Can I ship wine, spirits or beer to consumers in Louisiana?
Wine: out-of-state producers can ship direct to consumers. Wineries need two approvals each year: a permit to make direct shipments from the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, which costs $250, and an authority to make shipments from the Department of Revenue, which costs $150. Each adult can receive up to 12 cases per household address per calendar year. You cannot ship a wine whose label you have assigned to a Louisiana wholesaler unless the buyer bought it in person at your winery, and every box needs an invoice listing the items and prices. (Source: Louisiana Revised Statutes, section 26:359)
Spirits: out-of-state producers cannot ship direct to consumers. Louisiana offers no direct shipping license for out-of-state distilleries. Louisiana does not allow interstate direct-to-consumer spirits shipping. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant)
Beer: out-of-state producers cannot ship direct to consumers. Louisiana offers no direct shipping license for out-of-state breweries. Louisiana does not allow interstate direct-to-consumer beer shipping. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant)
What makes Louisiana different?
Louisiana sorts wines into two lanes: each label is registered either for a Louisiana wholesaler or for direct shipping, and a winery cannot ship direct a label it has assigned to a wholesaler. The exception is wine a Louisiana buyer purchases in person at the winery and has shipped home. The rest is familiar: 12 cases per adult per household address per year, an invoice in every box, and a recipient 21 or older who shows ID at delivery.
What are Louisiana's alcohol excise taxes?
- Wine: $0.76 per gallon (Tax Foundation)
- Beer: $0.40 per gallon (Tax Foundation)
- Spirits: $3.03 per gallon (Federation of Tax Administrators)
Who regulates alcohol in Louisiana?
Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control issues licenses and enforces the state's alcohol rules. Check its site for current forms and fees before you apply.
How do brands reach Louisiana customers with AccelPay?
AccelPay, now part of Vesper Commerce, routes each order from your website to a licensed retailer that can sell and ship it to the buyer, so those sales stay three-tier compliant without your own shipping license. The network covers 3,500+ licensed retail locations in 40+ states. Whether a retailer can fill orders for your products in Louisiana depends on your products and distribution, so check coverage for your products on a call.
If you ship wine to Louisiana consumers yourself, under the rules above, AccelPay can route those orders back to you to fulfill and send every other order to licensed retailers. See Do I need ShipCompliant? for what shipping under your own permits involves.
Plans start at $1,000 setup + $500/month, 12-month term, no per-order charge to the brand, with discount pricing for craft brands. See pricing for what is included.
Frequently asked questions
Can wineries ship wine to Louisiana consumers?
Yes. Wineries need a $250 permit from the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control and a $150 authority from the Department of Revenue, renewed each year, and can ship up to 12 cases per adult per household address per year.
Can I ship a wine that a Louisiana wholesaler carries?
Generally no. A winery cannot ship direct a label it has assigned to a Louisiana wholesaler, unless the buyer bought the wine in person at the winery.
What has to be in a Louisiana wine shipment?
The box must be labeled as containing alcohol and include an invoice with the shipment date, a full description of the items and their prices. The person receiving it must be 21 or older and show proof of age.
How many permits does a Louisiana wine shipper need?
Two, both renewed each year: a direct shipment permit from the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control ($250) and an authority to make shipments from the Department of Revenue ($150).
Can distilleries or breweries ship to Louisiana consumers?
No. Louisiana does not allow out-of-state distilleries or breweries to ship direct to consumers.
How can my brand reach Louisiana customers without its own Louisiana shipping license?
Sell through a licensed retailer that can serve the buyer. AccelPay routes each order from your website to a licensed retailer in its network; whether one can fill orders for your products in Louisiana depends on your products and distribution, so check coverage on a call.
Related guides
- Do I need ShipCompliant to ship alcohol?
- How the three-tier system works
- AccelPay pricing and how it works
- Sell alcohol on Shopify
Sources
- Louisiana Revised Statutes, section 26:359
- Sovos ShipCompliant, spirits rules by state (reviewed Jan 1, 2026)
- Sovos ShipCompliant, beer rules by state (reviewed Jan 1, 2026)
- Tax Foundation, wine taxes by state, Jan 2026
- Tax Foundation, beer taxes by state, Jan 2026
- Federation of Tax Administrators, distilled spirits tax rates, 2025
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with the state agency or your compliance counsel. Last reviewed October 23, 2026.