FREQUENTLY ASKED WHOLESALE LICENSES QUESTIONS
What basic requirements are necessary to be a wholesaler in New York State?
- The business must have an office in New York State with an employee present during regular business hours.
- The licensed premises does not need to have a storage area for alcoholic beverages but, if alcoholic beverages are stored at another location in this state, that location must have a warehouse permit.
- The business will also need the appropriate federal wholesale permit.
- If the licensee wishes to import alcoholic beverages from another country, a federal Importer’s Permit will also be required.
How much does a wholesale license cost?
- The cost of the license depends on the type of alcoholic beverage that is being sold.
- There are four types of licenses available: liquor, wine, beer and cider.
- A liquor wholesale license includes the ability to sell wine at wholesale.
- A beer wholesaler may also obtain a license to sell cider at wholesale from the same location.
- The full fee schedule for wholesale licenses is available on the Liquor Authority Website
Wholesale Fee Chart (Form: 1015fee rev032114)
| License Type | License Fee | Surety Bond |
| Wine 3 Years * Wine only | $3,760.00 | $10,000.00 |
| Liquor 3 Year * Includes wine and liquor | $27,280.00 | $20,000.00 |
| Beer 1 Year | $1,400.00 | $10,000.00 |
What is Brand Label Registration?
- No alcoholic beverage can be offered for sale in this state unless the product’s brand label has been registered with and approved by the SLA.
- A wine brand label that has federal approval is deemed approved by the SLA.
- All other brand labels must be submitted for approval to the SLA.
- More detailed information about brand label approval is available on this web site.
Why must I file price schedules for liquor or wine?
- To avoid discrimination among retailers and prevent illegal trade practices, liquor and wine can only be sold at the prices stated in the schedules filed with the SLA.
- There are two schedules; one containing the prices paid by wholesalers; and another with the prices paid by retailers. Price schedules are filed on a monthly basis and are available for review on this web site.
What is “C.O.D.” (Cash On Delivery)?
- “C.O.D.” mandates that retailers who have defaulted on credit payments to wholesalers must purchase all alcoholic beverages from wholesalers on a cash (non-credit) basis until the original debt(s) are repaid.
- The ABC Law requires manufacturers and wholesalers to notify licensees who have failed to make payments for alcoholic beverages sold or delivered to them.
- The wholesaler or manufacturer is required to send default notices to retailers who have failed to make payment by the Final Payment Date for purchases made during the preceding Credit Period. The default notices must be sent by registered or certified mail to the retail licensee on the Delinquent Notice Day, which is the 4th business day after the Final Payment Date. On the same day the wholesaler or manufacturer is required to notify the Authority of delinquent retailers by sending duplicate copies of the notices of default mailed to the retailer.
“C.O.D.” DELINQUENT LISTS.
- A separate Delinquent List is published weekly covering each of the four groups of retail licenses and copies sent to each manufacturer and wholesaler.
- No manufacturer or wholesaler, after receipt of the delinquent list, shall “knowingly, willfully or intentionally” sell any liquor or wine to any retail licensee whose name appears on such list, except for cash, until such time as the name of the retailer is removed from the delinquent list.
RELEASES FROM DELINQUENT LISTS.
- The Authority may grant a release from the Delinquent List to any retail licensee who has received a Notice of Default or is named on any Delinquent List when Notices of Payment have been filed with the Authority by the manufacturers and wholesalers involved, or on good cause shown to it and after the investigation of the facts.
- Such release shall permit the sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages on terms other than for cash prior to the publication of the next appropriate Delinquent List.
What is a “C” license?
- A “C” License is a wholesale beer license with privilege to sell to the consumer. (This license has not been issued since 1960 – interested persons must find one to buy.)
- Can sell beer wholesale and retail.
- Can move the license anywhere they want to in the state after they buy the license.
- Cannot sell groceries, pure fruit juice drinks (can sell carbonated juice drinks), milk or milk products or any paper products, no newspapers.
- Can sell lottery tickets, tobacco, snack foods & soda.
What is the difference between a winery and a farm winery license?
Wholesale Fee Chart (Form: 1015fee rev032114)
| License Type | License Fee | Surety Bond |
| Farm Winery – 3 years | $525.00 | $1,000.00 |
| Winery 3 years | $3,025.00 | $1,000.00 |
FARM WINERY PRIVILEGES:
- Limited by the law to a maximum production of 150,000 finished gallons of wine in a single year.
- Prohibited from manufacturing and selling any wine not produced from 100% grapes or other fruits or agricultural products grown or produced in New York State.
- Authorized to sell its wines to any Winery or Farm Winery and to licensed wholesalers or retailers and to deliver such wines to persons outside the state pursuant to the laws of the place of such sale and delivery.
WINERY PRIVILEGES:
- Manufacture wine from crushed grapes or grape concentrate.
- Blend wine.
- Bottle wine received in bulk from its parent winery located outside New York State.
- Sell wine to wholesaler or retailer in sealed containers of not more than 15 gallons each.
- Sell wines in excess of 15 gallons to food, wine, vinegar and pharmaceutical manufacturers, provided a non-beverage manufacturer permit is first obtained from the Authority.
- Manufacture wine from honey.
What is the difference between a “commercial”, “micro” and “farm” manufacturing license?
- Manufacturing licenses are grouped into three categories:
- “Commercial” Manufacturers – (aka Breweries, Distilleries and Wineries) have no cap on the amount of alcoholic beverages that they can produce and there are no restrictions on the ingredients used to make their alcoholic beverages
- “Micro” Manufacturers (aka Micro-Distillers and Micro-Brewers) – have no restrictions on the ingredients they use, but have a cap on the amount of alcoholic beverages that they can produce each year.
- “Farm” Manufacturers – (aka Farm Breweries, Farm Distilleries and Farm Wineries) – also have a cap on the amount of alcoholic beverages they can produce each year. They also are required to use a specified amount of ingredients grown or produced in this state in the manufacture of their alcoholic beverages.
Wholesale Fee Chart (Form: 1015fee rev032114)
| License Type | License Fee | Surety Bond |
| Micro Brewer 1 year | $800.00 | $1,000.00 |
| Micro Farm Winery 3 years | $110.00 | $1,000.00 |
| Farm Brewer 1 year | $800.00 | $0 Bond |
| Farm Winery/Special Farm Winery 3 years | $525.00 | $1,000.00 |