You can ship wine to Michigan consumers, but only if you hold a Michigan direct shipper license, and beer and spirits are not covered by that license at all. Shipping alcohol to Michigan without the required license is a felony under state law, and the U.S. Postal Service cannot be used for any of it. Everything else — carriers, labeling, taxes, penalties — flows from those two facts.
What Can Actually Be Shipped
Michigan’s direct shipper license authorizes wine producers to sell and ship wine directly to Michigan consumers by mail order, online, phone, or any other electronic method.1Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1203 The license does not extend to beer or spirits. A brewery or distillery has no direct-to-consumer shipping option under this statute.
Consumers who want beer or spirits delivered still have a legal channel: licensed Michigan retailers. A Specially Designated Merchant (SDM) can sell beer and wine for off-premises consumption, and a Specially Designated Distributor (SDD) can sell spirits for off-premises consumption. Both may deliver to a consumer’s home or another designated location, and both may use third-party facilitator services (apps and websites) to handle the delivery.1Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1203 The facilitator has to confirm the recipient is at least 21, and no manufacturer, wholesaler, or distributor is allowed to hold a financial interest in the service.
So the practical picture: interstate direct shipments to Michigan homes are a wine-only channel. Beer and spirits reach consumers through in-state licensed retailers, not through out-of-state producers.
Who Qualifies for a Direct Shipper License
Two categories of applicant can hold the license:
- Michigan wine makers licensed in the state.
- Out-of-state wine manufacturers holding both a federal basic permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and a valid license to manufacture wine in their home state.1Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1203
Applicants submit verifiable proof of the underlying federal and state permits. The initial cost is $170 — a $100 license fee plus a $70 inspection fee. Renewals run $100, due every May 1.2Michigan – LARA. Direct Shipper License Application LCC-152 If an out-of-state winery loses its home-state manufacturing license, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) can revoke or deny the direct shipper license on that basis alone.
Each licensee is capped at 1,500 nine-liter cases (13,500 liters) of wine shipped to Michigan consumers per calendar year. When one entity owns or manages multiple direct shipper licenses, the cap applies to the combined total.1Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1203
How the Wine Has to Travel
Every direct wine shipment must move by common carrier, and the carrier must obtain an adult signature with photo ID verification at delivery.1Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1203 In practice, that means UPS or FedEx.
UPS handles alcohol only under a contractual arrangement. The shipper has to be licensed, sign a separate UPS alcohol agreement, use Adult Signature Required service on every package, and apply the UPS alcohol label.3UPS. 2026 UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service – United States FedEx runs a similar program: adult signature service where the driver scans a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, military ID, or U.S. passport) to confirm the recipient is at least 21.4FedEx. Signature Requirements and Delivery Options
The U.S. Postal Service is not an option. Under 18 U.S.C. § 1716, all intoxicating liquors are nonmailable, and knowingly depositing alcohol in the mail is punishable by a fine, up to one year of imprisonment, or both.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 1716 – Injurious Articles as Nonmailable There is no small-quantity exception and no personal-gift exception. This is a federal criminal statute that applies on top of anything Michigan does.
Labeling, Age Verification, and Taxes
Every shipping container must be marked on the outside with the statement: “Contains Alcohol. Must be delivered to a person 21 years of age or older.”1Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1203
At the ordering stage, the person taking the order verifies the buyer’s age using a copy of a government-issued photo ID or an approved identification verification service. The order record must include the buyer’s name, address, date of birth, and phone number, and a duplicate goes to the MLCC.1Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1203 At delivery, the recipient shows photo ID and signs in person. No leaving packages at the door.
On the tax side, direct shippers pay the applicable wine taxes to the MLCC and to the Michigan Department of Treasury, and file quarterly reports with the MLCC showing total wine shipped by type, brand, and price for the preceding quarter.1Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1203 Michigan’s wine excise tax is 13.5 cents per liter for wine at 16% alcohol by volume or less, and 20 cents per liter above 16%.6Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1301
Penalties for Shipping Without a License
Shipping alcohol into Michigan without the required license is not a misdemeanor. Under MCL 436.1909, anyone who performs an act requiring a license under the Liquor Control Code without holding that license is guilty of a felony punishable by up to one year of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.7Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1909 That is the first offense. A felony conviction carries collateral consequences well beyond the fine, including effects on employment and professional licensing.
If a shipment ends up in the hands of a minor, additional charges stack on top. Under MCL 436.1701, knowingly selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor is a separate misdemeanor. For a non-licensee, a first offense brings a fine up to $1,000 and up to 60 days in jail; a second or subsequent offense, up to $2,500 and up to 90 days, with possible community service.8Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1701
Licensed businesses face a parallel administrative track through the MLCC. On notice and hearing, the commission can suspend or revoke a license for any violation of the Liquor Control Code and can assess administrative fines up to $300 per violation, or up to $1,000 per violation for selling to a minor.9Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1903
What the Person Receiving the Shipment Has to Know
The consumer side matters too. You have to be at least 21 to purchase, accept delivery of, or possess alcohol in Michigan. Penalties under MCL 436.1703 escalate with each offense:10Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1703
- First violation: civil infraction, fine up to $100. The court may order substance abuse screening, community service, and participation in substance use disorder services.
- Second violation: misdemeanor, fine up to $200 and up to 30 days in jail if the person violated probation or failed to complete court-ordered requirements.
- Third or subsequent violation: misdemeanor, fine up to $500 and up to 60 days in jail on similar conditions.
An adult who knowingly furnishes alcohol to a minor faces separate charges under MCL 436.1701, with a first-offense fine up to $1,000 and up to 60 days in jail.8Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 436.1701 A carrier can leave without handing over the package if no one 21 or older is present with ID.
The Federal Layer for Out-of-State Shippers
Anyone shipping alcohol across state lines picks up a second set of rules. The 21st Amendment gives states broad authority over alcohol within their borders, but the Federal Alcohol Administration Act separately requires a federal basic permit for producing, importing, or wholesaling distilled spirits, wine, or malt beverages in interstate commerce.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 27 USC Ch 8 – Federal Alcohol Administration Act Operating without one is a federal offense.
Permit holders also pay federal excise taxes and file operational reports with the TTB. Current federal rates are $18 per barrel for beer, $1.07 per wine gallon for still wines at 16% alcohol or under (before credits), and $13.50 per proof gallon for distilled spirits.12TTB. Tax Rates Failure to comply with TTB requirements can result in federal fines, permit revocation, or both. For a Michigan direct shipper, losing the federal basic permit also means losing eligibility for the state license, because Michigan conditions the direct shipper license on a valid federal permit.