How To Ship Alcohol

Shipping Alcohol Is a Contractual Service

If you have the proper license to sell alcohol and would like to ship with UPS, you’ll need to create a UPS account and sign the UPS ISC Alcohol Shipping Addendum. The UPS ISC Alcohol Shipping Addendum outlines the legal obligations for both UPS and the shipper.
The ISC addendum will be supplemented by the UPS Alcohol Shipping Guide.

Due to international regulations, UPS cannot accept alcohol shipments without the signed ISC Agreement. This also includes non-commercial packages such as product samples and personal gifts.

Following International Regulations

When it comes to shipping, all alcoholic beverages are considered special commodities subject to special restrictions and excise duty. Each country sets their own rules and restrictions on the import of alcohol, which also vary depending on if you ship to a business or a consumer. 

In short: the kind and quantity of alcohol you ship, to where and to whom, will all determine the specific rules and regulations that apply to your shipment.

As experts in international trade we are here to help you and can also refer you to third-party solutions for VAT and excise duty compliance. But its important that you also familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to your shipments to avoid unnecessary delays and unforeseen costs. You can use the UPS Alcohol Shipping Guide as a starting point, which provides you with information on all available shipping destinations, high-level international shipping regulations and best practices for shipping alcohol with UPS.

Download the UPS Alcohol Shipping Guide

Alcohol Packaging Requirements

Getting your alcohol shipments to their destination in one piece is key. Shipping glass bottles in appropriate drop-tested packaging is your best bet for them to arrive safely, and for you to avoid the cost of damages.

You can buy a range of drop-tested alcohol packaging from UPS or we can refer you to third-party vendors that also offer packaging meeting the necessary standards. 

These special packaging products are typically a set of high-quality outer boxes with an insert system that holds the bottle(s) in place, preventing direct impact when dropped. All of our approved packaging products are extensively drop-tested, sustainable and suitable for different categories of alcoholic beverages, including single and multiple bottle shipments. We may also accept other packaging if it has been drop-tested to the necessary standards.

A full list of approved solutions can be found through your UPS Account Manager. If you already have a UPS account number and would like to order our alcohol packaging, you can do so by contacting Customer Service.

Compliance With Legal Drinking Age Limits

If you are shipping alcohol with us, you are legally required to only sell and deliver alcohol to recipients of legal adult age. Because of this, we require you to ship all direct to-consumer alcohol-related shipments using our Adult Signature Required service. This will ensure we obtain age verification of the recipient and are able to supply you with proof when you need it.

Ship to a UPS Access Point™ Location

For convenient and lower cost delivery to consumers, as an approved alcohol shipper you can ship alcohol to a UPS Access Point location. The UPS Access Point network, which spans across Europe’s key markets as well as the US and Canada, is comprised of local shops that act as collection points for UPS deliveries.

Please refer to the UPS Alcohol Shipping Guide for further instructions on shipping alcohol to a UPS Access Point location.