Shipping wine to Delaware becomes legal on August 15, 2026, when House Bill 187 takes effect.1Delaware General Assembly. House Bill 187 – AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 4 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DIRECT PURCHASING AND SHIPMENT OF WINE Until that date, direct-to-consumer wine shipments to Delaware addresses are not authorized under the new law. Once the law is live, a Delaware household can receive up to three 9-liter cases per year, but only from wineries that don’t already work with a Delaware wholesaler.
When You Can Start Ordering
The governor signed HB 187 on August 15, 2025, and the statute takes effect exactly one year later, on August 15, 2026. The law also carries a sunset: it expires five years after taking effect unless the General Assembly renews it, so the current shipping window runs from August 2026 through mid-2031.
Which Wineries Can Ship to You
Only licensed wine producers qualify. The law covers Delaware farm wineries and out-of-state manufacturers that would qualify as farm wineries if they were located in Delaware.2Justia. Delaware Code Title 4 Chapter 5 Subchapter II Section 526-d-1 – Direct Shipping of Wine Wine retailers, grocery stores, and online wine clubs that don’t produce their own wine cannot get a direct shipper license.
There’s a second restriction that matters even more for what you can actually order. Any winery that already has a distribution agreement with a licensed Delaware wholesaler is barred from shipping directly to Delaware households, and this includes subsidiary brands under a larger producer with a wholesaler relationship in the state. As a rule of thumb, if a wine is already sitting on Delaware store shelves, its producer is almost certainly not eligible to ship it to your door. The direct channel is meant for wines Delaware’s existing retail network doesn’t carry.
To check before you buy, look at the OABCC’s list of manufacturers and products distributed by Delaware wholesalers, which the agency is required to maintain.3Delaware Code. Delaware Code Title 4 Chapter 5 Subchapter II Section 526
How Much Wine You Can Receive
Each household is capped at three 9-liter cases of wine per year, which works out to roughly 36 standard 750-milliliter bottles.1Delaware General Assembly. House Bill 187 – AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 4 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DIRECT PURCHASING AND SHIPMENT OF WINE The wine has to be for personal consumption. You cannot legally resell it.
What Delivery Will Look Like
Expect stricter delivery than a typical online order. The winery has to verify you’re at least 21 before processing the order. Every package must be labeled to show it contains alcohol and requires an adult signature. At the door, the carrier has to scan and retain the recipient’s ID and confirm they’re 21 or older, and delivery drivers must complete responsible-alcohol-delivery training.
If no one 21 or older is home to sign, the carrier cannot leave the package. After failed attempts, the shipment typically goes back to the winery.
One practical wrinkle: major carriers like UPS and FedEx have reportedly raised concerns about complying with the ID-scanning and driver-training requirements, which are stricter than most states’. If the national carriers decline to handle Delaware wine deliveries, wineries would need to route through smaller regional carriers holding a Delaware carrier permit, which could raise shipping costs and narrow your delivery options.
What It Will Cost
Delaware has no general sales tax, so you won’t see sales tax on the purchase. Wine coming into the state does carry Delaware’s excise tax of $1.63 per gallon, or about $0.33 per standard 750 ml bottle.4Delaware Department of Finance. Alcoholic Beverage Tax The licensed shipper collects and remits it, so you’ll see it either baked into the price or as a line item at checkout. Shipping is separate and set by the winery and carrier.
Before You Place an Order
Two checks are worth doing before you hit purchase in August 2026 or later. First, confirm the winery holds a Delaware Wine Direct Shipper License from the Office of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner. Second, check the OABCC’s wholesaler-distributed brand list to make sure the producer isn’t excluded from direct shipping because of an existing distribution deal. If a label you want is on that list, you’ll need to buy it through a Delaware retailer rather than direct from the winery.