SB243 Alabama 2018 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Bill Holtzclaw
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2018
Title: Alcoholic beverages, wine, direct shipment to consumer, authorized under certain conditions, wine direct shipper license required by Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, penalties, Sec. 28-3A-6.1 added; Sec. 28-1-4 am'd.
Summary: SB 243 would create a wine direct shipper license allowing licensed Alabama wine manufacturers to ship limited quantities of wine directly to Alabama residents for personal use, with penalties for shipments made without a permit.
What This Bill Does
The bill creates a wine direct shipper permit process. Licensed wine manufacturers could ship up to 24 cases per year (each case up to 9 liters) directly to Alabama residents aged 21 or older for personal use. Applicants must file with the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, pay a $100 filing fee, and provide a current manufacturer license; permits renew annually for $50 with the license on file. Shippers must follow restrictions (no shipments to board-licensed premises), ensure containers are labeled for age verification, collect and remit all applicable taxes, and allow audits by the ABC or Department of Revenue. Deliveries may be made by board-approved delivery carriers; shipments without a permit would be a Class C misdemeanor; the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after Governor approval, and there is a note about local-funds requirements being exempted due to specified exceptions.

Who It Affects
Group 1: Licensed Alabama wine manufacturers - they may obtain a wine direct shipper permit to ship limited quantities of wine directly to Alabama residents, subject to annual limits, fees, labeling, tax remittance, and audit obligations.
Group 2: Alabama residents 21 or older who receive wine shipments - they may receive direct shipments from permittees for personal use (not for resale), must provide age verification at delivery, and are affected by the prohibition on receiving shipments to board-licensed premises and by tax and compliance requirements.

Key Provisions
Establishes a wine direct shipper license for licensed wine manufacturers to ship limited wine quantities directly to Alabama residents (Section 28-3A-6.1).
Permits up to 24 cases per year, with each case not exceeding 9 liters, shipped to residents 21+ for personal use; no shipments to premises licensed by the board (Section 28-3A-6.1).
Requires an application to the ABC, a $100 filing fee, and submission of the current manufacturer license; annual renewal fee of $50 and continued license proof (Section 28-3A-6.1).
Mandates labeling on all direct shipments with age-verification language; requires tax collection and remittance of state/local taxes and excise taxes; authorizes audits by board or revenue department (Section 28-3A-6.1).
Allows board-approved delivery service carriers to deliver wine directly to residents (Section 28-1-4).
Direct shipments to residents without a permit are a Class C misdemeanor (Section 28-3A-6.1).
Provides that the act would be exempt from certain local-funding requirements under Amendment 621 due to specified exceptions (Constitutional reference in synopsis).
Effective date: the act becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and governor’s approval (Section 4).

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Alcoholic Beverages