COLA (Certificate of Label Approval)
A COLA is the Certificate of Label Approval issued by the TTB that a producer must obtain before bottling and selling most distilled spirits in interstate commerce. It approves the label's text and design.
In short: A COLA is the Certificate of Label Approval issued by the TTB that a producer must obtain before bottling and selling most distilled spirits in interstate commerce. It approves the label's text and design.
The COLA confirms the label complies with federal rules on brand name, class and type, alcohol content, net contents, and health warning. Producers apply through COLAs Online, and any qualifying label change requires a new or amended certificate. Tracking COLA status against each product keeps releases compliant and on schedule.
When do you need a COLA?
Any label on a container of distilled spirits sold in interstate commerce needs a Certificate of Label Approval from the TTB before bottling. The application goes through COLAs Online with the label images and mandatory statements.
When does a label change need a new COLA?
TTB publishes a list of allowable revisions, changes like adjusting a vintage or repositioning approved text, that do NOT require reapproval; anything outside that list does. Knowing the allowable-change list saves weeks per label refresh.
Tracking this in a spreadsheet? Spirit Sight records it where it happens and builds inventory, compliance, and the books from the same entry. See it on a demo.
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