Frequently Asked Questions

First, the winery must register with VWDC. Please click here to register.

Click here to register as a retailer.

Yes, effective January 1, 2025, wineries will be required to pay the application fees. These fees include the application and license fee to Virginia ABC, as well as the required publishing fee for public notification.

Every winery entering into an agreement for distribution with any wholesaler must notify ABC of which Virginia cities and/or counties are designated as that wholesaler’s sales territory (Virginia cities are NOT part of surrounding counties, but are independent, municipal corporations).

Please note that a winery is granting a wholesaler exclusive area of responsibility. HB 1005 and SB 174 changed the wine franchise act and permits wine wholesalers to have designated exclusive sales territories. This law matches how beer franchise territories are currently structured.

A winery with only one wholesaler (VWDC in this case) could grant that wholesaler the entire state. However, because the Wine Franchise Act makes it more difficult to pull back sales territory from a wholesaler than to grant it, in practice, most wineries have opted to designate only one or two remote localities with few ABC licensees per wholesaler. In this situation, the wholesaler is permitted to serve the designated territory as its exclusive area of responsibility.

Yes. Once a Virginia ABC retail licensee holder registers with VWDC, wineries may begin selling to them. All licensees must register through the VWDC site with a valid ABC license, contact information, and email address.

A total of 3,000 cases may be distributed per calendar year. Once this amount is reached, wineries will no longer be able to place orders until the new calendar year begins.

After this point, the VWDC Operations Manager can make changes. Changes must be documented on the invoice by the winery and sent to VWDC.

Wineries enter price changes into the VWDC site. For price increases entered into the site, the VWDC system emails notice of the price increase to VA ABC. Per ABC code, the price increase will take effect 30 days after the request is made. Price decreases will take effect immediately upon submittal.

According to the ABC, the only age restrictions on those who can handle alcohol are limits on who may serve alcohol at retail establishments. Therefore, there are no limits in ABC law for those younger than 21 acting as an agent of the VWDC and delivering wine.

Yes. Private vehicles may be designated as “agency vehicles” for deliveries and more than one vehicle may be used.

Yes, however all documents (Purchase Orders and Invoices) must be electronically signed within the system upon delivery to ensure the transaction is considered complete or payment to the winery will be delayed.

With electronic signatures for invoices and purchases captured in the system send checks or money orders to the following address:

VDACS

Attn: VWDC

PO Box 1314

Richmond, VA 23218

Checks must have the associated invoice number to ensure proper processing of the payment.

VA ABC Code still requires VWDC agents to print out invoices for signature upon delivery.

VA ABC allows for the VWDC space to be anywhere at the address of the licensed winery. If the VWDC licensed space is within a bonded area, the winery’s TTB floor plan must be amended to accommodate such change in use.

No. The VWDC space must be located on the premises of the winery's ABC licensed space.

VWDC will pay the state excise tax and submit the monthly form summarizing wine purchases and taxes paid for transfers of wine to VWDC from each winery. However, the winery must continue to remit the state excise tax and monthly reports for transfers of wine made to its own retail location for retail sales.

VWDC will provide each winery with purchase orders for each wholesale order placed by the winery, and VWDC will report those purchase orders monthly to ABC as wholesalers are required to do. The winery must keep a copy of that purchase order on file as a record of sales to a wholesaler in the space leased to VWDC for inspection by ABC at any time.

The winery must also continue to remit the state sales taxes collected on retail sales at the winery. The winery will continue to pay TTB the federal excise tax on all wine that leaves the winery’s federally bonded area, regardless of whether that wine is transferred to VWDC or to the winery’s retail operation.

Wineries are encouraged to contact their ABC compliance agent or the ABC Division of Tax Management at 804-213-4556 with questions.

No, only an appointed agent of VWDC can act on behalf of the winery for wholesale sales through the VWDC. Agents are identified and listed in the initial Operating Agreement with VWDC and must be kept up to date at all times.