Alcohol regulations in Montana

Licences needed

Federal TTB Basic Permit (Distilled Spirits Plant), Montana Domestic Distillery License (MCA 16-4-311), and local municipal/county business licenses.

Authority

Montana Department of Revenue - Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division (CARD).

Documents

CARD domestic distillery application (via TransAction Portal/TAP), TTB Federal Basic Permit, premises floor plans, fingerprint cards/background checks for owners with 15%+ interest, CARD Authorization to Disclose Tax Information, lease/deed agreements, and local zoning/building approvals.

Fees

$500 new domestic distillery license fee; $200 processing fee; $30 per fingerprint card; $400 annual license fee for each storage depot plus $100 depot processing fee.

Time to obtain

Approximately 60 to 120 days from submission of a complete application.

Who can import

Out-of-state distilled spirits manufacturers and federal basic permit holders who register with CARD and obtain listing through the state wholesale monopoly; spirits must be shipped directly to the state central liquor warehouse in Helena. In-state licensed distilleries may import bulk spirits for manufacturing and blending.

Licences or registrations

Vendor Registration / Certificate of Approval and Registered Vendor Representative Permit (for agents marketing spirits to agency stores).

Authority

Montana Department of Revenue - Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division (CARD).

Documents

TTB Basic Permit, TTB Certificate of Label Approval (COLA), Montana Vendor Registration application, Standard Quotation and Specification Form, and distributor/broker agreements.

Fees

$0 for basic vendor registration; $100 annual fee for Vendor Representative Permit.

Time to obtain

30 to 60 days for vendor and product listing approval.

Required

yes

Process

All alcoholic beverage products and labels must be registered and approved by CARD before entering the Montana market. For distilled spirits, vendors must submit products for state listing via the state TransAction Portal (TAP) along with a Standard Quotation and Specification Form to calculate the posted wholesale price.

Authority

Montana Department of Revenue - Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division (CARD).

Documents and samples

Federal TTB COLA, high-resolution product label images, packaging images, and completed Standard Quotation and Specification Form; physical samples are generally not required for listing submission unless specifically requested.

Fees

No dedicated state fee per label submission; posted pricing administrative schedules apply.

Renewal

Labels remain active unless product specs, formulations, or labels change, requiring a new submission; vendor licenses renew annually by June 30 or September 30.

Time to obtain

Typically 15 to 30 business days.

Distilled spirits must pass through the state wholesale monopoly. Shipments must be consigned to the Montana Department of Revenue central bailment warehouse in Helena on a bailment or purchase-order basis. Commercial spirits cannot bypass the state warehouse directly to retailers, except that licensed small in-state microdistilleries (<25,000 gallons/year) may self-deliver directly to agency liquor stores with state invoicing. Customs clearance and federal border requirements must be met before delivery to the state.

Spirits imported from abroad are subject to US Federal Customs Duties under Chapter 22 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS 2208) (ranging from duty-free to ~$0.25/proof liter depending on spirits classification and trade agreements). Montana state does not assess customs duties.

State Markup: Standard 40.5% state markup on cost (51% for fortified wine >16% ABV). State Liquor Excise Tax (MCA 16-1-401): 3% of retail selling price for nationwide production <20,000 proof gallons; 8% for 20,000–50,000 proof gallons; 13.8% for 50,001–200,000 proof gallons; 16% for >200,000 proof gallons. State Liquor License Tax (MCA 16-1-404): 2% of retail price for production <=50,000 proof gallons; 8.6% for 50,001–200,000 proof gallons; 10% for >200,000 proof gallons. General State Sales Tax: 0% (Montana has no statewide sales tax; local resort communities may assess up to 3% resort tax).

State monopoly at wholesale; retail distribution of distilled spirits is restricted to contracted, privately owned State Agency Liquor Stores (approx. 95–97 quota-based agency stores statewide). Grocery and convenience stores may sell beer and table wine up to 16% ABV, but not spirits. On-premises retail (bars, restaurants) operates under quota-based all-beverage licenses and must purchase spirits from local agency liquor stores. In-state distillers may serve samples (max 2 oz per person/day) and sell up to 1.75 L per customer/day for off-premise consumption from their tasting rooms. Agency stores set operating hours within state legal boundaries (not allowed between 2:00 AM and 8:00 AM).

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping of distilled spirits is prohibited; direct shipping permits exist only for wine direct shippers. Delivery of distilled spirits to consumers is banned under state law. (Note: Effective January 1, 2026, Montana licensed third-party services like DoorDash/Uber Eats to deliver beer and table wine from off-premise retailers, but spirits remain strictly excluded).

Requires adherence to federal TTB standards (net contents, alcohol volume, producer identity, Government Warning regarding pregnancy and machinery operation) in English. Alcoholic strength must be stated in ABV. Montana requires state label registration via TAP prior to commercial sale. No individual state excise physical strip stamp is required.

State follows federal alcohol advertising rules prohibiting false, deceptive, or minor-appealing marketing. Exterior commercial signs or advertisements promoting specific alcohol manufacturers/brands at retail licensee premises face restrictions (e.g., permanent brand signage on exterior walls is limited, temporary marquee promotions cannot exceed 10 days per display period under MCA 16-3-244).

Spirits definitions and classifications conform to US 27 CFR Part 5 standards of identity. In Montana statute (MCA 16-1-106), 'Liquor' legally encompasses all distilled spirits, beverages above 0.5% ABV not qualifying as beer or table wine, malt beverages exceeding 8.75% ABV, beer exceeding 14% ABV, and wine containing more than 24% ABV.

dry areas exist; While Montana counties are all 'wet' under state local option provisions, several sovereign Native American Indian reservations within Montana enforce independent tribal alcohol laws, including complete prohibition or reservation-specific retail restrictions.

• Implementation of House Bill 211 (effective January 1, 2026) creating a Third-Party Alcohol Delivery License permitting licensed delivery networks to deliver beer and table wine from off-premise retailers, while explicitly maintaining the prohibition against delivering distilled spirits.
• Consolidation and digital streamlining of alcohol brand/label approvals, vendor representative filings, and tax reporting through the state TransAction Portal (TAP) under the unified Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division (CARD).
• Updates to colocated licensing and tasting room compliance rules under MCA 16-4-401 and 16-4-311, adjusting operations for distilleries holding on-premises retail privileges.

Foreign spirits exporters must secure state listing with the Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division to place products into the Helena central warehouse bailment system, which guarantees distribution access across Montana's network of agency liquor stores. Exporters producing under 50,000 proof gallons nationwide also benefit from significantly reduced state excise and license tax tiers.

• Montana Department of Revenue - Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division (CARD)
• Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) - US Federal

1. Montana Code Annotated (MCA) Title 16 - Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana
2. Montana Department of Revenue - Alcoholic Beverage Control / CARD
3. NABCA - Montana Jurisdiction Profile