You can find information about the importing or mailing of intoxicating beverages in the federal Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act and through the provincial liquor board.

You can only ship intoxicating beverages in Canada if you’re a Parcel Services contract customer or Solutions for Small Business (SfSB) cardholder.

You must also:

• Select the "Proof of Age" option (which includes a signature at delivery)

  and

• Be a provincial liquor board or commission mailing to a manufacturer, distributor, or person in the same province

  or

• Be a manufacturer of such beverages mailing to:
  • A provincial liquor board or commission
  • A distributor of such beverages in Canada
  • An individual in the same province

  or

• Be a distributor of such beverages mailing to:
  • A provincial liquor board or commission
  • A manufacturer or distributor of such beverages in Canada
  • An individual in the same province

  or

• Be a peace officer mailing to a test laboratory, or a test laboratory mailing to a peace officer, in each case to carry out a lawful investigation

  or

• Be a permitted party ¹ that mails wine ² from one province ³ to an individual in another province under the Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act and the respective laws of the origin and destination provinces. Laws applicable to the shipment of wine vary by province. It’s your sole responsibility to make sure:
  • You’re legally allowed to mail wine
  • Your wine shipments follow applicable provincial legislation
  • The wine is being used for the recipient’s own personal consumption and isn’t for resale or other commercial use

For eligible shippers, special restrictions apply.

If the intoxicating beverage has less than 24% alcohol by volume ⁴ (for example, 48 proof), you can ship the item by air or ground in a container of 5 litres or less.

If the intoxicating beverage contains between 24% alcohol by volume (for example, 48 proof) and 70% alcohol by volume (for example, 140 proof), the intoxicating beverage:

• May only be shipped by ground (for example, Regular Parcel™ or Expedited Parcel™)
• Must have a net quantity of five litres or less
• Must display a Limited Quantity mark on the package (refer to Dangerous goods for more information)

You can only import intoxicating beverages into Canada by mail when:

• They’re imported by or mailed to a licensed distiller or body authorized by the province of destination’s board, commission, officer, or another governmental agency
• The alcohol content is no more than 24% alcohol by volume (for example, 48 proof)

You can only export intoxicating beverages from Canada by mail if you have met the applicable requirements for export and the international destination postal administration allows such mailings.