Is it legal to drive alcohol across a state line when moving?

It depends on the states involved. Most states allow a personal quantity moving with a household, but some set limits or require a permit. Check the destination state's alcohol beverage control agency, because there is no single national rule.

Will movers pack and carry alcohol?

Many household movers list alcohol as a non allowable item and will not load it. Ask your company directly, in advance, and plan to carry it in your own vehicle if the answer is no.

Is shipping wine to my new home the same thing?

No. Shipping is treated as a commercial activity and is restricted in many states even where carrying your own bottles is not. The two questions have different answers.

Does one state's rule apply everywhere?

No. State alcohol law is state specific and changes over time. Never apply the rule you read about one state to another state or to a previous year.

Moving Guide

How to Transport Alcohol Over State Lines

Published December 16, 2012 · Written for MovingGuru readers since 2013

The short answer

There is no single national rule. The federal government leaves alcohol to the states, so what matters is the law of the state you are entering. Most states do not restrict a reasonable personal quantity moving with a household, several set quantity limits or permit requirements, and a few control alcohol far more tightly. Check the destination state's alcohol beverage control agency before you load anything, and remember that a personal move and a commercial shipment are treated very differently.

Can you go to jail for transporting beer?

You probably won’t. However, theoretically, it’s possible in some states.

If you’re transporting alcohol within a state, you have nothing to worry about. However, transporting alcohol over state lines is a different. Read on to ensure you and your alcohol arrive at your new home without a ticket, or worse.

Is It Legal to Transport Alcohol into a New State?

The basic answer is “maybe”. The Federal government (which controls all the states) does not care where you drive with alcohol. However, some states do care – for example, Pennsylvania prohibits bringing alcohol into the state.

The vast majority of states don’t care whether you enter, leave or stay within their lines with alcohol. In fact, since Tennessee abandoned its foolish laws against alcohol transportation two years ago, the only state that prohibits alcohol importing that I know of is Pennsylvania. But I haven’t researched the laws of every. single. state. If you’re moving to one, you should…

How to Find Out If You Can Transport Alcohol into a State

There are three resources for determining whether you can enter a state with alcohol.

State Statutes – Each state’s laws are established in their statutes, and each state’s statutes are available for free online. Most have search functions, too, allowing you to pinpoint the term “alcohol.”
Online Articles – Try searching online for an article about your state’s alcohol laws.
Alcohol Sellers – Contact a liquor store or winery near the state’s border, and ask if they are familiar with the law. Considering their location and field, they probably are.

(Learn how to care for your booze when moving!)

Hiding Your Alcohol

Even if the states you’ll be entering don’t care about alcohol transportation, it’s best to hide your alcohol by packing it firmly in a box(es) and putting it in the trunk. Here’s why:

Police – If you get pulled over for running a stop sign, you generally don’t want five handles of alcohol in plain view in the back seat. Even if they are still sealed, it just doesn’t look good, and the police officer might start asking questions.
Thieves – Alcohol is expensive, and it’s a drug. That plenty of reason for morally misguided people to break into your car.
Protection – Packing your bottles of alcohol in soft packaging is the best way to keep them from breaking.

(Learn how to care for your wine when moving!)

Can I Ship My Alcohol?

No.

The U.S. Postal Service, UPS and FedEx all will not ship alcohol unless you are a licensed distributor. And even if you are licensed, it can be tough.

But, really, how do they know if your package contains alcohol? Truth of the matter is they probably don’t. Someone I might or might not know once mailed a bottle of Pliny the Elder to his grandfather 2,000 miles away, and no one cared in the least. Additionally, beer enthusiasts commonly mail beers to each other, because, for example, Minnesota’s finest brewery may not distribute in California.

Nevertheless, it’s not allowed, and if discovered, your package could be confiscated or worse.

Learn more about how to keep your different alcohols from spoiling during the moving process.

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Wine

Liquor Collection

Why the answers change so often

The original article below still describes the shape of the problem correctly: the federal government is not the obstacle, individual states are. What it cannot do is stay current, because state alcohol statutes are amended regularly and one state's rule is never proof of another state's rule. Treat anything you read, here included, as a prompt to check the current source rather than as the final word.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau maintains a directory of state alcohol beverage control boards. That directory is the practical starting point: find the agency for your destination state and read its guidance on personal importation, then do the same for any state you pass through if you are carrying an unusual quantity.

Personal move or commercial shipment?

	Personal household move	Commercial shipping
What it is	Your own alcohol moving with your household goods	Alcohol sold, shipped or carried for someone else
Who sets the rules	State alcohol law in the states involved	State licensing plus federal permits and carrier rules
Typical limits	Quantity thresholds vary by state, some require a permit	Licences and permits are normally required
Carrier position	Many movers decline alcohol entirely	Only licensed carriers handle it

Shipping wine to yourself through a parcel carrier is a commercial question and is normally restricted regardless of what you are allowed to drive across a line yourself. Do not assume the two answers match.

Practical steps before you drive

Check the destination state's alcohol beverage control agency for personal importation rules.
Ask your moving company whether alcohol is on its non allowable list before move day.
Keep bottles sealed, boxed, upright and out of the passenger compartment.
Keep receipts for anything valuable in case you are asked what it is.
Remember open container rules apply inside the vehicle regardless of state lines.

This page is general information, not legal advice. State alcohol statutes change and differ from one another, so confirm the current rule with the relevant state agency, or with a qualified professional, before you rely on it.

Packing a collection is its own job. The liquor collection guide and types of moving boxes cover dish pack cartons and dividers, which are what bottles should travel in.

Sources: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) · FMCSA Protect Your Move. Rules, programs and prices change, so check the source before you rely on it.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to drive alcohol across a state line when moving?: It depends on the states involved. Most states allow a personal quantity moving with a household, but some set limits or require a permit. Check the destination state's alcohol beverage control agency, because there is no single national rule.
Will movers pack and carry alcohol?: Many household movers list alcohol as a non allowable item and will not load it. Ask your company directly, in advance, and plan to carry it in your own vehicle if the answer is no.
Is shipping wine to my new home the same thing?: No. Shipping is treated as a commercial activity and is restricted in many states even where carrying your own bottles is not. The two questions have different answers.
Does one state's rule apply everywhere?: No. State alcohol law is state specific and changes over time. Never apply the rule you read about one state to another state or to a previous year.

Filed under:Difficult Things to Move Moving Safety