Compliant Bootlegger · All wholesale states · DTC tool
Maine Wholesale Distribution Reference
Three-tier distribution reference for out-of-state suppliers of wine, beer, spirits and cider. General information, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with state authorities. Listed agency fees are not Compliant Bootlegger service fees.
Maine — wine
Distribution overview
- Control-state restrictions
- No, unless the wine exceeds 24% ABV
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Self-distribution to retailers
- Only parties licensed as a Small Winery (who may not produce more than 50,000 gallons annually) may self-distribute
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Licensing
- Supplier license / registration
- Certificate of Approval
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - State license fee
- 1000; or $120 if shipping only 120 gallons or less per year
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Bond requirement
- No
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Sales representative requirements
- Yes – Sales Representative License
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Product & territory registrations
- Product / label registration
- Yes – per label
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Price posting
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Filing distributor agreements
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Filing territory assignments
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Exclusive territory / brand rules
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Distributor relationships
- Retailer samples
- Max of 9 liters to a retail licensee per year; samples must be labeled as samples; taxes must be paid
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Franchise restrictions
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Primary-source purchasing rules
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Warehouse / come-to-rest requirements
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Taxes & reporting
- State excise tax
- $0.60 per gallon of all still wine, in total; $1.24 per gallon of all sparkling wine, in total
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier excise-tax responsibility
- No
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier reporting
- Yes – Report of Wine Shipments
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Maine — beer
Distribution overview
- Control-state restrictions
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Self-distribution to retailers
- No
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Licensing
- Supplier license / registration
- Certificate of Approval
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - State license fee
- $1000 annually, if selling over 120 gallons per year into Maine; $100 annually, if selling 120 gallons or less per year into Maine
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Bond requirement
- No
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Sales representative requirements
- Yes – not required to have a salesperson, but all Sales Representatives must be licensed, for $50 per year
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Product & territory registrations
- Product / label registration
- Yes – Brand; also registration with Maine Department of Environmental Protection for a bottle deposit is required
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Price posting
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Filing distributor agreements
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Filing territory assignments
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Exclusive territory / brand rules
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Distributor relationships
- Retailer samples
- Max of 9 gallons to a retail licensee per year; samples must be labeled as samples; taxes must be paid
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Franchise restrictions
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Primary-source purchasing rules
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Warehouse / come-to-rest requirements
- Yes
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Taxes & reporting
- State excise tax
- $0.35 per gallon
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier excise-tax responsibility
- No
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier reporting
- Yes – monthly Report of Malt Liquor Shipments
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Maine — spirits
Distribution overview
- Control-state restrictions
- Yes, Maine is a control state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Self-distribution to retailers
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Licensing
- Supplier license / registration
- Yes, Maine requires a Certificate of Approval for out-of-state spirits suppliers to sell to the control board.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - State license fee
- Maine charges $100, if transporting 450 or fewer liters per year, or $1,000, if transporting over 450 liters per year, for its license for out-of-state spirits suppliers to sell to the control board.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Bond requirement
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Sales representative requirements
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Product & territory registrations
- Product / label registration
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Price posting
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Filing distributor agreements
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Filing territory assignments
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Exclusive territory / brand rules
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Distributor relationships
- Retailer samples
- A licensed sales representative may provide samples of spirits to Maine retailers only if the product is listed for sale in Maine and is labeled as a sample. Samples must come from the supplier's bailment inventory held at the state's warehouses.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Franchise restrictions
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Primary-source purchasing rules
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Warehouse / come-to-rest requirements
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Taxes & reporting
- State excise tax
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier excise-tax responsibility
- Not reported by source; confirm with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier reporting
- No, Maine does not require a follow up reports from spirits suppliers for sales to its control board.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Control-board listing process
- Who may present a listing
- Only licensed local brokers may present products for listing with the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations. A list of licensed brokers is available on the BABLO website.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Listing representative license
- All brokers must be licensed by the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations. If a supplier wants to be represented by someone who is not currently on the list provided by BABLO, that person must be a Maine resident and receive a Maine Sales Representative License for $50.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Listing schedule
- Maine considers new requests for spirits listings on a monthly basis. Contact the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations directly for more specific dates.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Container size limits
- Maine does not impose size limits on spirits product listings.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Listing submission information
- All proposed new spirits SKU listings in Maine must include a COLA, an electronic sell sheet, a $150 listing fee per size, and a sample bottle. Maine uses the NABCA Price Quotation Reporting System for listings. Brokers must also complete an ACH authorization form for payments.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Board pricing
- In Maine, retail prices are determined by a combination of the wholesale price, a markup, a $1.25 per proof gallon premium tax, and minimum state profits. Markups and minimum state profits are provided based on the category and bottle size of the spirits product. A schedule is available on the "Becoming a Spirits Supplier" page of the BABLO website.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Price changes
- Price changes must be formally submitted to the Maine BABLO for approval 90 days prior to their taking effect. Price changes may only occur on the first of February, May, August or November in a year, though new spirits products may be listed at any time at the ABC's discretion.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Product codes
- Maine uses NABCA product codes.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Further listing guidance
- Contact the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages & Lottery Operations: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bablo/spirits/becoming-a-spirits-supplier.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Maine — cider
Distribution overview
- Control-state restrictions
- Yes, Maine is a control state, but cider is sold in the private sector.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Self-distribution to retailers
- Only parties licensed as a Small Winery (who may not produce more than 50,000 gallons annually) may self-distribute to retailers in Maine.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Licensing
- Supplier license / registration
- Maine requires out-of-state cideries to hold a Certificate of Approval to sell to Maine wholesalers.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - State license fee
- A Maine Certficiate of Approval costs $1,000, or $120 if shipping only 120 gallons or less per year into the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Bond requirement
- Maine does not require suppliers to hold a bond in the state to apply for a license.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Sales representative requirements
- Yes, Maine requires salespersons employed by a supplier to hold a Sales Representative License.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Product & territory registrations
- Product / label registration
- Yes, Maine requires that cider products are registered per label before they can be sold to in-state wholesalers.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Price posting
- Yes, Maine requires suppliers to regularly post their prices with the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Filing distributor agreements
- Yes, Maine requires Distributor Agreements to be filed with state regulators.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Filing territory assignments
- Yes, Maine requires territory assignments to be filed with state regulators.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Exclusive territory / brand rules
- Yes, Maine has rules on the exclusivity of territory or brand assignments between suppliers and their wholesalers.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Distributor relationships
- Retailer samples
- In Maine, suppliers can provide a maximum of nine liters as samples to a retail licensee per year. The samples must be labeled as samples and taxes must be paid.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Franchise restrictions
- Yes, in Maine there are franchise rules that can restrict a supplier's ability to negotiate or cancel their distributor agreements.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Primary-source purchasing rules
- Yes, Maine has sourcing restrictions on from whom wholesalers can purchase.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Warehouse / come-to-rest requirements
- Yes, Maine requires cider to come to rest at a wholesaler warehouse before being delivered to retailers.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Taxes & reporting
- State excise tax
- In Maine, ciders with an ABV of 7% or less are taxed at $0.35 per gallon, and ciders with an ABV greater than 7% are taxed at $0.60 per gallon.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier excise-tax responsibility
- No, Maine wholesalers, not out-of-state suppliers, are required to pay the excise tax on ciders sold in the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier reporting
- Maine requires out-of-state cider suppliers to file the Report of Wine Shipments.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.