This blog was last updated on July 14, 2020

Earlier this year, Kentucky passed a bill enabling direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping of wine, beer, and spirits by licensed suppliers. When the bill was originally passed, it was expected it would take effect by July 15, 2020.

However, as our partners at Wine Institute recently confirmed, the state is instituting a delay on the implementation of these DtC laws until the associated regulations have been enacted, which would enable the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission to prepare the necessary license application processes.

Until such regulations are put into place, the ABC will not permit DtC shipping of alcohol under these new rules.

The process for drafting and enacting the necessary regulations is time consuming, requiring a full notice-and-comment period. It is expected that this will take several months before the regulations and application processes are available and DtC shipping of alcohol to Kentucky will be able to proceed.

Sovos ShipCompliant will continue to monitor updates from Kentucky and will provide more information on when DtC shipping to there can begin as it becomes available.