If your business imports or distributes beer or wine to licensed retailers in Montana, you are a beer or wine wholesaler, distributor, or importer.
To qualify for a license, you must maintain:
- A fixed place of business,
- Sufficient capital, and
- The facilities to:
- Store,
- Receive,
- Handle, and
- Move beer or wine in large quantities.
A wholesaler or distributor may also apply for a separate license for each of its subwarehouses. A subwarehouse must meet all the same requirements for its license. (16-4-103, MCA)
Fees
Beer Wholesaler or Wine Distributor
| New License Fee | $400 |
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| Application Processing Fee | $200 |
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| Renewal fee | $400 |
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Beer Wholesaler or Wine Distributor Subwarehouse
| New License Fee | $400 |
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| Application Processing Fee | $100 |
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| Renewal fee | $400 |
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Combined Wholesaler and Distributor
| New License Fee | $800 |
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| Application Processing Fee | $200 |
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| Renewal fee | $800 |
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Combined Wholesaler and Distributor Subwarehouse
| New License Fee | $800 |
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| Application Processing Fee | $100 |
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| Renewal fee | $800 |
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Importer
| New License Fee | $0—$400 |
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| Application Processing Fee | $100 |
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| Direct Shipment Endorsement Fee | $50 |
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| Renewal fee | $0—$400 |
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The application processing fee only applies for original applications and is not applied to renewals.
License Requirements
Purchasing and Receiving Requirements
Before you receive shipments from a brewery or winery, you must have a distributorship agreement and ensure:
- The brewery or winery has a Montana license or registration,
- The labels have been approved by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division (ABCD).
You may pick up and receive product from an importer as long as the importer:
- Is a Montana license and registration, and
- Has a distributor agreement with the brewery or winery.
A distributor agreement must include:
- A designated territory, and
- Pricing requirements
Sales and Shipping Requirements
You may only deliver beer or wine to retailers and special permit holders in your designated territory.
Before you distribute products to a retailer, you must:
- Be sure all products are approved in Montana,
- File a copy of your wholesale/distributor agreement with the ABCD.
(16-3-222, 16-3-415, 16-3-416, 16-3-417, 16-3-418, 16-3-419, and 16-3-420, MCA)
Pricing Requirements
If you offer discounts for buying large quantities, you must offer that price to all retailers who purchase enough products to qualify.
Catered or Special Events Do's and Don'ts
A wholesaler or distributor may provide products for special events. Here are the guidelines for what you may and may not do:
Allowed:
- Setup equipment for the sale and service of beer and wine.
- Provide advice about beer and table wine.
- Deliver product to a special or catered event.
- Provide prizes for sweepstakes offered to consumers.
- Offer the same pricing and promotional support to all retailers.
- Deliver beer and wine to a licensed retailer.
- Sell and deliver beer and wine to a special or catering permittee.
- Accept return of product because the manufacturer has discontinued the product.
- Pour and serve beer and wine sampling to your customers and their employees on a licensed on-premises retail establishment.
- Allow employees, on their own time, to volunteer to pour beer and wine for a charity event.
- Leave samples of products at an off-premises establishment.
- Verify that a non-profit has received a special event permit before delivering product.
- Deliver products the day the special permittee has been approved for the event.
- Sell beer or wine to someone who has been issued temporary operating authority.
- Sell non-alcoholic products to licensed retailers.
- Furnish retailers with functional advertising that does not exceed $300.
NOT Allowed:
- Help sell and service beer and table wine.
- Pour or serve beer and table wine.
- Take back or accept returns of products after an event.
- Cooperatively purchase prizes with a retailer.
- Selectively offer better pricing and promotions to certain retailers.
- Ship beer and wine to a licensed retailer over the allowable limit.
- Drop off product at an event without selling it and pick the product back up.
- Accept returns because the retailer decides to take the item off their menu.
- Pour or serve beer and wine to the public.
- Allow employees wearing company apparel or identifying themselves as employees pour beer and wine at a charity event.
- Open and pour samples of product to an off-premises licensee at their licensed premises.
- Deliver product to an event location without verifying a permit has been issued.
- Store products for a special permittee that has been issued approved for several special events.
- Sell beer or wine to someone who has not provided proof of license or temporary operating authority.
- Give non-alcoholic products to retailers in order to secure draft handles and displays.
- Split advertising cost with a retailer.