A New Jersey resident can receive up to twelve cases of wine a year, per person, from a winery that holds the state's out-of-state direct-shipper license. The license is only available to wineries producing 250,000 gallons or fewer, an eligibility cap that shapes which wineries can ship to the state and which cannot. The rule and the case limit are in N.J.S.A. 33:1-10.
Wine reaches a New Jersey door only through a shipper that carries the state's own permit.
A New Jersey wine shipment is legal when four conditions are met at once. Miss any and either the state or the carrier stops it.
| Requirement | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Shipper licensed | The winery holds a New Jersey out-of-state winery license issued by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. |
| Winery under cap | Annual production is 250,000 gallons or less, and the winery does not own an interest in a winery producing above that ceiling. |
| Per-person volume | No more than 12 cases per person in NJ per year for personal consumption and not for resale. A case is capped at 9 liters. |
| Delivery to an adult | Carrier obtains an adult signature at delivery from a person aged 21 or older; the outer parcel is labeled as containing alcohol. |
The 250,000 gallon cap is New Jersey's own; it was upheld in state court after a series of challenges and remains the eligibility line in 2026. Bills to remove or raise the cap were introduced in 2025 but did not pass.
The out-of-state winery license carries an annual fee that scales with production: $100 at 50,000 gallons or less, $250 up to 100,000, $500 up to 150,000 and $1,000 up to 250,000. On top of the license, the winery registers with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, collects and remits state sales tax on the wine sold, and files the Winery Manufacturer's Tax Sales Report every two months (nj.gov, read 2026-08-11). A bond is required and scales with the largest bi-monthly volume shipped.
UPS and FedEx carry the licensed wine parcel from a winery that has signed the carrier's alcohol contract, printed the outer label with the alcohol shipment declaration and used a service that supports adult signature on delivery. The carrier requires proof of the winery's state license on file. Wine parcels tendered on a general parcel account without the alcohol contract are rejected at pickup or returned from the origin sort. USPS does not carry alcohol from private shippers under any circumstances, per Publication 52.
The shipping calculator prices the parcel and adds the adult signature service where the carrier supports it. This is a live rate on the lane; the licensing, the bond and the tax filings are the winery's responsibility on its own accounts. A winery that already holds an approved alcohol shipper contract on the carrier can print the label from SMKlog; a winery that does not needs to open one before the parcel ships.
State alcohol law changes with legislative sessions. Confirm the current cap, license fee schedule and tax filing schedule with the Division of ABC and the Division of Taxation before every serious tender.
Yes, when the winery holds a New Jersey out-of-state winery license, produces 250,000 gallons or less per year and does not own an interest in a larger winery. The license is issued by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the ship-to address must be a New Jersey resident aged 21 or older.
A licensed direct wine shipper may ship no more than 12 cases of wine per year to any one person in New Jersey for personal consumption and not for resale, per N.J.S.A. 33:1-10. A case is capped at 9 liters, so a standard 12-bottle case of 750 ml bottles fits.
The state's annual license fee scales with production. Wineries producing 50,000 gallons or less per year pay $100; 50,000 to 100,000 gallons pay $250; 100,000 to 150,000 pay $500; 150,000 to 250,000 pay $1,000. Above 250,000 gallons a winery is ineligible for the license.
Yes. The carrier requires an adult signature aged 21 or older on delivery, and the shipping label must state that the contents are alcohol. The winery is also required to collect and remit New Jersey sales tax and file the state's wine tax return.
UPS and FedEx accept alcohol shipments only from shippers with an approved alcohol contract on file, and both list New Jersey as a permitted DTC destination for wine. USPS does not carry alcohol from private shippers, regardless of state licensing.