Winery to consumer
The main use of the G or DS permit. Wine only, 21+ buyer, cap per addressee, carrier-permit contract, alcohol label on the box.
Texas rules
Can you ship alcohol from Texas?
Wine yes, from a permitted winery to an adult buyer, with a hard monthly and yearly cap and a Texas-licensed carrier moving the box. Beer and distilled spirits from Texas are not eligible for direct-to-consumer shipment. TABC posts the rulebook, and the carrier will refuse a tender that does not match it. Read on tabc.texas.gov 2026-08-11.
TABC rules quotedVolume caps statedCarrier gate named
Permit, cap, carrier
Three gates each shipment has to pass before the box leaves the winery loading dock.
Which alcohol can leave Texas direct to a buyer
Under Texas law direct-to-consumer shipping is a wine-only lane. TABC's wine shipping page names the two permits: “If your winery is in Texas, you need a Winery Permit (G) from TABC to ship wine directly to consumers 21 and older.” An out-of-state winery uses “an Out-of-State Winery Direct Shipper's Permit (DS) to ship their product directly to consumers 21 or older anywhere in the state.” Read on tabc.texas.gov 2026-08-11. Distilled spirits and beer sit outside the direct-shipper framework and travel only through the three-tier system.
Volume ceilings the permit does not lift
| Window | Cap per consumer | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Rolling calendar month | 9 gallons | Any single addressee in Texas |
| Rolling 12 months | 36 gallons | Any single addressee in Texas |
TABC states the ceiling as: “You can ship no more than 9 gallons of wine within a calendar month or 36 gallons within a 12-month period to each consumer.” Nine gallons is a case and a half at 750 mL bottles. The cap follows the addressee, so a winery shipping to two households at the same street counts each household separately.
The carrier is not optional
TABC does not let a winery hand a wine parcel to any carrier. The wine shipping page states: “A TABC-licensed common carrier must transport any wine being shipped into, out of or through Texas.” UPS and FedEx hold this Carrier Permit under their alcohol shipper contract. USPS does not accept alcohol on any service in any state, so the Post Office is not a route from a Texas winery.
Packaging carries a label too: “All shipped wine must be in a package that is clearly labeled and shows the package contains wine,” alongside an adult-signature requirement on delivery. A carton without the alcohol label is refused at induction; a delivery without an adult signature is refused at door.
Retailer, distributor and consumer scenarios
Retailer or distributor to consumer
Not permitted under TABC's direct-shipping rule. A retailer wanting to move alcohol to a consumer works within the three-tier system or delivers locally under a separate permit.
Consumer to consumer
Not eligible on any carrier. A private-party gift of wine or spirits to a friend outside Texas is refused by UPS and FedEx at pickup and is not accepted by USPS at all.
Retailers with a legitimate need to ship into Texas from another state should consult TABC's licensing page directly — the retailer permit landscape changes with each legislative session.
Where these rules come from
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Wine Shipping — G and DS permit definitions, 9-gallon monthly cap, 36-gallon yearly cap, carrier permit requirement, package labeling. Read 2026-08-11.
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, Section 16.09 (Texas wineries) and Section 102.01 (out-of-state wineries) — referenced by TABC on the wine shipping page.
Texas legislative sessions revise the ABC code periodically. Confirm the current cap and permit landscape with TABC before mailing a shipment.
Common questions
Can I ship wine from Texas to a customer in another state?
Yes with a Texas Winery Permit (G) and compliance with the destination state's direct-shipper rules. TABC covers the Texas side; the destination state has its own paperwork.
Can I ship beer or liquor from Texas?
No, not direct to consumer. Only wine falls inside the Texas direct-shipping framework. Beer and spirits move through licensed wholesalers.
How much wine can I ship to one Texas customer?
No more than 9 gallons in a rolling calendar month and 36 gallons in a rolling 12 months, per TABC's wine shipping page.
Which carrier can move the wine?
A TABC-licensed common carrier. UPS and FedEx hold Carrier Permits and accept the shipment on contract; USPS does not carry alcohol.
Do I need to label the box?
Yes. TABC requires the outer package to be clearly labeled to show it contains wine, and adult signature is required at delivery.