Alcohol shipping laws in California

Notwithstanding any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, any person currently licensed in this state or any other state as a winegrower who obtains a wine direct shipper permit pursuant to this section may sell and ship wine directly to a resident of California, who is at least 21 years of age, for the resident’s personal use and not for resale.
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Sell and ship wine to any person 21 years of age or older for their personal use and not for resale.
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Ship wine directly to a resident in this state only in containers that are conspicuously labeled with the words: “CONTAINS ALCOHOL: SIGNATURE OF PERSON AGE 21 YEARS OR OLDER REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY.”
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Ship wine only if the permitholder requires the carrier to obtain the signature of any individual 21 years of age or older before delivering any wine shipped to an individual in this state.
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If the permitholder is located outside of this state, report to the department no later than January 31 of each year, the total amount of wine shipped into the state during the preceding calendar year under the wine direct shipper permit.
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If the permitholder is located outside of this state, pay to the State Board of Equalization all sales and use taxes, and excise taxes on sales to residents of California under the wine direct shipper permit. For excise tax purposes, all wine sold pursuant to a direct shipper permit shall be deemed to be wine sold in this state.
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Sales and shipments of wine direct to consumers in California from winegrowers who do not possess a current wine direct shipper permit from the department are prohibited. Any person who knowingly makes, participates in, transports, imports, or receives such a shipment is guilty of a misdemeanor pursuant to Section 25617 .

Notwithstanding any other law, an individual or retail licensee in a state that affords California retail licensees or individuals an equal reciprocal shipping privilege, may ship, for personal use and not for resale, no more than two cases of wine (no more than nine liters each case) per month to any adult resident in this state. Delivery of a shipment pursuant to this subdivision shall not be deemed to constitute a sale in this state.
The shipping container of any wine sent into or out of this state under this section shall be clearly labeled to indicate that the container cannot be delivered to a minor or an intoxicated person.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this division to the contrary, a licensed craft distiller, or a qualifying out-of-state distiller whose license is not suspended, may directly ship distilled spirits manufactured or produced by the licensee at its premises to a consumer only if they comply with all of the following requirements:
(1)
The amount shipped shall not exceed the equivalent of 2.25 liters in any combination of prepackaged containers per day per consumer and shall be solely for the consumer’s personal use and not for resale.
(2)
The licensed craft distiller, or qualifying out-of-state distiller, shall maintain adequate records of the shipments and provide those records to the department upon request.
(3)
The licensed craft distiller, or qualifying out-of-state distiller, shall require the common carrier to obtain the signature of any individual 21 years of age or older before delivering any distilled spirits shipped to an individual in this state.
(4)
The containers in which the distilled spirits are shipped shall be conspicuously labeled with the words: “CONTAINS ALCOHOL: SIGNATURE OF PERSON AGE 21 YEARS OR OLDER REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY.”
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The licensed craft distiller, or qualifying out-of-state distiller, shall hold a current distilled spirits direct shipper permit issued by the department.
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For purposes of this section, “qualifying out-of-state distiller” means a distiller licensed in any other state that satisfies the conditions necessary for a craft distiller license under the laws of this state.
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This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed.

A person shall not sell and ship distilled spirits directly to consumers in California without possessing a current distilled spirits direct shipper permit issued by the department. A person who knowingly makes, participates in, transports, imports, or receives a shipment from a person who does not possess a current distilled spirits direct shipper permit issued by the department pursuant to this section is guilty of a misdemeanor pursuant to Section 25617 .

Except as otherwise provided in this section, alcoholic beverages shall be brought into this state from without this state for delivery or use within the state only by common carriers and only when the alcoholic beverages are consigned to a licensed importer, and only when consigned to the premises of the licensed importer or to a licensed importer or customs broker at the premises of a public warehouse licensed under this division.

Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (c), every person who sells, furnishes, gives, or causes to be sold, furnished, or given away any alcoholic beverage to any person under 21 years of age is guilty of a misdemeanor.

§1716. Injurious articles as nonmailable
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(f) All spirituous, vinous, malted, fermented, or other intoxicating liquors of any kind are nonmailable and shall not be deposited in or carried through the mails.
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(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 781; May 8, 1952, ch. 246, 66 Stat. 67; June 29, 1955, ch. 224, 69 Stat. 191; Pub. L. 85–268, Sept. 2, 1957, 71 Stat. 594; Pub. L. 85–623, §5, Aug. 12, 1958, 72 Stat. 562; Pub. L. 91–375, §6(j)(25), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 779; Pub. L. 92–191, §1, Dec. 15, 1971, 85 Stat. 647; Pub. L. 99–570, title X, §10003, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–167; Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, §60003(a)(7), title XXXIII, §330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1969, 2147; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §607(g), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3511; Pub. L. 107–273, div. B, title IV, §4002(b)(2), (6), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1807; Pub. L. 109–435, title X, §1008(d), Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 3261.)

Only FedEx-approved, licensed alcohol shippers that have entered into a FedEx Alcohol Shipping Agreement may ship alcohol via FedEx services. Consumers may not ship alcohol of any type via FedEx services.
For all alcohol shipments, you’ll need to sign a FedEx Alcohol Shipping agreement. Contact your FedEx account executive for details and assistance and if you don't have an assigned account executive, call FedEx Customer Services at 1.800.463.3339.
Adult signature service option. State law, as well as FedEx policy, requires an adult signature at the time of delivery for every U.S. package containing alcohol. It is your responsibility to ensure the adult signature requirement service option is selected so that FedEx requests and obtains the required adult signature. A $5.75 fee per shipment applies for this service.

FedEx currently only permits wine shipments under licensee-to-consumer agreements; beer and spirits require licensee-to- licensee.
Licensee-to-consumer
FedEx only transports wine licensee-to-consumer.

UPS only accepts packages containing wine from shippers who are licensed under applicable law and who have signed and entered into a contract with UPS for the transportation of wine.
All wine shippers must enter into a UPS Agreement for Approved Wine Shippers.
All alcohol shippers must schedule a consultation call or speak to their Account Manager to review UPS alcohol shipping policies, submit copies of your state licenses, and complete a shipping agreement.
The ability to ship wine depends upon the nature of the shipper's license to sell wine, and the laws of the destination states. UPS permits the following types of wine shipments:
Shipments of wine from licensed shippers may be shipped to licensed consignees, where permitted by applicable law. For example, a licensed manufacturer may ship to a licensed distributor, or a licensed distributor may ship to a licensed retailer, so long as the shipments are made in accordance with applicable law. "Licensed to Licensed" shipments cannot be made to consumers.
All wine shipments must be made using the UPS Delivery Confirmation Adult Signature Required service, requiring the signature of an adult 21 years of age or older upon delivery.
Some states also allow shipments of wine from out-of-state licensed wine retailers to consumers. These states are known as "Retailer Direct Shipment States." Shipments of wine from licensed out-of-state retailers may be made to consignees in "Retailer Direct Shipment States" subject to all of the conditions applicable to Winery Direct Shipment States, except that the purchase is made from a licensed out-of-state retailer rather than a winery. Refer to Addendum A for approved Retailer Direct Shipment States.
All shippers who wish to ship wine must enter into either the UPS Agreement for Approved Wine Shippers, or the UPS Wine Industry Fulfillment House Agreement For Approved Wine Shippers. UPS DOES NOT ACCEPT SHIPMENTS OF WINE FROM SHIPPERS WHO HAVE NOT ENTERED INTO ONE OF THESE AGREEMENTS.