The permit is the entry; the case cap and the label wording keep the shipment inside the rule.
What Maryland requires, on paper
| Item | What the source states |
|---|---|
| State DTC permit | Required. Issued by the Comptroller of Maryland; annual permit fee $200, expires June 30 each year |
| Bond | $1,000 required, with the permit holder eligible to request a waiver after three years of timely payments |
| Volume cap per address | Up to 18 cases per year of the winery's own wine to a single Maryland delivery address; each case is 9 liters |
| Bottle labelling | Every wine container must be labelled “CONTAINS ALCOHOL: SIGNATURE OF PERSON AT LEAST 21 YEARS OF AGE REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY” |
| Common carrier | Approved carriers must be used; carrier alcohol contract is required in addition to the state permit |
| Tax and reporting | Quarterly reporting for sales tax, excise tax and shipment records; state sales tax at 9%; wine excise tax at $0.40 per gallon |
The 18-case rule is measured on the delivery address, not the customer, so a customer with a home and a work address counts twice. Wineries also have to identify the labels used for DTC sales in the reporting; a bottle sold to a wholesaler in another state and later reshipped to Maryland does not count against the direct permit.
The carrier side of a Maryland shipment
The permit is the state's front door; the carrier's contract is the pipe that actually moves the box. Neither works without the other.
| Carrier | Position for wine to Maryland |
|---|---|
| USPS | Refused. Publication 52 rules out drinkable wine at every destination |
| UPS | Accepted only from licensed shippers who have signed a UPS alcohol shipping contract; adult signature at delivery, packages labelled to the state's wording |
| FedEx | “Individuals (consumers) cannot ship alcohol via FedEx.” Wine moves under a FedEx Alcohol Shipping Agreement, into Maryland as listed in FedEx's state reference guide |
A licensed winery already carrying a UPS or FedEx alcohol contract adds Maryland to its permitted-states list once the state permit is in place. A retailer without the state permit is not authorised to ship into Maryland even if the carrier contract is otherwise valid.
Two lines to double-check before every Maryland ship
The delivery-address counter
Add the shipment to a running total per delivery address. Maryland's cap is 18 nine-liter cases; a 12-bottle case of 750 ml is 9 liters, so 216 750 ml bottles is the ceiling to any one address in a permit year.
Bottle wording present, not paraphrased
The label wording is prescribed. A close paraphrase that misses a word can void the compliance record on audit; use the exact string above and treat any change as a policy change requiring legal review.
Quarterly filings, on the calendar
Quarterly reporting includes sales tax at 9% and excise tax at $0.40 per gallon. Setting the reminder alongside the state's quarter closes is what keeps the permit renewable each June.
What SMKlog does with a Maryland wine shipment
Our checkout declines beverage alcohol at any destination, so a bottle addressed to Baltimore or Bethesda does not draw a rate on this site. Empty collectible bottles, decanters, wine racks, glassware and other barware quote normally and travel as ordinary fragile goods; the guide on wine shipping boxes works through the divided cartons those items ride in.
Where these rules come from
- Wine Institute, Maryland direct-to-consumer wine shipping compliance summary. Read 2026-08-11.
- Maryland statute, Alcoholic Beverages Article § 2-148, Duties of Shipper; Restrictions on Shipping.
- FedEx, alcohol shipping eligibility. Read 2026-08-11.
State alcohol codes, permit fees and carrier terms are revised without notice. Treat the wording above as what the sources published on the date each was read, and check the current version before shipping.
Wine-to-Maryland questions
Can I ship wine to Maryland from another state?
Yes, when the sender holds a Maryland direct wine shipper's permit. Maryland opened its market in 2011 and now requires a state-issued DTC permit. Per the Wine Institute Maryland summary, read 2026-08-11, the fee is $200 annually with a $1,000 bond that can be waived after three years.
How much wine can be shipped to a Maryland consumer per year?
Up to 18 nine-liter cases per year to a single Maryland delivery address, per the Wine Institute Maryland compliance summary. That cap is set by the state statute governing direct wine shippers.
Do bottles need special labelling?
Yes. Wine containers must be labelled “CONTAINS ALCOHOL: SIGNATURE OF PERSON AT LEAST 21 YEARS OF AGE REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY”, per the Wine Institute Maryland summary. Adult signature is enforced by the carrier at delivery.
Which carriers can be used for a Maryland wine shipment?
The winery uses an approved common carrier under Maryland law. In practice this means UPS and FedEx under their own alcohol shipping programs, each of which requires the shipper's own contract in addition to the state permit.
Does SMKlog quote wine to Maryland?
No. Beverage alcohol is not on our lane; our checkout declines it at any destination. Wineries with the Maryland permit and the carrier alcohol contract book Maryland shipments directly through the FedEx or UPS account tied to their alcohol agreement.