Direct Wine Shipments Now Available for Pennsylvania Residents

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's (PLCB) approval yesterday of the first direct wine shipper licenses under Act 39, Pennsylvania residents may now have wine shipped directly to their homes.

Under the new direct wine shipping provisions of Act 39, Pennsylvania residents may receive up to 36 cases (up to nine liters per case) per year of wine shipped by a wine producer licensed by the PLCB as a direct wine shipper.  The 36-case annual limit is per direct wine shipper, and direct-shipped wine must be for personal use.

Act 39, which became effective last week, lifted a number of restrictions to direct wine shipping in Pennsylvania:

• Now, wine can be shipped directly to consumers' homes. Previously, only limited wineries were permitted to ship directly to residents homes. Other direct wine shipments had to be delivered to Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores for pick up by the consumer.
• The limit to direct wine shipment purchases is now up to 36 cases per year from a single direct wine shipper, three times the previous limit of nine liters per month, the equivalent of one case per month.
• The restriction that only wines not offered for sale by the PLCB could be direct shipped has been eliminated.

Direct-shipped wine is subject to state and local sales tax and a $2.50 per gallon wine excise tax. Previously, direct shipped wine was subject to sales tax, Pennsylvania's 18 percent liquor tax and a handling fee.

As of Tuesday afternoon, August 16, five direct wine shipper licenses had been granted out of 124 requests submitted. As direct wine shipper licenses are approved, they are viewable through a page on the PLCB website explaining direct wine shipment options for consumers.

The PLCB anticipates approving additional direct wine shipper licenses, once applicants provide all required information and pass tax compliance checks conducted by other agencies. 

"As I have always said, my goal is to modernize the sale of liquor, wine, and beer in order to bring Pennsylvania's wine and spirits system into the 21st Century," said Governor Tom Wolf. "Allowing Pennsylvanians to have wine shipped directly to their homes is a huge win for consumers in our commonwealth. I applaud PLCB for the efforts to quickly implement Act 39 to bring greater convenience to the people of Pennsylvania."

The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide and licenses more than 20,000 beverage alcohol producers and retailers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling more than $14.5 billion since the agency's inception – are returned to Pennsylvania's General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania's schools, health and human services programs and law enforcement and public safety initiatives across the state, among other things. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit www.lcb.state.pa.us.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board