Wineries licensed to ship to Maine consumers now have fewer reports to file each year. Maine recently amended its direct-to-consumer law to require that direct shippers file excise tax returns and shipment reports once a year. Unlike the quarterly reporting periods which were based on the calendar year, the annual reporting period corresponds to the license year. The filing deadline for annual reports is the 30th day of the month immediately following the annual expiration date of the direct shipping license. Licensees are required to report the total gallons of wine shipped to Maine consumers during the license year, with the exception of the first annual report which will cover all shipments made from July 1, 2014 through the end of the license year.
The total volume of shipments from a direct shipper to any one recipient address in Maine continues to be 12 cases per calendar year. The Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations (BABLO) is in the process of notifying wineries currently licensed to ship to Maine consumers of the transition from quarterly to annual reporting periods. Direct Shipper Excise Tax Returns and Report of Wine Shipment Forms have been updated to reflect the new filing schedule and can be accessed on the BABLO website.