Apply for an Alcoholic Beverages Wholesaler License (ABCC)

A Wholesaler license allows the holder to import product from licensed Certificate of Compliance holders, and to sell to Massachusetts retail (on-premises or off-premises) and wholesaler license holders.
Once an application is submitted via our eLicensing system, the typical turnaround time is 4 – 6 weeks.

Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission

The Details   of Apply for an Alcoholic Beverages Wholesaler License (ABCC)

What you need   for Apply for an Alcoholic Beverages Wholesaler License (ABCC)

To apply for a Wholesaler License pursuant to M.G.L. c. 138, § 18, you will need electronic copies of the documents listed below.

Required documents for ALL new Wholesale licenses:

  • Alcohol & Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) License
  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Facility Registration
  • Surety Bond, sometimes referred to as the excise tax bond. Entity must be bound unto the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the following amounts:
    • All Alcohol License $6,000
    • Wines and Malt License or Sacramental Wine $3,000
  • CORI Release Form for the liquor license manager.
  • Personal Information Form for anyone with Beneficial or Financial Interest in this license (any person or business entity with ownership).
  • Proof of Citizenship for the liquor license manager.
    • Any one of the following is acceptable: U.S. Passport, U.S. Passport Card, Birth Certificate, Voter Registration or Naturalization Papers.
  • Floor Plan of proposed premises to be licensed.
  • Lease / Occupancy Documents that show your right to store at the premises.
  • Financial Statement and Documents for the proposed transaction.

In addition:

    If entity applying is a business:

  • Vote of the Corporate Board or LLC is required authorizing any transaction you are applying for.
  • Business Structure Documents: Articles of Organization, Partnership Agreement, bankruptcy documents, estate documents, trust documents or business certificate, are required depending on your corporate structure.

    If pledging license, stock, beneficial interest, or inventory, the following is required:

    If applying for a transportation permit with your license:

  • Vehicle Registration for each vehicle being permitted.

Fees   for Apply for an Alcoholic Beverages Wholesaler License (ABCC)

Name Fee Unit
All Alcohol $10,000 each
Wine and Malt >10,000 gallons $5,000 each
Wine and Malt > 7,500 <10,000 gallons $4,000 each
Wine and Malt < 7,500 gallons $3,500 each
Sacramental Wines $3,000 each

How to apply   Apply for an Alcoholic Beverages Wholesaler License (ABCC)

To apply for this license, please create an account on our eLicensing and ePermitting Portal.

Please review the information below:

Technical Requirements:

Below is the list of supported browser versions that provide the best user experience for the online application:

  • Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer 10

  • Microsoft Windows Internet Explorer 11

  • Firefox 29

  • Safari 6

  • Google Chrome 34

  • Opera 21

Although you may find that your current version also works, it may not support all functions.

To use the system you must first create a user name and password. User guides on this topic and other helpful information about the eLicensing and ePermitting Portal can be found here.

For technical assistance:
Please call the ePLACE Help Desk Team at (844) 733-7522 between the hours of 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM Monday-Friday, with the exception of all Commonwealth and Federal observed holidays.

Next steps   for Apply for an Alcoholic Beverages Wholesaler License (ABCC)

Processing Time

Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for the application to be processed. If there is any information missing, a licensing staff member or investigator will reach out to you directly.

 

More info   for Apply for an Alcoholic Beverages Wholesaler License (ABCC)

  • Wholesalers can also sell to other Massachusetts Wholesalers.
  • The license allows the holder to store their product at a premises in Massachusetts, no secondary storage permit is required.
  • A wholesaler licensee can only purchase alcohol from licensed Certificate of Compliance holders or other Massachusetts Wholesalers.

To generate a list of the most current Certificate of Compliance holders or Wholesalers, please use our General Search Function provided on our eLicensing and ePermitting portal.

You can also use this search feature to generate a list of on-premises and off-premises licensees in Massachusetts.

Downloads   for Apply for an Alcoholic Beverages Wholesaler License (ABCC)

Contact   for Apply for an Alcoholic Beverages Wholesaler License (ABCC)

Address
95 Fourth Street, Suite 3 , Chelsea, MA 02150-2358
Online
Find Your ABCC Representative ABCC Staff Directory 

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