Carrier contract first
UPS and FedEx accept alcohol only from shippers who hold an alcohol shipping contract with them. Retail counter labels are not eligible even for a one-case parcel.
DC alcohol
Shipping alcohol to Washington DC, one case at a time
DC allows alcohol into a resident's address, but with a hard cap: DC Code 25-772 forbids any common carrier from bringing in more than one case per address per calendar month for delivery to any one person. Adult-signature 21+ is a carrier-side requirement layered on top. The rules below come from the DC Council code and the ABCA guide for out-of-state suppliers, read 2026-08-11.
DC Code 25-772 citedRead 2026-08-11One case per month
Cap first, signature second
The one-case rule and the 21+ signature both have to be met.
What DC actually allows
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Monthly cap by common carrier | One case per address per calendar month, delivered to any one person |
| What "one case" means | Up to 12 bottles or cans of wine or spirits, or up to 24 bottles or cans of beer, per the ABCA supplier guide |
| Out-of-state supplier permit | Not required inside the cap; ABCA does not issue a stand-alone direct-shipping permit for out-of-state suppliers |
| Above the cap | Only DC-licensed manufacturers, wholesalers, or retailers with a validly issued import permit may transport more than one case |
| Recipient age | Recipient must be 21+; UPS and FedEx alcohol programs require adult signature at delivery |
| USPS eligibility | None — USPS refuses beverage alcohol regardless of state |
Nothing in DC Code 25-772 preempts a sender's own state rules. A California winery shipping wine to a DC address still has to satisfy California export rules, its own federal permit conditions, and the terms of its carrier alcohol contract.
How the delivery actually happens
Adult-signature at the door
The label carries the alcohol contract's adult-signature 21+ requirement. If nobody 21+ is home, the driver takes the parcel back and reattempts.
Second attempt, then return
Both carriers reattempt up to three times before returning to sender. A DC parcel refused at delivery goes back to the winery, not into a warehouse queue.
What DC does not allow
Two clarifications. First, DC's rules focus on direct delivery to a resident's address; they do not authorise a third-party delivery service to consolidate orders and hand them off as a single case per person. Second, they do not create a private-to-private wine-gift exemption — a friend on the West Coast cannot legally common-carrier a bottle of wine to a DC address on a hobby basis; it needs a shipper with a carrier alcohol contract and a compliant label.
Inside DC, ABC-licensed retailers with an Internet Retailer license (Class A for spirits, beer and wine; Class B for beer and wine) may sell online and deliver, but only to DC residences. Their catalog is the practical route for a DC resident who wants alcohol delivered by tomorrow rather than by a common carrier parcel.
If you are the winery
Case-quantity lanes are not priced by a parcel calculator. Send the destination, the case count and the sender's shipping licenses through freight review and a person prices the lane, taking the DC one-case cap and the adult-signature obligation into account.
Where these rules come from
- DC Council, DC Code §25-772 — Unlawful importation of beverages — one-case-per-month common-carrier cap. Read 2026-08-11.
- DC Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, Quick Guide — Out-of-State Suppliers, Manufacturers, Importers — 12 bottles wine or spirits / 24 bottles beer per resident per month; no ABCA permit required inside the cap. Read 2026-08-11.
- DC Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration, Alcohol Internet Retailer License — Class A and Class B licenses for DC-licensed retailers selling online to DC residences. Read 2026-08-11.
Common questions
Can I ship wine to someone in Washington DC?
Yes, within a strict quantity cap. DC Code 25-772 forbids any common carrier from transporting more than one case of wine, spirits or beer per address per calendar month for delivery to any one person, read 2026-08-11. The ABCA quick guide for out-of-state suppliers reads the same limit as up to 12 bottles or cans of wine or spirits, or up to 24 bottles or cans of beer, per resident per month.
Do I need a DC alcohol permit?
Not for a shipment inside the one-case-per-month cap. ABCA does not require out-of-state suppliers to obtain a DC direct-shipping permit for those small quantities. Above one case per month, only DC-licensed manufacturers, wholesalers, or retailers with a valid import permit can move the alcohol.
Which carriers deliver alcohol in DC?
UPS and FedEx accept alcohol only from shippers with an alcohol contract in place and impose adult-signature at delivery. USPS refuses beverage alcohol in every state, including DC. The one-case cap in DC Code 25-772 binds the common carrier, not the sender.
Does an adult have to sign?
Yes. UPS and FedEx alcohol programs both require adult-signature 21+ at delivery. The driver's device flags the stop and rejects the delivery if no adult can sign.
Can a DC-licensed retailer ship to me?
DC ABC-licensed retailers with an Internet Retailer license may sell alcohol to DC residents by Internet and may deliver those orders, but delivery is limited to DC residences under ABCA rules. They do not ship out-of-state; their footprint is inside the District.