Can I ship wine, spirits or beer to consumers in Michigan?
Wine: out-of-state producers can ship direct to consumers. Wineries need a Direct Shipper License, which costs $100 to apply and $100 a year to renew. There is no per-customer limit, but a winery and any shippers it owns or manages can send no more than 13,500 liters a year to Michigan consumers, about 1,500 cases. You can ship only wine you made or bottled and registered with the commission, and the carrier must check that the recipient is 21 or older. (Source: Michigan Compiled Laws 436.1203)
Spirits: out-of-state producers cannot ship direct to consumers. Michigan offers no direct shipping license for out-of-state distilleries. Michigan does not allow interstate direct-to-consumer spirits shipping. Michigan retailers with a specially designated distributor license can deliver spirits within the state. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant)
Beer: out-of-state producers cannot ship direct to consumers. Michigan offers no direct shipping license for out-of-state breweries. Michigan does not allow interstate direct-to-consumer beer shipping. (Source: Sovos ShipCompliant)
What makes Michigan different?
Michigan sets its wine limit at the shipper level, not the customer level: there is no cap per buyer, but each winery group is held to 13,500 liters a year. Michigan also bans advertising alcohol to minors, so wineries emailing Michigan residents are expected to screen their lists for minors. Spirits are a control category in Michigan, and in-state retailers handle local delivery.
Can retailers deliver alcohol in Michigan?
- A Michigan retailer with a specially designated merchant license can use a common carrier to deliver beer, wine and mixed spirit drinks to consumers in the state, and one with a specially designated distributor license can do the same for spirits. (MCL 436.1203(3))
- Michigan retailers can also use a licensed third-party facilitator service, such as a delivery app, to sell and deliver to consumers. (MCL 436.1203(15) and (16))
What are Michigan's alcohol excise taxes?
- Wine: $0.51 per gallon (Tax Foundation)
- Beer: $0.20 per gallon (Tax Foundation)
- Spirits: Control state: the state sells spirits at wholesale, so taxes and markups are built into its pricing rather than set as one per-gallon rate (Federation of Tax Administrators)
Who regulates alcohol in Michigan?
Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) issues licenses and enforces the state's alcohol rules. Check its site for current forms and fees before you apply.
How do brands reach Michigan 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 Michigan depends on your products and distribution, so check coverage for your products on a call.
If you ship wine to Michigan 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 Michigan consumers?
Yes. Wineries need a $100 Direct Shipper License, renewed each year for $100. There is no per-customer limit, but each winery group can ship no more than 13,500 liters a year to Michigan consumers.
Can distilleries or breweries ship to Michigan consumers?
No. Michigan does not allow out-of-state distilleries or breweries to ship direct to consumers.
Can Michigan retailers use delivery apps?
Yes. Michigan retailers with the right license can use a licensed third-party facilitator service to sell and deliver to consumers in the state.
What are Michigan alcohol excise taxes?
Wine is taxed at about $0.51 per gallon and beer at about $0.20 per gallon. Michigan controls spirits at the wholesale level, so spirits taxes are built into state pricing.
Do I need to register my wines to ship to Michigan?
Yes. You can ship only wine that is registered with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, and the carrier must confirm the person accepting delivery is 21 or older.
How can my brand reach Michigan customers without its own Michigan 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 Michigan 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
- Michigan Compiled Laws 436.1203, direct shipment and delivery
- Sovos ShipCompliant, wine rules by state (reviewed Jan 1, 2026)
- 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 22, 2026.