Federal basic permit first
The applicant must be domiciled and principally located in the United States, actually manufacture wine, and hold a TTB basic permit. The state permit sits on top of the federal one; without both there is no path.
Alcohol
Can you ship alcohol to Indiana
Wine, yes, from a winery that has bought the permit. Beer, no. Spirits, no. An individual sending a bottle to a friend in Indianapolis, no. Indiana narrowed a decade-long back-and-forth about consumer-facing wine sales when Senate Bill 148 dropped the face-to-face visit requirement in 2014, but the state's core rule — direct shipment is a producer license, not a retail one — remains in place. Indiana ATC and Department of Revenue guidance, read 2026-08-11.
Producer-only path
Indiana's DTC rule attaches to who made the wine.
The three consumer questions, answered short
| Beverage | Direct to a consumer? | Under what |
|---|---|---|
| Wine, from a producing winery | Yes | Direct Wine Seller's Permit; federal basic permit required; adult signature at delivery |
| Wine, from a non-producing retailer or club | No | Permit is limited to producers of the wine |
| Beer | No | Handled through the three-tier system; no DTC permit exists |
| Spirits | No | Same three-tier restriction; no DTC route |
| A private person's bottle to a friend | No | No individual path exists at any tier |
Indiana also holds direct shippers to the state's wholesale-distribution rule: a winery already engaged in wholesale distribution of its wine into Indiana is limited in what it can ship direct. The commission's advisory opinions are the current source of truth on that boundary; a producer approaching the limit should read them before enrolling.
What the permit demands from a winery
Adult signature at every drop
The winery contracts with a common carrier that will not release the package without signature from a person 21 or older. The carton is marked to make its contents obvious to the carrier at pickup, transit and delivery.
ALC-DWS every reporting period
Indiana Department of Revenue Form ALC-DWS reports direct wine sales to the state, with excise and sales tax remitted on each shipment. A period without shipments is still a period that files.
Indiana revised the pre-order face-to-face requirement in 2014, so a subscription program can enrol an Indiana consumer without a physical visit to the winery. The rest of the compliance stack — permit, carrier, signature, marking, reporting — did not change.
Why beer and spirits stay off the direct list
Indiana's alcohol regulatory design channels beer and distilled spirits through the wholesaler tier. A brewery or distillery, in Indiana or outside it, sells to a state-licensed wholesaler, which sells to a state-licensed retailer, which sells to a consumer face to face. The tier system is what has kept a state-side DTC route from existing for those categories, and the ATC does not issue an equivalent of the wine permit for either.
Practically, the same website that will happily bill an Indiana address for a bottle of bourbon is generally routing the purchase through an in-state retailer's local pickup or licensed delivery, not shipping the bottle across state lines to a home. The distinction matters when the box arrives and the driver expects a receipt from a licensed retailer, not a carrier signature to a private person.
Where these rules come from
- Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, Advisory Opinion 23-01 — current scope of direct wine shipping and the wholesale-distribution boundary. Read 2026-08-11.
- Indiana General Assembly, Senate Bill 148 (2014) — removed the pre-order face-to-face visit requirement. Read 2026-08-11.
- Indiana Department of Revenue, Alcohol Tax E-file — Form ALC-DWS for direct wine sales. Read 2026-08-11.
Indiana amends the direct-shipper statute periodically. The rules above are what those sources published on the date shown; a wine program adding Indiana should read the current advisory opinions before its first tender.
Common questions
Can beer or spirits be shipped to an Indiana consumer?
No. Indiana's direct-to-consumer path is limited to wine from a producing winery holding a Direct Wine Seller's Permit. Beer and spirits are handled through the three-tier distributor system and cannot be sent to a consumer by the manufacturer or an out-of-state retailer.
Does Indiana still require a face-to-face visit before ordering wine?
No. Senate Bill 148, enacted in 2014, removed the requirement that a consumer visit the winery in person before an order could be placed. A first order can be placed remotely.
Who can hold the Indiana Direct Wine Seller's Permit?
A winery domiciled in the United States, engaged in the manufacture of wine, holding a federal basic permit from the TTB and a wine manufacturing licence in its home state. Wine clubs and non-producing retailers cannot hold it.
Is adult signature at delivery required?
Yes. Wine shipments must be tendered to a common carrier that will require signature at delivery from a person 21 or older, and every carton must be marked to make its contents obvious to the receiving driver.
How is Indiana wine tax reported?
On Form ALC-DWS, filed with the Indiana Department of Revenue. The permit holder collects and remits Indiana sales and excise tax on every direct shipment to an Indiana consumer.