adult at least 21 years of age can be available to complete the delivery.
Hold for Pickup
Approved Spirits shippers may use the UPS Hold for Pickup (HFPU) service for consumers who would prefer to pick up their Spirits shipments from a UPS Customer Center location.
Ship To a UPS Access Point Location
Approved Spirits shippers may use the Ship to a UPS Access Point® location service in conjunction with Adult Signature Required (ASR) for consumers who prefer to pick up shipments from UPS Access Point locations.