Frequently Asked Questions

How many permit holders does PlainAlcohol cover?

PlainAlcohol covers 84,273 federal alcohol permits, 18,120 wineries, 5,670 distilleries, 21,526 importers, and 38,957 wholesalers, across 52 states and territories, taken from the TTB List of Permittees (August 2026).

What is the TTB?

The TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) is a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. It regulates and collects federal taxes on the production, importation, and wholesale distribution of alcohol. Wineries, distilleries, importers, and wholesalers must hold a TTB federal permit.

Why doesn't PlainAlcohol list breweries?

Breweries operate under a Brewer's Notice, which the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 6103) keeps separate from the FAA Basic Permits and Distilled Spirits Plant registrations in the public List of Permittees. Brewery data is not part of that public file, so PlainAlcohol does not publish brewery counts or pages, only the four permit types TTB releases publicly.

Does PlainAlcohol include home producers or hobbyists?

No. PlainAlcohol only includes businesses holding a federal permit. Producers who do not require a TTB permit are not in the public list and are not shown here.

How current is the data?

PlainAlcohol reflects the August 2026 List of Permittees. Permit status can change between TTB releases, permits are issued, surrendered, revoked, or modified. For the current status of any specific permit, use the official TTB Public Permit Search at ttb.gov.

Does PlainAlcohol include state liquor licenses?

No. PlainAlcohol covers only federal TTB permits. State-level licenses (e.g., distributor and retail liquor licenses) are issued by state Alcoholic Beverage Control agencies and are not included.

Is PlainAlcohol affiliated with the TTB?

No. PlainAlcohol is an independent directory that reformats the publicly available TTB List of Permittees. We are not affiliated with the TTB, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, or any government agency.

Download the 52-jurisdiction TTB permit landscape cited on this page: ttb-state-landscape.csv (CC0). Method notes live on /statistics and /methodology.