Massachusetts allows licensed wineries, but not retailers to direct ship wine to consumers. To improve the state’s Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission’s ability to enforce the restriction on retailer shipping, Massachusetts passed a new law (HB 4698) that defines “brand name” for the purposes of direct-to-consumer shipping. Beginning Nov. 6, 2024, a winery holding a direct […]
Increased Enforcement of Age Verification for DTC Sales
Members are advised that the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) is conducting minimum purchase age compliance checks on DTC license holders through the end of the calendar year. Many other states have also made DTC shipping laws and regulations an enforcement priority and are conducting active investigations. The best practice for consumer age verification […]
Direct-to-Consumer Shipping Updates: IL, LA and MA
Illinois On Aug. 26, 2016, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation (“SB 2989”) into law that establishes strict penalties for direct wine shipping violations and imposes new reporting requirements on common carriers and fulfillment houses related to direct wine shipping. Under the new law, the holder of an IL Wine Shipper license will be required […]
Massachusetts Updates DTC Application
The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) has updated the Application For A Direct Wine Shipper License. Changes to the application consist of updates to Sections 1 (Applicant Information) and Section 7 (Existing Interests in Other Licenses), and the removal of Section 9 (Previously Held Interests in Other Licenses). Wineries that have not yet applied […]
FedEx to Begin Direct-to-Consumer Shipping to Massachusetts on Feb. 1, 2015
FedEx has informed Wine Institute that, effective Feb. 1, 2015, FedEx Express and FedEx Ground will open the state of Massachusetts for legal shipments of alcoholic beverages. •FedEx Ground and FedEx Express will both transport legal alcoholic beverage shipments into, out of and within the state of Massachusetts starting Feb. 1, 2015. •Please note, unauthorized […]
New MA Direct Shipping Application Available
The new Direct Wine Shipper License application and Direct Wine Shipper License Advisory for Massachusetts are now available on Wine Institute’s website: http://wineinstitute.shipcompliant.com/Home.aspx?SaleTypeID=1 (click on MA on map) and the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) website: http://www.mass.gov/abcc/. The new permit law replaces the existing unworkable direct shipping law in its entirety. Under the new […]
Massachusetts Reconciles Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Law: Discrimination and Aggregate Quantity Limit Removed
Today, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed the state’s budget conference report that includes Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) wine shipping language, opening the door to DTC shipping in the state next year. The move brings to a close years of effort by Wine Institute and Free the Grapes to reconcile the state’s DTC shipping statutes with court rulings […]
Massachusetts Direct Shipping Proposal on Governor’s Desk
On June 30th, the Massachusetts House and Senate both approved the budget conference report that includes Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) shipping language. The budget is now on the Governor’s desk, and he will have 10 days to sign it into law. This action will bring to a close years of effort to reconcile the state’s DTC shipping […]
Direct Shipping to Massachusetts Consumers
On 1/14/10 the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston ruled in favor the plaintiff in the Massachusetts FWC v. Jenkins litigation. The ruling affirmed the lower court’s order that struck down the capacity caps and wholesaler exclusions which are included in the Massachusetts direct-to-consumer shipping statute and prevented over half of the wineries in […]
Massachusetts Direct Shipping Update
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley will not appeal a January Federal Appeals Court decision upholding an earlier District Court decision which overturned the 2005 direct shipping law. In January, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the 2008 district court ruling that found that the state law governing direct-to-consumer shipments by wineries was unconstitutional. […]
