Arkansas, one of the last states that limited direct shipping of wine, is finally ending the requirement that purchases be made in-person at the winery, making true direct shipping available to Arkansas wine lovers.

On April 16, 2025 House Bill 1476 became law, expanding the availability, privileges, and requirements for the AR wine direct shipper license. The expanded license will be available to wineries, suppliers, and importers. The initial fee for the license will be increased to $50, but the annual renewal fee will remain $25. While previous law limited direct shippers to 4 cases per consumer per year, the new law allows for the shipment of up to 24 cases to an Arkansas resident annually. Licensees must not ship to addresses in a dry territory and will be required to register the labels to be shipped, pay applicable taxes, and report shipments annually. 

Although the law will become effective 90 days after the legislatures’ May 5 adjournment, it requires the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division to adopt new rules for the license. So, it will be at least a few months before the ABC will implement the changes approved by HB 1476. 

When applications will be accepted and licenses issued to allow shipping of off-site purchases to Arkansas residents is still unknown. Whether wineries that currently hold a wine shipper permit will need to apply for a new license, or if the ABC will simply upgrade their permit to the new specifications is also still unknown. Watch for further announcements as new details become available.

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