January 24, 2020
What You Should Know About Alcohol Transport
When it comes to alcohol transportation, flexibility is the key; the laws pertinent to the transportation of alcohol and liquor are constantly changing. A transporter is essentially the middle man between the purchaser and the receiver. Each respective party has a certain set of laws they must adhere to, and the transporters must be aware of all of the state and local area laws. They must also follow an additional set of transportation laws. Here are some of the general things you should know about alcohol transport; keep in mind that these facts will vary based on your regional location as well as your state’s individual laws.
Ensuring Your Business Has The Proper Licensing
If you own a convenience, grocery or liquor store, having a liquor license alone may not be enough to allow you to make a bulk purchase of alcohol and have it delivered to your business. A non-retail license may also be required in order to purchase, transport and receive any type of alcohol delivery; the same laws apply for both imported and exported alcohol.
The Webb Canyon Act
The Webb Canyon Act prohibits the transportation of alcohol beyond state lines if there is any violation of law by the receiving state. Some states do not allow the transporting of alcohol at all, and some states will only afford distributors or wholesalers who have a direct partnership with state and local governmental agencies the opportunity to provide any type of liquor transport. Declarations must be made on any alcohol imports, and you cannot sell imported foreign liquor without a Federal Alcohol Administration permit.
Alcohol Transport: Additional Considerations
Alcohol transportation has changed dramatically within the last several years. Services such as Amazon Prime have led to increased demand in free and fast shipping options for consumers, and alcohol transport is no different. However, federal and state regulations can further complicate transportation methods, especially when the transport crosses state lines.
While most states have regulations in place that allow alcohol transportation between an out-of-state manufacturer and a customer, other states lack regulation or prohibit alcohol transport entirely. Three states prohibit direct shipments of alcoholic beverages between a manufacturer and consumer. These states include Alabama, Oklahoma, and Utah. Mississippi and certain U.S. territories, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not have regulations in place that specifically allow a manufacturer to consumer alcohol transportation.
State-based laws regarding alcohol transport also vary based upon the type of alcohol that is being transported. For example, Delaware requires alcohol purchases to be processed and shipped through a licensed wholesaler. Some states only permit the direct shipment of wine, while others place similar restrictions.
Working with a professional alcohol transportation company can help businesses navigate complex federal and state regulations. These businesses have previous alcohol transport experience, which helps companies to get their products to their customers and reduce the hassle of doing so, especially when shipping across state lines.
The United States Postal Services Shipping Equity Act: How it Affects Alcohol Transport
The United States Postal Services Shipping Equity Act was first introduced in October 2017. If passed, this bill would allow the USPS to transport alcohol more efficiently while reducing some shipping costs. The bill would also stipulate certain regulations.
Under the United States Postal Services Shipping Equity Act, USPS would be required to handle alcohol transport in a way that would ensure the direct delivery to an addressee. Any alcohol transport would require an adult who is at least 21 years of age to provide a valid, government-issued photo ID to be able to accept the delivery. These regulations would also prohibit the resale of alcoholic beverages and further ensure that distributors maintained their proper permits and licenses.
Unfortunately, while this bill is promising for alcohol transportation, it has moved slowly since it was introduced in 2017. No further action has been taken beyond its initial introduction.
Bulk Shipping: An Affordable Transportation Option
Since the laws, rules, and regulations regarding the transporting of imported and exported liquor, wine, spirits and alcohol are always changing, businesses are always looking for the most inexpensive way to legally arrange for alcohol transport. Bulk shipping methods have exponentially increased in popularity in recent years. With bulk shipping, huge flexibags are placed inside of a large truck and filled with over three tons of alcoholic liquid.
Additional Methods Of Liquid Transportation
Most professional bulk alcohol transportation companies offer a plethora of shipping options. Depending on your local and state governing agencies, your company should be able to take advantage of at least one of these preferred methods of alcohol transportation: tanker shipping, temperature-controlled shipping by refrigeration, flatbed shipping, iso-tank shipping and flexi-tank shipping.
Factors That Contribute To The Ever-Changing Liquor Transport Laws
Economic growth, stagnation, climate, and harvest all impact the availability of alcohol, wine, and spirits on a domestic and international scale. All of these contributing factors have an active role in liquor logistics, and this is why small businesses need to be flexible in order to adapt and adhere to the policies and procedures that keep the industry flowing smoothly.
Choosing the Right Company for Alcohol Transportation
As an industry leader in professional liquid and food transportation, Kan-Haul offers clean and safe transportation of a vast assortment of liquid food products in flexitanks and other bulk liquid tankers. We have been a part of the bulk liquid and wine transport business for over three decades. We offer professional and friendly service, and we aim to simplify the hauling process by staying up to speed on the latest laws, rules, and regulations of liquid hauling and transportation.
Searching for the best alcohol transport services? Contact us to see how our vast array of transport services can help save you money, time and hassle.
