How to Become a Direct Wine Shipper

Effective Monday, August 8, 2016, the PLCB’s authority to process direct wine shipment orders under direct wine shipper licenses issued prior to that date expired.

Privileges of a direct wine shipment (DWS) license issued on or after Aug. 8, 2016

A DWS license permits its holder to ship up to 36 cases (up to nine liters per case) per year, per Pennsylvania resident, for each resident’s personal use.

How to obtain a DWS license

In order to obtain a new direct wine shipper license, a wine producer must submit a $250 filing fee and proof of a wine producer license through PLCB+. New PLCB+ users must complete a registration process prior to filing for the new license.

Act 39 of 2016 limits who may obtain this license to any person licensed by the PLCB, another state, or another country as a wine producer.

Responsibilities of a DWS license holder

A DWS license holder must do all of the following:

Report to the PLCB the total wine shipped in a calendar year.

Permit auditing of the DWS license records by the PLCB, the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement or the Department of Revenue.

Require proof of age of the recipient of wine before the wine is shipped.

Label boxes with the phrase “CONTAINS ALCOHOL: SIGNATURE OF PERSON 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY.”

Utilize a licensed transporter-for-hire to transport direct-shipped wine.

Pay state and local sales tax and pay a $2.50 per gallon wine excise tax to the Department of Revenue.

Pay an annual renewal fee of $250.

Registration Requirements for Wine Excise Tax Accounts

Newly licensed direct wine shippers will need to register for a Wine Excise Tax account through the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue’s myPATH’s “Pennsylvania Online Business Tax Registration” service to register a business entity with the department.

Newly licensed direct wine shippers should visit mypath.pa.gov and select “Pennsylvania Online Business Tax Registration” to begin the application.