Can You Ship Alcohol Via Mail?

• 6 min read

The US mail system is a curious and tempestuous creature, with lots of nooks and crannies that can trip you up.  You might think that as long as you’re not mailing a dangerous creature or a pipe bomb, you’re probably in the clear, post-wise. While these items are certainly frowned upon, you may be surprised to learn what other items are considered taboo.  Ask yourself: can you ship alcohol?

While alcohol might feel like a thoughtful gift to send via mail, there’s a web of legislation that inhibits the ability to send it.  It’s going to be a good deal more difficult than your standard care package and the regulations surrounding the shipment of alcohol vary by country, state, municipality, and carrier. Some carriers won’t even consider sending alcohol, while others will only do so with the proper adherence.

But why is it so hard? In a country where you can mail a coconut or a brick without packaging, it’s not ridiculous to ask: can you ship wine? It all circles back to America’s lamest regulation - Prohibition of Alcohol. The 18th Amendment (aka, the ‘Noble Experiment’), was initiated in 1920 and banned the production, distribution, and sale of alcohol, in the hopes of creating a society free of debauchery.  Of course, this couldn’t last, and it was repealed in 1933, to the delight of Americans.  However, as they opened the country back up to the warm embrace of spirits, they dictated that different states could enact their own regulation around the sale and shipment of alcoholic beverages.

For the average individual looking to send some homebrew to a friend, let me stop you right there: carriers will not accept alcohol shipments from the standard  consumer.  If you’ like to send alcohol as a gift, you’ll need to do so through an approved retailer with a license to ship on your behalf.

Only those who are properly licensed to sell and ship alcohol will be able to use courier systems to transport alcohol.  Even within this regulation, there are a few universal rules that remain consistent across carriers:

  1. You must disclose to the carrier that the shipment contains alcohol.
  2. You will have to pay a surcharge to ship alcohol.
  3. Upon arrival, someone who is 21 or older will have to sign for the package.

Before you load up on stamps, take a moment to ensure you’re going about your shipment in the right way.

Can I Ship Alcohol via USPS?

Can you ship alcohol via USPS? Starting with the United States Postal Service, USPS strictly prohibits the shipment of wine, spirits, and beer, both internationally and domestically.  You will need to utilize a private service to ship alcoholic beverages.  To go a step farther, USPS will not ship items in packaging that previously contained alcohol. If there is an alcohol brand visible on the packaging, USPS will not ship the item. This is one instance where recycling won’t get you anywhere.

Can I Ship Alcohol via UPS?

Okay, so you can’t utilize public mail - can you ship alcohol via UPS? UPS enables the shipment of spirits for licensed individuals.  In order to use their services, they require the following:

  • You will need to have a registered account with UPS.
  • You will need to sign a contract with UPS, marking you as an approved spirits shipper.  They will not action shipments for those who have not entered into this contract.
  • You must be licensed to ship alcohol in the requisite regions (federal and state compliance).
  • You must use an approved UPS electronic shipping solution.  You will need to create your shipping label using a UPS shipping solution or an approved UPS third-party system, like WorldShip.
  • You must adhere to the packaging requirements for spirits.  You may use Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam, a molded fiber tray, or a folded corrugated tray. Essentially, you’ll need to ensure that the items are secure, unlikely to smash, and if they do, they’re packaged to limit leakage.
  • As you’re required to disclose if the package contains alcohol, your label will need to be clear and highlight this information.

You can read more about UPS and their policies regarding shipping spirits here.

Can I Ship Alcohol via FedEx?

Finally, we turn to FedEx.  Can you ship alcohol via FedEx? FedEx only allows alcohol to be shipped by appropriately licensed individuals.  In order to use their services, they require the following:

  • You will need to have a registered account with FedEx.
  • You will need to sign a contract with FedEx, marking you as an FedEx approved alcohol shipper.  They will not action shipments for those who have not entered into this contract.
  • You must be a business entity, appropriately licensed to ship alcohol in the applicable regions (federal and state compliance).
  • You must use an approved FedEx electronic shipping solution.  You will need to create your shipping label using FedEx Ship Manager® electronic shipping or an approved FedEx third-party system. Airbills are not permitted.
  • You must adhere to the packaging requirements for spirits.  You may use Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) foam, a molded fiber tray, or a folded corrugated tray. Essentially, you’ll need to ensure that the items are secure, unlikely to smash, and if they do, they’re packaged to limit leakage.
  • As you’re required to disclose if the package contains alcohol, your label will need to be clear and highlight this information.

You can read more about FedEx and their policies regarding shipping alcoholic beverages here.

While the shipping parameters for spirits with UPS and FedEx look very similar, there’s no guarantee the pricing will be the same for similar services.  Before you commit to a contract and account with either one, take a moment to compare their pricing models and services.

Direct to Consumer Shipping by State

While regulation varies significantly from state to state, for the most part, direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping is widely accepted. Only the following states prohibit or severely limit this practice:

  • Utah: Utah does not allow shipments of alcohol to consumers, no exceptions.
  • Mississippi: Mississippi does not allow shipments of alcohol to consumers, no exceptions.
  • Alabama: Alcohol shipments directly to the consumer are prohibited in the state of Alabama.  Some allowances can be made, if filed to the Alabama Alcohol Beverage Control Board.
  • Kentucky: All shipments of alcohol from out-of-state to consumers are forbidden.  But can you ship wine? There are some regulations that imply that wineries that obtain the correct direct-to-consumer permits can deliver wine to Kentucky residents.
  • Arkansas: Arkansas requires that the consumer be on-site for the purchase, unless shipping by a small farm winery licensee.
  • Delaware: spirit shipments must be delivered to a wholesaler, then delivered to consumer by a retail license.
  • Rhode Island: while very limited, Rhode Island allows craft-alcohol businesses to ship to consumers, if the consumer (a Rhode Island citizen) purchased the alcohol on the premises.

While this serves as a good launching point for determining if you can ship alcohol, there’s so much that goes into specific state regulations.  Be sure to do your research before sending that Sauvagnet Blanc!