Matthew Hood, Allison Thompson, Patrick Keith

Reading a federal alcohol permit record

A federal Basic Permit is not the same as a state license, and the distinction matters. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau issues this permit under the Federal Alcohol Administration Act to authorize an entity to produce wine or spirits, import beverage alcohol, or operate as an alcohol wholesaler in interstate commerce. It identifies the operating business, the premises, and the class of activity — but it does not, by itself, authorize retail sale. Almost every permit holder also needs a separate state Alcoholic Beverage Control license to actually sell within a given state, and most states route product through licensed wholesalers before it reaches a store shelf.

The permit number is federally standardized, which is what lets this directory compare holders cleanly across state lines. A permit remains in effect until it is surrendered, suspended, or revoked, so a record appearing here reflects the entity's status as published in the TTB List of Permittees. Because permit status can change between publications, treat this page as a federal reference point and confirm the current status against the official source before relying on it for a transaction.