Can I ship wine, spirits or beer to consumers in Maryland?
Wine: out-of-state producers can ship direct to consumers. Wineries need a Direct Wine Shipper's Permit from the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission, which costs $200 to issue and $200 to renew each year, with a term that starts July 1. You can ship up to 18 nine-liter cases a year to a single delivery address, only wine you make, and you must list the wines you plan to ship. Wine cannot be delivered on a Sunday, and a carrier holding a Maryland common carrier permit must make the delivery. (Source: Maryland Code, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, sections 2-145 and 2-148)
Spirits: out-of-state producers cannot ship direct to consumers. Maryland offers no direct shipping license for out-of-state distilleries. Maryland does not allow interstate direct-to-consumer spirits shipping. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant)
Beer: out-of-state producers cannot ship direct to consumers. Maryland offers no direct shipping license for out-of-state breweries. Maryland does not allow interstate direct-to-consumer beer shipping. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant)
What makes Maryland different?
Maryland's direct shipping law covers wine only, and it counts by address rather than by person: up to 18 nine-liter cases a year can go to any one delivery address. Shippers file a quarterly tax return with the Comptroller, paying sales and excise taxes as if the sale happened in Maryland, and must keep records for three years. Maryland wineries that also hold a Class 6 limited wine wholesaler's license can get a separate direct wine delivery permit to hand-deliver their own wine.
What are Maryland's alcohol excise taxes?
- Wine: $1.64 per gallon, including Maryland's sales tax on alcohol (Tax Foundation)
- Beer: $0.60 per gallon (Tax Foundation)
- Spirits: $1.50 per gallon (Federation of Tax Administrators)
Who regulates alcohol in Maryland?
Maryland Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission issues licenses and enforces the state's alcohol rules. Check its site for current forms and fees before you apply.
How do brands reach Maryland 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 Maryland depends on your products and distribution, so check coverage for your products on a call.
If you ship wine to Maryland 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 Maryland consumers?
Yes. Wineries need a Direct Wine Shipper's Permit, which costs $200 a year, and can ship up to 18 nine-liter cases a year to each delivery address.
Is the Maryland limit per person or per address?
Per address. A direct wine shipper may not ship more than 18 nine-liter cases of wine a year to a single delivery address.
Can wine be delivered on a Sunday in Maryland?
No. Direct wine shippers may not have wine delivered to an address in Maryland on a Sunday.
Can distilleries or breweries ship to Maryland consumers?
No. Maryland does not allow out-of-state distilleries or breweries to ship direct to consumers.
What taxes and reports do Maryland wine shippers file?
Shippers file a quarterly tax return and pay the sales and excise taxes due as if the sale were made in Maryland. They also report shipment details and keep records for three years.
How can my brand reach Maryland customers without its own Maryland 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 Maryland 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
- Maryland Code, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis, section 2-145 (permit fee)
- Maryland Code, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis, section 2-148 (shipper duties and limits)
- Maryland Code, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis, section 2-149 (renewal)
- 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.