12/20/2011

Cider Permit Requirements

Cider Permit Requirements

In response to several recent calls from members, we wanted to remind everyone that wholesalers must have a B-2 or B-5 permit in order to sell cider in Ohio. Further, if you only currently handle beer, you will also need to amend your federal basic permit to include wine products. The reason for this is that cider is classified as a wine product for licensing purposes at both the federal and state level. For your information, a B-2 permit allows you to acquire wine products, and cider, from either a B-5 permit holder or an A-2 (winery). It costs $500.00 per year. A B-5 permit authorizes you to import and sell such products and it costs $1,563.00 per year. If you are going to import cider from outside the state of Ohio, you need a B-5 permit.

Lastly, please be aware that retail accounts that you wish to sell cider to must also have a permit that authorizes them to resell wine. In other words, you may not sell cider to a retailer that only has a D-1 or C-1 permit, if they do not also have a C-2 or D-2 permit.