Maine alcohol tax permits and rules

DTC License Required: Yes

License Type: DTC Permit

License Fee: $300 initial permit, $50 for renewals

License Expiration: 1 year from issue date

License Bond: No

State Sales Tax: Yes

State Sales Tax Rate: 5.500%

Local Sales Tax: No

Sales Tax on Shipping: Yes

Wine Tax: $0.60–$1.24/gal

Consumer Limit: No more than 12 cases per person per year.

Per State Aggregate: Unlimited

Sales and Use Tax: Quarterly by the 15th

Excise Tax: Annually by 30th of the month following expiration of license.

Direct Shipment: Annually by 30th of the month following expiration of license.

Record Retention: N/A

Product Restrictions: Only wines produced by the permittee may be sold and shipped to consumers. Wine may not be shipped in containers that are smaller than 750ml.

Product Registration: Submit list of all product labels to be shipped to consumers in Maine at the time of application.

Registration Fees: None

Product Requirements: A direct shipper shall label each package to be shipped so that it conspicuously reads “Contains alcohol: Signature of person 21 years of age or older required for delivery.”

*Nearly all states have some kind of rule regarding how wine must be labeled when being shipped direct to consumer. Please check for the unique rule for your state.

Tax can get complicated when it comes to direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipments. The beverage alcohol industry is different from other industries in that licensed alcohol shippers are required to register for sales tax in most states, independent of economic or physical nexus.

Depending on the state, sales and use tax can be applied at the state, county, city, or special district levels. Address accuracy is important to determine if a location falls into an incorporated or unincorporated section of a county or a special district.

On top of the sales tax requirements, alcohol taxes also apply to DTC shipments. Several states have “markup” taxes, where the retail value of the alcohol is multiplied by a percentage rate. Most of these markup taxes are either required or can be passed through to the consumer. 

Traditional “gallonage”-based excise taxes are also usually due on DTC shipments. Most of the time these are factored into the price of the item and not passed through to the consumer. In a few cases, these excise taxes are required to be passed on to the consumer. 

Rules and regulations for your winery, brewery, or other beverage alcohol business change frequently. Avalara for Beverage Alcohol helps distill the beverage alcohol compliance process so you can focus on your business.

Maine  DOR site

Please note: Tax rates, rules, and regulations change frequently. Although we hope you'll find this information helpful, this page is for informational purposes only and does not provide legal or tax advice.