Can you ship spirits direct-to-consumer to California?

In short: As of 2026, direct-to-consumer shipping of distilled spirits to California is permitted. Permitted under the AB-1246 one-year pilot for craft producers up to 150,000 gallons, limited to 2.25 liters per consumer per day. An adult signature is required on delivery. This is general information, not legal advice; verify current rules with the California alcohol authority before shipping.

What are the rules for shipping spirits to California?

Permitted under the AB-1246 one-year pilot for craft producers up to 150,000 gallons, limited to 2.25 liters per consumer per day. Like every state that allows spirits DTC, California requires an adult signature at delivery, and the producer is responsible for applicable licensing, taxes, and reporting. Because these requirements change, confirm the current rule with the destination state before each shipment.

How do distilleries ship to California compliantly?

Compliant DTC shipping means applying the correct rule at the moment of sale: confirming the destination allows it, enforcing any volume or producer-size limit, verifying the buyer's age, requiring adult signature, and collecting and remitting the right taxes. Doing that by hand across many states is where mistakes happen, which is why the rule logic belongs in the system rather than a spreadsheet.

Why spirits DTC is limited

Direct shipping of spirits lags well behind wine. Most states still route spirits through the three-tier system, so California being open to DTC is the exception rather than the rule. See the full state-by-state map for where spirits DTC is and is not allowed.

Source: Avalara/Sovos DTC spirits guide; Clark Hill (CA AB-1246), 2025-2026. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Direct-shipping law changes frequently; always confirm current requirements with the California alcohol beverage authority.