Florida State Alcohol Licensing
All U.S. states are regulated at a federal level according to the Federal Alcohol Administration Act. At a state level, Florida is overseen by the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco within the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). The agency is responsible for licensing, tax collection and auditing, fee collection, and enforcing the state’s laws and regulations. Selling alcohol in Florida, or any state you may be looking to do business in, requires knowledge of the state, county, and local alcohol laws to remain compliant. We’ve put together some of the most common questions covering the off and on-premise environments in the state. Should you have any other selling-related questions, please feel free to reach out to us.
- Manufacturers (breweries, wineries, distilleries, cideries, meaderies, and rectifiers)
- Wholesalers, also known as distributors
- Retailers (on-premise and off- premise)
In the simplest terms, manufacturers, sometimes referred to as producers, make the alcohol products. Wholesalers sell the alcohol to the retailers. Retailers sell the alcohol to consumers. While there are some exceptions to this flow of goods, this is the federally regulated route to market.
All businesses that deal with manufacturing, distributing, selling, or importing alcohol in Florida must be licensed.
As of 2022, there are over 150 licensed distillers and bottlers, over 400 breweries with active licenses, and approximately 35 wineries in the state of Florida.
Common Licenses for Manufacturers in Florida
Distiller of Spirituous Liquor – Engaged in manufacturing distilled spirits. License permits the manufacture of alcoholic beverages and the distribution of the same at wholesale to licensed distributors.
Distiller of Spirituous Liquor (Craft Distillery) – For manufacturers producing 250,000 gallons or less of distilled spirits per calendar year. May conduct tastings and sales of distilled spirits produced by the craft distilleries at Florida fairs, trade shows, farmers markets, expositions, and festivals.
Manufacturer of Malt Beverages – Engaged in brewing malt beverages. License permits the manufacture of alcoholic beverages and the distribution of the same at wholesale to licensed distributors.
Manufacturer of Wine and Cordials – Engaged in manufacturing of wines and cordials. License permits the manufacture of alcoholic beverages and the distribution of the same at wholesale to licensed distributors.
Manufacturer of Wine – Engaged in manufacturing or bottling wine. License permits the manufacture of alcoholic beverages and the distribution of the same at wholesale to licensed distributors.
Rectifier/Blender – Engaged in rectifying and blending spirituous liquors. License permits the manufacture of alcoholic beverages and the distribution of the same at wholesale to licensed distributors.
