Shipping and Delivering Alcohol in Oregon

Consumer demand for the delivery of alcohol beverages is a growing national trend, a trend that’s also reflected in the behavior of Oregon consumers. There are options for manufacturers (distilleries, wineries, breweries) to retailers (liquor stores, beer and wine sellers) to bars and restaurants to ship or deliver alcohol products direct-to-consumer.

Already restaurants and bars licensed by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission have the choice to apply for the privilege to deliver alcohol if they follow specific procedures and guidelines (as one example, see Drinks To-Go).

The bar and restaurant category of OLCC licensees may currently be utilizing third-party delivery services (like Uber Eats, Door Dash, and Grub Hub) to make alcohol deliveries on their behalf.

Starting in 2024 the OLCC will begin to expand oversight of this type of delivery. Third-party delivery services will be assigned to a new category of delivery permit (officially referred to as third-party delivery facilitators) and will be required to follow a new set of procedures and rules to deliver alcohol beverages.

Up until this change, third-party delivery facilitators have been included in with For-Hire-Carriers (like FedEx, UPS, DHL) that are typically used to ship products from alcohol manufacturers, like wineries.

Beginning January 1, 2024, there are two options for applying for the privilege of shipping and delivering alcohol in Oregon: one for “for hire carriers” and another for “third-party delivery facilitators.” Below are explanations of those options, instructions on how to apply for each type of permit, and links to other resources.

For-hire carriers are retained by an OLCC licensee, retail sales agent, or distillery retail outlet agent to deliver or ship alcoholic beverages directly from a licensee, retail sales agent, or distillery retail outlet agent to a resident of Oregon or to a licensee of the OLCC without involvement of a third-party delivery facilitator or delivery person. To be an approved for-hire carrier, a company must meet one of the following definitions:

A motor carrier as defined in 49 U.S.C. 13102
A freight forwarded as defined in 49 U.S.C. 13102
An air carrier as defined in 49 U.S.C. 40102

If you are an approved for-hire carrier and you believe that you meet the requirements to maintain approval to continue to operate after as a for-hire carrier after December 31, 2023, please complete the attestation linked below and email it to: OLCC.LiquorLicenseApplication@oregon.gov.

For-Hire Carrier Official Verification (Attestation)
For-Hire Carrier Application

In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 3308 to enhance public safety by requiring that certain types of delivery companies comply with best practices when delivering alcohol to consumers. On January 1, 2024, a new Third-Party Delivery Facilitator permit will be required.

A Third-Party Delivery Facilitator (TPDF) is defined as an individual, person, or company that:

Delivers, or holds itself out as willing to deliver, alcoholic beverages from an eligible business to a final consumer in Oregon; or
Facilitates, or holds itself out as willing to facilitate, the sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages by an eligible business to a final consumer in Oregon.

Third-Party Delivery Facilitator Requirements: TPDF permit holders will be required to train all delivery persons responsible for delivering alcoholic beverages using an alcohol delivery training program that must be approved by the OLCC. Delivery persons who complete the training must be issued a certificate of completion.

An approved alcohol delivery training program can be supplied and administered by the permit holder, or by a contracted partner. An approved training program shall include training on at least the following:

Forms of identification required by ORS 471.130 and OLCC rules and methods for identifying, inspecting, accepting, or rejecting identification.
Signs of visible intoxication and methods for recognizing these signs and for refusing to deliver alcoholic beverages to a final consumer; and
Rules adopted by the OLCC relating to the delivery of alcoholic beverages to a final consumer.

The OLCC is working with stakeholders and other public safety agencies to finalize the requirements for the TPDF permit. Applicants for the TPDF permit may be conditionally approved pending approval of the final rules.

TPDF Application, Permit Privileges & Requirements
TPDF permit applications are now being accepted; be sure to read the How to Apply section at the beginning of the application to ensure that you submit all required materials.

Alcohol Delivery Training Program Submission Form
For contracted partners who wish to submit an alcohol delivery training program for review, please use the following form as a cover sheet with your submission.

Please submit all application materials to: OLCC.LiquorLicenseApplication@Oregon.gov

Note: Contracted partners who are submitting an Alcohol Delivery Training Program for review can use the above email address for submissions.