COLAs Online eNews
July 2011
Special Edition
Greetings!
Welcome to another Special Edition of the COLAs Online eNews, sent to inform you of recent updates and news for COLAs Online users.
Great NEWS! COLA Processing Time Information NOW Available via www.TTB.gov and the ALFD Customer Service Call Center Phone Line
Recently, Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) processing times have increased for a number of reasons, including steep growth in the number of applications received by TTB and reductions in staff available to process applications. As a result, we have also seen a sharp increase in the number of inquiries that we receive regarding the status of COLA applications.
In order to help manage expectations regarding your COLAs, we are now providing the current average processing times for each commodity (wine, distilled spirits, and malt beverages) on our Website and customer service call center phone line. You now have the ability to check the average number of business days that it is taking TTB to respond to COLA applications.
Average COLA processing times may be accessed in the following ways:
- on our Web site at http://www.ttb.gov/labeling/index.shtml, or
- by calling our Customer Service Call Center at 1-866-927-2533.
- Press 4 for malt beverage and distilled spirits labels, and
- press 6 for wine labels.
Since responding to status inquiries diverts resources away from processing COLAs, we request that you refrain from contacting TTB about the status of applications unless we exceed the current average processing time for your commodity. Compliance with this request will allow the label specialists to focus their attention on reducing COLA backlogs and processing times.
Finally, it is likely that COLA processing times will remain longer than you have experienced in the past and we strongly suggest that you build in extra time for receiving label approval from TTB.
Comments or suggestions? E-mail us at COLAsONLINEeNews@ttb.gov
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