Compliant Bootlegger · All wholesale states · DTC tool
North Carolina 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.
North Carolina — wine
Distribution overview
- Control-state restrictions
- North Carolina is a control state for Fortified Wines. Any product meeting that definition may only be distributed in the state through the North Carolina Alcohol Beverage Control Commission. Unless clearly indicated, the rules below apply to the sale of Non-Fortified Wine in 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
- Nonresident Wine Vendor – enables sales to both private wholesalers and the North Carolina ABC
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - State license fee
- $100 annually
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Bond requirement
- Not required, but based on circumstances, the North Carolina ABC may require a Nonresident Vendor to furnish a bond of no more than $2000
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Sales representative requirements
- Yes – Vendor Representative Permit, $50 annually
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Product & territory registrations
- Product / label registration
- Yes – Label; Fortified Wines need to be “listed” with the North Carolina ABC, in a process similar but distinctive from the standard label registration
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Price posting
- No – but for Fortified Wines, the listing process includes strict price management
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, but only if distributing a total of more than 1,250 cases per year into North Carolina; a winery may not assign more than one Wholesaler per brand for a given territory
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 3 liters per brand per retailer, only of brand the retailer has not purchased in previous calendar year
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
- $0.2634 per liter on unfortified wine; $0.2934 per liter on fortified wine
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier excise-tax responsibility
- No – but Nonresident Wine Vendors may elect to pay excise taxes in place of their North Carolina wholesalers
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier reporting
- Yes – Monthly B-C-786
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
North Carolina — 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
- Nonresident Malt Beverage Vendor
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - State license fee
- $100 annually
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Bond requirement
- Not required, but based on circumstances, the NC commission may require a Nonresident vendor to furnish a bond of no more than $2000
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Sales representative requirements
- Yes – Vendor Representative Permit $50 annually
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Product & territory registrations
- Product / label registration
- Yes – Label
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Price posting
- No
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 3 gallons per brand per retailer, only of brand the retailer has not purchased in previous calendar year
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
- $0.6171 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 B-C-715
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
North Carolina — spirits
Distribution overview
- Control-state restrictions
- Yes, North Carolina 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
- Out-of-state suppliers of spirits must receive both a Supplier Permit from the North Carolina ABC and a Certificate of Authority to do business in North Carolina from the Secretary of State; both applications can be found here.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - State license fee
- There is no fee for a Supplier Permit for out-of-state spirits suppliers to sell to the North Carolina 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
- Licensed Distiller Representatives in North Carolina may provide samples to on-premises retailers in standard size containers, though all samples must be purchased from the local ABC board and be labeled as a sample. Samples to off-premises retailers may only be given to the supervisor or manager of the local ABC board but not to store managers.
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, North Carolina 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
- Suppliers must be represented by a broker, approved by the North Carolina ABC, who will represent the Supplier to the ABC, but may otherwise be independent from the Supplier. Brokers and their employees must hold a Broker Representative Permit. In addition, suppliers may have permitted Supplier Representatives who can show their products for local listings in the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Listing representative license
- Both Brokers and Distiller Representatives must be licensed by the North Carolina ABC. Brokers, though, are independently licensed from a Supplier Permittee.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Listing schedule
- North Carolina holds twice-yearly meetings in January and July to consider new products.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Container size limits
- North Carolina 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
- North Carolina requires proposed listings to include a product description and formal price quote. Select market data, such as lists of other states where the product is sold and market trends in those states, may also be required.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Board pricing
- North Carolina imposes a lengthy pricing guideline, incorporating freight and handling and bailment fees, along with mark-up charges to determine their prices. A schematic of the state's pricing guideline is available on the ABC Information for New Suppliers webpage.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Price changes
- Price changes must be formally submitted to the North Carolina ABC for approval 60 days prior to their taking effect. Price changes may only occur on the first of February, May, August or November in a year.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Product codes
- North Carolina uses its own product codes.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Further listing guidance
- Contact the North Carolina ABC: https://abc.nc.gov/Pricing/NewSuppliers.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
North Carolina — cider
Distribution overview
- Control-state restrictions
- Yes, North Carolina 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
- No, an out-of-state cider manufacturer may not self-distribute to retailers in North Carolina.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Licensing
- Supplier license / registration
- North Carolina requires out-of-state cideries to hold a Nonresident Wine Vendor license to sell to North Carolina wholesalers.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - State license fee
- A North Carolina Nonresident Wine Vendor license costs $100.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Bond requirement
- Generally, North Carolina does not require license applicants to hold a bond in the state, but based on circumstances, the ABC may require a Nonresident Vendor to furnish a bond of no more than $2,000.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Sales representative requirements
- Yes, North Carolina requires salespersons employed by suppliers to hold a Vendor's Representative License.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.
Product & territory registrations
- Product / label registration
- Yes, North Carolina 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
- No, North Carolina does not require posting prices.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Filing distributor agreements
- Yes, North Carolina 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, North Carolina requires territory assignments to be filed with state regulators, but only if distributing a total of 1,250 cases into the state.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Exclusive territory / brand rules
- Yes, North Carolina 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 North Carolina, suppliers can provide a maximum of three liters as samples to retailers, but only of brands the retailer has not purchased in the last 12 months.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Franchise restrictions
- Yes, in North Carolina 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, North Carolina 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, North Carolina 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
- North Carolina imposes a tax on cider of $0.2634 per liter.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier excise-tax responsibility
- Not inherently, but Nonresident Wine Vendors may elect to pay excise taxes in place of their North Carolina wholesalers.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law. - Supplier reporting
- North Carolina requires out-of-state cider suppliers to file the B-C-786 form.
Source guide retrieved 2026-10-08; retrieval is not verification of current law.