Can I ship wine, spirits or beer to consumers in California?
Wine: out-of-state producers can ship direct to consumers. Type 82 Wine Direct Shipper Permit: $10 plus a $100 first-time application fee, renewed yearly. No volume limit. Keep California sales records for four years. Packages need the 21+ signature notice. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant)
Spirits: out-of-state producers can ship direct to consumers, with limits. Type 94 Direct Shipper Permit, Craft Spirits: $30 plus a $125 initial application fee, renewed yearly. Distilleries under 150,000 gallons a year. Up to 2.5 liters per person per day. The law is set to expire December 31, 2026. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant)
Beer: out-of-state producers cannot ship direct to consumers. Not available to out-of-state breweries. California does not allow interstate direct-to-consumer beer shipping. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant)
What makes California different?
California is the most open large market for wine shipping: no volume cap and a low permit fee. Spirits shipping is narrower and temporary. The Type 94 craft spirits permit covers small distilleries only and expires at the end of 2026 unless the legislature extends it, so check its status before you plan around it.
What are California's alcohol excise taxes?
- Wine: $0.20 per gallon (Tax Foundation)
- Beer: $0.20 per gallon (Tax Foundation)
- Spirits: $3.30 per gallon (Federation of Tax Administrators)
Who regulates alcohol in California?
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) issues licenses and enforces the state's alcohol rules. Check its site for current forms and fees before you apply.
What changed recently?
- December 31, 2026: The Type 94 craft spirits direct shipper permit is set to expire unless the legislature extends it. (Sovos ShipCompliant)
How do brands reach California customers with AccelPay?
AccelPay, now part of Vesper Commerce, routes each order from your website to a licensed retailer that can sell and ship it to the buyer, so those sales stay three-tier compliant without your own shipping license. The network covers 3,500+ licensed retail locations in 40+ states. Whether a retailer can fill orders for your products in California depends on your products and distribution, so check coverage for your products on a call.
If you ship wine and spirits to California consumers yourself, under the rules above, AccelPay can route those orders back to you to fulfill and send every other order to licensed retailers. See Do I need ShipCompliant? for what shipping under your own permits involves.
Plans start at $1,000 setup + $500/month, 12-month term, no per-order charge to the brand, with discount pricing for craft brands. See pricing for what is included.
Frequently asked questions
Can wineries ship wine to California consumers?
Yes. Out-of-state wineries need a Type 82 Wine Direct Shipper Permit, which costs $10 plus a $100 first-time application fee and renews yearly. California does not limit how much wine a shipper can send to each resident.
Can distilleries ship spirits to California consumers?
Craft distilleries that make less than 150,000 gallons of spirits a year can, with a Type 94 Direct Shipper Permit. Shipments are capped at 2.5 liters per person per day, and the law is set to expire December 31, 2026 unless it is extended.
Can breweries ship beer to California consumers?
No. California does not allow out-of-state breweries to ship beer direct to consumers.
What are California's alcohol excise taxes?
Wine and beer are each taxed at $0.20 per gallon, and spirits at $3.30 per gallon.
How can my brand reach California customers without its own permit?
Sell through a licensed retailer that can serve the buyer. AccelPay routes each order from your website to a licensed retailer in its network; whether one can fill orders for your products in California depends on your products and distribution, so check coverage on a call.
Related guides
- Do I need ShipCompliant to ship alcohol?
- How the three-tier system works
- AccelPay pricing and how it works
- Sell alcohol on Shopify
Sources
- Sovos ShipCompliant, wine rules by state (reviewed Jan 1, 2026)
- Sovos ShipCompliant, spirits rules by state (reviewed Jan 1, 2026)
- Sovos ShipCompliant, beer rules by state (reviewed Jan 1, 2026)
- Tax Foundation, wine taxes by state, Jan 2026
- Tax Foundation, beer taxes by state, Jan 2026
- Federation of Tax Administrators, distilled spirits tax rates, 2025
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with the state agency or your compliance counsel. Last reviewed October 22, 2026.