Selling Alcohol Online: Navigating Shopify’s Restrictions & Laws (2025 Guide)
The online alcohol market is growing rapidly. From craft beer subscriptions to rare wine collections, customers love the convenience of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) shipping. However, selling alcohol on Shopify comes with a unique set of challenges. Unlike selling t-shirts, selling liquor involves strict federal laws, age restrictions, and platform-specific hurdles.
If you are planning to launch an online liquor store, wine shop, or brewery website on Shopify, this guide covers the essential restrictions and solutions you need to know.
1. Is Selling Alcohol Allowed on Shopify?
Yes, strict yes. Shopify allows merchants to sell alcohol, but you must adhere to the laws of the jurisdiction where you operate and where you ship to.
The Golden Rule: You are solely responsible for ensuring you have the correct licenses. Shopify will not police your compliance, but if you get caught violating laws, they will shut down your store immediately.
2. The Payment Gateway Restriction (Crucial)
This is the biggest roadblock for new merchants.
Shopify Payments: You cannot use Shopify Payments (Stripe) for alcohol sales in most cases. Alcohol is often classified as a “regulated” or “high-risk” industry.
The Solution: You must use a third-party payment provider that supports alcohol sales.
Authorize.net: A top choice for US/Canada merchants.
NMI (Network Merchants Inc): Great for high-risk industries.
Cybersource: Good for enterprise-level stores.
Note: Since you aren’t using Shopify Payments, Shopify may charge an additional transaction fee (usually 0.5% – 2%) depending on your plan.
3. Strict Age Verification Requirements
You legally cannot sell alcohol to minors. On Shopify, a simple checkbox saying “I am 21+” at checkout is often not enough to protect you legally.
Best Practices for Compliance:
Age Gate Pop-up: Use an app to force users to enter their birth date before viewing the site.
Real-Time ID Verification: Use apps like Real ID or AgeChecker.net. These apps verify the customer’s identity against public databases instantly at checkout. If they can’t be verified, they are asked to upload a photo of their ID.
4. Shipping & Delivery: The “Adult Signature” Rule
You cannot just drop a box of wine at someone’s doorstep.
Carrier Rules: USPS does not ship alcohol. You must use FedEx or UPS, and you need a specific contract with them to ship alcohol.
Adult Signature Required (ASR): You must pay for the “Adult Signature Required” service on every package. The delivery driver will check the ID of the receiver to ensure they are of legal drinking age.
DTC Laws: In the US, some states are “control states” and do not allow direct shipments of alcohol from out of state. You need to configure your Shopify Shipping Zones to block sales to these specific states.
5. SEO & Marketing Restrictions
Just like CBD, marketing alcohol has limits.
Google Shopping: Allows alcohol ads but strictly regulated. You need to target only allowed countries and ensure landing pages have age gates.
Social Media: Facebook/Instagram allows alcohol ads only if you target users aged 21+ (or legal age in your country). If you fail to set this targeting, your ad account will be banned.
Checklist for Launching
Obtain a valid liquor license for online retail.
Secure a high-risk payment gateway (e.g., Authorize.net).
Install an Age Verification App on Shopify.
Sign an alcohol shipping contract with UPS or FedEx.
Update Shopify Shipping Zones to exclude illegal states.
Conclusion
Selling alcohol on Shopify is a lucrative opportunity for wineries, breweries, and retailers. While the setup requires more paperwork than a standard store, the ability to reach customers directly makes it worth the effort. Ensure your compliance is rock-solid, and you can build a thriving brand safely.
