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International Trade

Applying for a Permit

If you plan to purchase and sell alcohol at wholesale, or if you plan to import alcohol beverages, you must first obtain a Basic Permit from TTB.  Further, alcohol wholesalers must apply for a Basic Permit if they plan to export alcohol beverage products.  You must have a permit approved by TTB in hand before commencing business.

Filing for a TTB Permit

All alcohol beverage wholesalers, importers, and exporters must file a permit application and necessary documents with TTB before engaging in business. 

For a complete list of all necessary documents to file with your permit application, see our Informational and Application Packets or select the appropriate link below.

These application packets include a combination of required forms, and instructions for completing them, along with tools and resources to aid you in filing an acceptable application.

  • Wholesaler (Alcohol): Wholesalers, or businesses that sell beverage alcohol products at wholesale to other wholesalers or retailers, must first obtain a Wholesaler’s Basic Permit.  Producers or manufacturers of beverage alcohol products need to apply for a Wholesaler’s Basic Permit only if they intend to sell beverage alcohol products that they did not produce or manufacture.
  • Importer (Alcohol): Anyone wishing to become a beverage alcohol importer, importing into the United States beverage alcohol not for personal use, and subsequently distributing the imported beverage alcohol to wholesalers or retailers, must file this application.
  • Wholesaler/Importer (Alcohol): Businesses that require a Basic Permit for Importing (to import and distribute foreign beverage alcohol) and Wholesaling (to distribute at wholesale, domestic beverage alcohol) from the same location may reduce the required paperwork by combining the applications.
  • Wholesaler/Exporter (Alcohol): There are certain procedures that wholesalers must follow if they wish to export alcohol – particularly if they wish to export it without payment of tax.


Questions?

If you have questions regarding wholesaling and/or importing wine, beer, or distilled spirits, you may contact the National Revenue Center toll-free at 1-877-882-3277 or via e-mail at ttbimport@ttb.treas.gov.

Additional information can be found on our Importers/Wholesalers page.