By Christopher Kleman, 651-296-8959

Importation of Liquor for

Personal Use

January 2019

State law regulates the importation of liquor

Whether an individual may import alcoholic beverages into the state for personal use is a question of

state law, which is supported by strong federal policy in this area. In Minnesota, the importation,

distribution, and retail sale of liquor is tightly regulated, which prohibits most direct shipments of

alcoholic beverages for personal use, although some exceptions exist.

Supreme Court has held that a state may not use this regulatory authority in a manner that

Importation and Minnesota’s three-tier system

importation, manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing of liquor, and, with some exceptions, prohibits

manufacturers and wholesalers from having a business interest in a liquor retailer.

Importers are required to obtain a license to ship liquor into the state under this system, even if the

importation is for personal use. Once imported, alcoholic beverages shipped into the state must be

delivered to a licensed wholesaler. Wholesalers may then only sell alcoholic beverages to licensed

In addition, persons entering the state from another state or foreign country may bring certain amounts

of alcoholic beverages with them. For people entering Minnesota from another state, this limit is one

liter of intoxicating liquor (spirits and wine) or 288 ounces of beer, in addition to up to 12

commemorative bottles, which are specifically defined in statute. For foreign travelers, the limit is up to

four liters of intoxicating liquor or 320 ounces of beer. Generally, foreign travelers also have to pay

federal excise taxes and duties on amounts over one liter.

Under these exceptions, a person importing liquor into the state is not required to obtain an importer

permit, and the imported alcoholic beverages are not required to flow through the state’s three-tier

except in municipalities where the delivery of liquor has been prohibited.

No state law prohibits online liquor sales

In recent years, some online marketplaces have partnered with local licensed liquor retailers to provide

for the online sale and delivery of liquor. While there is no state law that expressly prohibits the sale of

alcoholic beverages over the Internet, any retailer making such a sale must still comply with all

applicable state and local laws related to importation, distribution, retail sale, and delivery.

State and federal law do not address the intrastate shipment of liquor by individuals for personal use

after it has been purchased from a licensed retailer. Shipments made from Minnesota to another state

would be subject to the laws of the receiving state.

Division. The attorney general may also bring an action in federal court to enforce state liquor laws

under the Twenty-First Amendment Enforcement Act.

For more information: See the Minnesota House Research publication Minnesota’s Three-Tier System of

Minnesota House Research Department provides nonpartisan legislative, legal, and

information services to the Minnesota House of Representatives. This document

can be made available in alternative formats.