Shipping restricted goods: what alcohol brands can and can't send
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Alcohol is one of the most restricted products you can ship. What you can send, which carriers will take it and where it can go all depend on the drink's strength, the service and the destination. A bottle of wine that ships easily within the UK may be refused for export, and a cask-strength spirit may be refused altogether.
For drinks brands, getting this right affects everything from your delivery promise to whether you can sell abroad. Getting it wrong means rejected parcels, broken bottles and unhappy customers.
This guide covers how alcohol strength affects what you can send, when alcohol counts as dangerous goods, carrier rules in the UK, sending alcohol internationally, age verification and packaging. For the general rules on hazardous products, including lithium batteries and aerosols, see our guide to shipping dangerous goods.
How alcohol strength affects what you can send
The single most important factor is alcohol by volume (ABV). Carriers and transport rules group drinks into three broad bands:
Strength | Typical drinks | What it usually means for shipping |
24% ABV or less | Beer, cider, wine, Champagne, many liqueurs and ready-to-drink cans | The widest choice of services, including some international options |
Over 24% and up to 70% ABV | Gin, vodka, rum, whisky and most other spirits | Usually accepted for UK delivery with restrictions, but often refused internationally by post |
Over 70% ABV | Some cask-strength and overproof spirits, absinthe | Regulated as dangerous goods and refused by most parcel and postal services |
The bands matter because higher-strength alcohol is flammable. Most spirits sit comfortably in the middle band, but check every product, including limited editions and cask-strength releases that may go above 70% ABV.
When alcohol counts as dangerous goods
Alcoholic drinks above 24% ABV are flammable liquids, classed as Class 3 dangerous goods under the UN number UN 3065. In practice, how strictly they're regulated depends on the strength, the packaging and how they travel.
By road: drinks up to 70% ABV in normal retail bottles are generally exempt from the full dangerous goods rules, which is why most UK spirit deliveries go by road without special paperwork.
By air: air rules are stricter. There are exemptions for drinks up to 70% ABV in small retail packaging, but carriers and postal operators often set tighter limits of their own.
Above 70% ABV: these drinks are fully regulated dangerous goods in all transport modes. They need specialist packaging, labelling, documentation and trained staff, and most parcel networks won't accept them.
If you sell overproof spirits, plan a dedicated shipping route before you launch. Our guide to shipping dangerous goods covers classification, packaging, documentation, training and how to work with a dangerous goods safety adviser.
Carrier rules for sending alcohol in the UK
Every carrier sets its own rules for alcohol, often by service, and many are stricter than the law. Check the terms for each service before you promise delivery options to customers.
Royal Mail and Parcelforce: drinks up to 24% ABV can be sent within the UK, and to some international destinations. Drinks over 24% and up to 70% ABV are restricted to UK addresses, with limits on bottle size and the number of items per parcel, and some services exclude them entirely. Drinks over 70% ABV are prohibited. Business account rules can differ from Post Office counter rules, so check the terms for your account.
Parcel carriers: many couriers accept wine and beer, and some accept spirits, but usually only on specific services or business accounts with an alcohol agreement. Some refuse alcohol entirely, and others restrict it to UK mainland addresses.
Specialist drinks couriers: some carriers specialise in alcohol, offering age-verified delivery, bottle-safe handling and options for higher-value consignments.
Pallets and trade orders: deliveries to pubs, restaurants and retailers usually travel by pallet network, where cases are easier to protect.
Marketplaces: marketplaces including Amazon restrict alcohol sales and may need you to be approved before you can list. Check each marketplace's rules for your products and countries.
A 3PL that works with drinks brands usually has carrier accounts already set up for alcohol, which saves you negotiating them yourself.
Sending alcohol internationally
Sending alcohol abroad is harder than sending it within the UK. Carrier restrictions, excise duty and destination rules all apply at once.
Postal services: Royal Mail and Parcelforce only accept drinks up to 24% ABV for international delivery, and only to destinations that allow them. Spirits can't be sent internationally by post.
Express couriers: some international couriers accept alcohol, including spirits, on specific services and business accounts, usually with extra paperwork and country restrictions.
Excise duty and VAT in the destination: alcohol is an excise product, so duty and VAT are usually due in the customer's country. Shipping alcohol to consumers in the EU generally means paying excise duty in each destination country, often through a local tax representative. The EU's Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) doesn't cover excise goods such as alcohol.
Destination rules: some countries restrict or ban alcohol imports, and the US requires a licensed importer, with many states limiting direct shipping to consumers. Check the rules for every country before you open sales there.
Exporting from bond: stock exported from a bonded warehouse can leave the UK without UK duty being paid. Our guide to AWRS registration and alcohol duty explains duty suspension.
For regular international sales, it's often simpler to ship stock in bulk to a 3PL in the destination market and fulfil orders locally. Our network includes 3PLs across the EU and the USA.
Age verification and delivery
It's an offence to sell alcohol to anyone under 18 in the UK, and that responsibility doesn't end at checkout.
At checkout: use age verification on your website, such as date of birth checks or third-party verification services, before customers can buy.
On delivery: age-verified delivery services check ID on the doorstep, often using Challenge 25, and won't hand the parcel to anyone who looks under 25 without a valid ID. Parcels that fail the check are returned to the warehouse.
Safe places and neighbours: leaving alcohol in a safe place or with a neighbour removes the chance to check age. Choose services that require a signature from an adult instead.
Returned parcels: age-check failures and missed deliveries come back to your 3PL. Agree how they're handled, how quickly they go back into stock and whether customers are charged for redelivery.
Licensing rules also apply to where and when alcohol can be sold and delivered, which we cover in our guide to AWRS registration and alcohol duty.
Packing alcohol to avoid breakages
Glass bottles and liquids make breakages expensive. A single broken bottle can soak a parcel, damage other items in a carrier's network and lead to a refused claim if packaging didn't meet the carrier's rules.
Bottle shippers: moulded pulp, corrugated or polystyrene shippers hold each bottle separately and absorb impact. Many carriers set out the packaging they expect for liquids.
Leak protection: use absorbent material or sealed bags so a breakage doesn't leak through the box. Check that caps and corks are secure before packing.
Box strength: use boxes rated for the weight of the bottles, and fill any empty space so bottles can't move.
Orientation: mark the box with "This way up" and "Fragile" where the carrier allows, and pack cork-sealed bottles as recommended for the journey length.
Gift sets: mixed sets with glasses or food items need extra protection, and any food items must meet their own labelling rules.
Temperature: heat and frost can damage wine and beer in transit. Our guide to wine storage and temperature control covers how to protect drinks between the warehouse and the customer.
Questions to ask a 3PL about shipping alcohol
Use these questions alongside our questions for a 3PL discovery call when you compare providers.
Carriers: which carriers and services do you use for alcohol, and which ABV bands does each accept?
Spirits: can you ship spirits over 24% ABV within the UK, and on which services?
High-strength products: can you handle drinks over 70% ABV as dangerous goods, or do you work with a specialist partner?
International: which countries can you ship alcohol to, and how are excise duty and VAT handled?
Age verification: which age-verified delivery services do you offer, and what happens to parcels that fail the check?
Packaging: which bottle shippers do you use, and do they meet each carrier's packaging rules?
Breakages: what's your breakage rate, and how are breakage claims handled?
Trade orders: can you ship cases and pallets to pubs, restaurants and retailers?
Marketplaces: can you fulfil marketplace orders for alcohol, including any approval or labelling requirements?
Peak: how do you manage capacity and carrier cut-offs for Christmas, when drinks sales peak?
Shipping alcohol FAQs
Can I send alcohol by post in the UK?
Yes, within limits. Royal Mail and Parcelforce accept drinks up to 70% ABV for UK delivery, with restrictions on bottle size and quantity for spirits over 24% ABV. Drinks over 70% ABV are prohibited.
Can I send spirits internationally?
Not by Royal Mail or Parcelforce, which only accept drinks up to 24% ABV internationally. Some express couriers accept spirits on specific services, and destination countries have their own rules on alcohol imports and duty.
Is alcohol classed as dangerous goods?
Drinks above 24% ABV are flammable liquids under UN 3065. Drinks up to 70% ABV in normal retail packaging are generally exempt from the full rules by road, but drinks above 70% ABV are fully regulated in all transport modes.
Do I need age verification to deliver alcohol?
It's an offence to sell alcohol to anyone under 18. Online sellers should verify age at checkout and use age-verified delivery services that check ID on the doorstep.
How should I pack wine bottles for shipping?
Use bottle shippers that hold each bottle separately, add leak protection, use boxes rated for the weight and follow each carrier's packaging rules for liquids.
Can I use IOSS for alcohol sent to the EU?
No. The EU's Import One-Stop Shop doesn't cover excise goods such as alcohol. Excise duty and VAT are usually due in the destination country.
Find a 3PL for your drinks brand
Shipping alcohol comes down to knowing the strength of every product, choosing carriers and services that accept it, packing bottles properly and verifying age at checkout and on delivery. Compare alcohol fulfilment providers on fulfilment.com and get quotes from 3PLs with carrier accounts already set up for drinks.
