The Wine Institute

On May 10, 2011 Governor O’Malley signed direct shipping bills HB 1175 (Barkley) and SB 248 (Raskin), identical bills, opening the way for wineries to ship to Maryland consumers. The legislation establishes a direct wine shipper’s permit to be issued by the Department of the Comptroller. Wineries with an approved permit may ship up to 18 cases per year of their own wine to a single Maryland delivery address, including addresses located in Montgomery County. There is an annual permit fee of $200 and $1,000 bond is required, however after 3 years of timely payments the permit holder may request to have the bond requirement waived. Direct Shippers must report the amount of wine shipped, the price charged, and the name/address of each purchaser to the Comptroller’s Department each quarter. Excise tax and sales tax payments are also required. The legislation is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2011. Updates concerning the application process will be posted on Wine Institute’s website under State Shipping Laws Map, Maryland as soon as the information is available.