Tennessee Legalizes
Direct Shipment of Wine
in Limited Quantities

Beginning July 1, 2009, Tennessee will join the ranks of 36 states that allow some form of direct shipment.  The law is limited to wine - shipment of spirits will remain prohibited.  Quantities are limited to one nine-liter case monthly and a total of three cases shipped annually to one person.

In order to ship to Tennessee, importers, wineries and other suppliers must be licensed by the Tennessee ABC.  License requirements include a one-time application fee of $300 and annual renewal fees of $150.  Sales and gallonage taxes must be collected and paid to the state on a monthly basis.  

Wine can only be shipped to cities and counties that have authorized the sale of liquor at package stores.  Packaging must contain special signage in large letters and shippers must contractually require FedEx, UPS or other carriers to obtain a signature from a recipient of legal drinking age.  

Application forms are not yet available, but the Alcoholic Beverage Team at Bone McAllester Norton PLLC is in contact with the ABC and prepared to file applications as soon as possible.

Contact Tucker Herndon or Will Cheek if you would like to learn more or are interested in assistance with licensing.  We provide turn-key licensing support for a fixed fee, and can help you with all your compliance needs.  Please visit our website for more information.