So, you want to mail a six-pack of beer to a friend as a gift. It sounds like a great idea – whether it's for a birthday, a holiday, or just to share your favorite new brew with someone far away. But can you actually send beer in the mail? The short answer is not easily: shipping beer isn’t as simple as dropping it off at the post office. There’s a maze of laws and carrier rules that make mailing alcohol tricky. Unless you’re a brewery or retailer with the proper permits, you can’t just mail beer across state lines on your own.
The good news? Licensed gift services such as GiveThemBeer handle all of this for you – they get the licenses, pack your beer safely, and ship it in compliance with every state’s laws, so you don’t have to worry about legal headaches.
Can You Send Beer in the Mail?
For a private individual, shipping beer through normal mail carriers is basically a no-go. Federal law (rooted in the 21st Amendment) gives each state control over alcohol, resulting in a patchwork of rules. That means you have to check both the shipping state and the receiving state for restrictions. For example, a retailer in Oregon can legally mail beer within Oregon, but if the recipient lives in Mississippi, where the law forbids receiving wine or beer shipments from out of state, the delivery is illegal.
While U.S. laws and shipping company policies heavily restrict sending alcohol, the nuance lies in how it’s shipped and who is doing the shipping. Below, we break down the rules for the major U.S. carriers.
Disclaimer: This blog is for information only and not legal advice. Always check the applicable laws in the origin and destination states if you’re considering sending alcohol.
Carrier Policies on Shipping Beer
The USPS flat-out prohibits shipping beer or any liquor in the mail. Private carriers (like UPS and FedEx) do allow beer shipments, but only if you’re a business with the proper licenses and have set up a special account. In other words, you can’t just slap stamps on a six-pack and send it to your buddy – the carriers won’t accept it, and it may be illegal. Let’s look a little closer at each carrier’s rules:
USPS – No Alcohol Shipments Allowed
If you’re thinking about sneaking a few beer bottles into a Postal Service box, think again. The United States Postal Service (USPS) strictly forbids mailing alcohol. In fact, USPS regulations ban the shipment of “intoxicating liquors” (any beverage over 0.5% alcohol) under nearly all circumstances. This rule applies to beer, wine, liquor – any alcoholic drink. It’s a policy that dates back decades, and it’s still in force today.
What if you don’t tell them? Postal workers are trained to spot and refuse packages that might contain alcohol. Even using a box that has alcohol branding or logos on it can get your package denied. USPS won’t accept boxes that look like they contain alcohol unless those markings are completely covered.
In short, USPS is never a legal option. Attempting to use USPS can result in package returns, fines, or worse.
UPS – Allowed Only for Licensed Shippers
UPS will ship beer, but not for just anyone. UPS policy states that you must be a licensed alcohol shipper and sign an official UPS Alcohol Shipping Agreement to send alcohol with them. This means UPS mainly works with businesses like breweries, wineries, or retailers that have proper liquor licenses. You also need a special account with UPS – you can’t walk into a UPS Store as a private person and ship a package of beer.
Even for those allowed shippers, UPS has additional requirements:
- The beer must be tightly and securely packaged (foam inserts, sturdy corrugated boxes, etc.) so nothing breaks.
- The box has to be clearly labeled to show it contains alcohol (UPS provides special label stickers for this).
- Adult Signature Required: The recipient must be 21 or older and show ID to sign for the package upon delivery. No leaving it at the doorstep if no one’s home – that beer isn’t going anywhere unless an adult is there to receive it.
UPS also adheres to state laws on alcohol delivery. It only ships beer and wine between select states and only to licensed businesses or retailers, not to general consumers in every state. In practice, that means UPS will refuse a beer order to a state that bans alcohol shipments to consumers.
FedEx – Allowed Only for Licensed Shippers
FedEx’s rules for shipping beer are similar to UPS. FedEx will carry beer, wine, and spirits shipments only for approved shippers – typically businesses who hold liquor licenses. In FedEx’s terms, you must be a FedEx-approved alcohol shipper and sign an Alcohol Shipping Agreement with them. Consumers cannot simply drop off a package containing beer at a FedEx location; FedEx policy explicitly says that individuals may not ship alcohol of any type via FedEx.
If a company is shipping beer via FedEx, they have to:
- Use proper protective packing (to prevent breakage or leaks).
- Use FedEx’s own labels indicating the box contains alcohol.
- Ensure an adult 21+ will sign for the delivery (just like UPS).
- Follow any reporting requirements – for example, FedEx requires that shipments be trackable and often reported to state regulators (they have reference codes like “$AW” to tag alcohol shipments in their system).
In short, FedEx won’t ship beer for you as an individual, only for licensed senders. They take the same precautions: ID checks, special labels, and abiding by state shipping laws.
| Carrier | Can I Ship Beer as an Individual? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| USPS (Postal Service) | No. 🚫 | Federal law forbids mailing any alcoholic beverages via USPS. Even packaging with alcohol logos is rejected. |
| UPS (United Parcel Service) | Not directly. ⚠️ | Only licensed alcohol shippers with an official UPS agreement can send beer. No general public drop-offs; adult signature required on delivery. |
| FedEx | Not directly. ⚠️ | Only available to pre-approved, licensed shippers with a FedEx alcohol shipping contract. No consumer shipments; must follow special labeling & rules. |
Why Are Beer Shipping Laws So Complicated?
Alcohol is regulated the way it is largely due to the Prohibition era. When Prohibition was repealed by the 21st Amendment in 1933, the federal ban on alcohol ended, but the 21st Amendment gave each state the power to set its own alcohol rules. This means each state can completely control if and how alcohol is made, distributed, and sold within its borders. Over time, this led to a patchwork of regulations. Some states opened up and allowed alcohol sales/shipping more freely, others kept things very restricted (or even “dry” in certain counties).
50 States, 50 Different Rules: Today, there is no single national law that says “you can (or can’t) ship beer to someone’s house.” Instead, you have to look at two sets of laws: the laws of the state where you’re shipping from and the laws of the state you’re shipping to.
Alcohol Shipping Laws by State
Let’s talk specifics: Where is it actually legal to ship beer to consumers? Compared to wine, far fewer states welcome direct beer shipments. As of 2025, only around 10 to 12 states (plus Washington, D.C.) explicitly allow direct-to-consumer beer shipping from breweries or out-of-state retailers. All the other states either heavily restrict it or ban it outright. That’s a huge difference from wine, where about 47 states allow wineries to ship to customers.
In general, you must verify the laws in both the sender’s state and the destination state. For example, Utah has a notorious ban – no direct alcohol shipments are allowed to consumers there. Alabama was a dry-state holdout for a long time (though it recently started allowing some wine shipments with permits).
Because laws change often, national shipping services recommend having local merchants handle deliveries. As one expert notes, “you will have to ship directly from the retailer or distributor – local merchants are expected to know their own rules, and can serve as a great source of quick answers when you are considering buying a gift”. In other words, let a retailer or gift company that understands those state rules do the shipping for you.
| State | Can Individuals Send Beer? | Can Licensed Retailers Ship Beer? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | ❌ No | ❌ No | Direct-to-consumer (DTC) beer shipments are not allowed. |
| Alaska | ❌ No | ❌ No | Some in-state DTC wine shipments allowed, but beer is restricted. |
| Arizona | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Licensed retailers can ship beer to consumers. |
| Arkansas | ❌ No | ❌ No | Beer shipments are prohibited. |
| California | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | One of the most beer-friendly states for licensed retailers. |
| Colorado | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Allows DTC beer shipping with proper licensing. |
| Connecticut | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Licensed beer shipments permitted. |
| Delaware | ❌ No | ❌ No | DTC beer shipments not allowed. |
| Florida | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Licensed shipping allowed; popular destination for beer gifts. |
| Georgia | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Licensed retailers can ship beer. |
| Hawaii | ❌ No | ❌ No | Beer shipping prohibited. |
| Idaho | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | DTC beer shipping allowed with license. |
| Illinois | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Licensed shipping permitted. |
| Indiana | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Legal for licensed entities only. |
| Iowa | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Permits DTC beer shipments from licensed sellers. |
| Kansas | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Retailers can ship with proper license. |
| Kentucky | ❌ No | ❌ No | DTC beer shipments not allowed. |
| Louisiana | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Legal for licensed retailers. |
| Maine | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Allows DTC beer shipping. |
| Maryland | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Retailers can legally ship beer. |
| Massachusetts | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Licensed shipments permitted. |
| Michigan | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Legal for licensed entities. |
| Minnesota | ❌ No | ❌ No | DTC beer shipments not allowed. |
| Mississippi | ❌ No | ❌ No | No alcohol DTC shipments permitted. |
| Missouri | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Allows licensed beer shipments. |
| Montana | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Permits DTC beer shipping with proper authorization. |
| Nebraska | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Retailers can ship beer legally. |
| Nevada | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | One of the more lenient states for DTC alcohol shipments. |
| New Hampshire | ❌ No | ❌ No | Does not allow beer shipments to consumers. |
| New Jersey | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Licensed beer shipments allowed. |
| New Mexico | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Retailers may ship beer. |
| New York | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Legal for licensed beer shipments. |
| North Carolina | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Retailers can ship to consumers. |
| North Dakota | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | DTC shipments allowed from licensed parties. |
| Ohio | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Permitted with the right licenses. |
| Oklahoma | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Retailers allowed to ship beer. |
| Oregon | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Allows DTC beer shipments. |
| Pennsylvania | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Legal for licensed retailers only. |
| Rhode Island | ❌ No | ❌ No | No direct beer shipping allowed. |
| South Carolina | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Beer shipping allowed under license. |
| South Dakota | ❌ No | ❌ No | Shipping beer to consumers not allowed. |
| Tennessee | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Retailer DTC shipments allowed. |
| Texas | ❌ No | ❌ No | Does not permit direct beer shipping. |
| Utah | ❌ No | ❌ No | All alcohol DTC shipping banned. |
| Vermont | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Retailers may ship beer with licensing. |
| Virginia | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Allows DTC beer shipments. |
| Washington | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Beer shipping permitted with license. |
| West Virginia | ❌ No | ❌ No | No direct beer shipping allowed. |
| Wisconsin | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Retailers may ship beer. |
| Wyoming | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | DTC beer shipments allowed with license. |
| Washington, D.C. | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Legal for licensed parties to ship beer. |
How to Send Beer as a Gift (Legally)
The bottom line: the only sure-fire legal way for an individual to send beer is to use a licensed beer gift delivery service. Instead of you packing up glass bottles and wrestling with postal laws, you can order through a company that is specifically set up to ship beer legally.
GiveThemBeer is one such service (and hey, it’s our specialty!). Companies like ours work within the legal channels: we’re licensed to sell alcohol and have partnerships with carriers like UPS to ship it. Here’s how using a professional beer gift delivery service takes the hassle (and worry) out of sending beer:
Benefits of Using a Beer Gift Delivery Service
- No Legal Hassles: A licensed service takes care of the legal compliance for you. We know the patchwork of state laws and only ship where it’s allowed. All the necessary permits, age verifications, and carrier agreements are handled on the business side, so you’re not breaking any rules. You get to be the thoughtful friend sending a gift, and we ensure it’s done above board.
- Proper Packaging: Ever tried wrapping beer bottles in bubble wrap? We have, and we’ve gotten pretty good at it! Beer gift services use professional packing materials designed for shipping alcohol. Sturdy foam inserts, padded dividers, leak-resistant seals – all these mean your beer gift is far less likely to break in transit. The package won’t reveal its boozy contents either; it’ll be discreet and secure. This significantly reduces the chance of any “oops” moments during delivery.
- Convenience and Ease: Instead of you lugging a box to the post office (only to be turned away) or figuring out which shipping company might take your package, you can order online from home. With GiveThemBeer, for example, you just pick a beer gift set, place your order, and we handle the rest. The beer is shipped from our facility direct to your recipient’s doorstep. You’ll get tracking info so you can watch the journey.
- Guaranteed Delivery (Adult Signature): Because services like ours follow the rules, we ensure that upon delivery, an adult 21+ shows valid ID and signs for the package. This not only keeps us compliant with laws, but it ensures your gift actually ends up in the right hands. If they miss the first attempt, carriers will usually try again or hold at a location for pickup with ID.
- Great Selection of Beers: One big perk of going through a beer gift service is the variety. We curate awesome beer selections, from popular IPAs and stouts to rare craft brews, which you might not easily gather yourself. You can delight your beer-loving recipient with options they might never find locally, all delivered legally to their door.
Licensed gift companies take on all the risk and legwork. They know the proper license requirements and federal/state regulations, so you can avoid accidentally breaking the law. They even pre-check shipping restrictions: for example, on our website, if you try to deliver to one of the blocked states, the checkout will alert you that we cannot fulfill that order. This way, you can simply order a beer gift and let the pros worry about the legal and logistical details.
States We Cannot Ship To (for GiveThemBeer)
Due to the laws discussed above, we do not ship beer to the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia, or Utah. These restrictions are not our choice; they are enforced by state law. (We spell this out on our Delivery Information page so customers know up front.) If you enter an address in one of these states at checkout, our system will prevent the order from going through.
Leave Beer Gifting to the Pros
At the end of the day, mailing beer yourself is far more trouble than it’s worth. It involves navigating USPS prohibitions, carrier contracts, state regulations, and fragile packaging all at once. Licensed beer gift companies solve these problems for you. We handle all the licensing requirements, packing, and paperwork, ensuring your beer gift ships legally and arrives safely. You get the benefit of tracking info and adult signature confirmation, and none of the legal liability.
So kick back with a cold one and let the professionals at GiveThemBeer take care of the heavy lifting. We’ll package your beer in durable shipping boxes with extra cushioning, ensure it’s properly labeled, and deliver it to your recipient (where legally allowed) with an adult signature. Cheers!
