Washington Wine Compliance Service, LLC: Compliance

Compliance in Washington State
WWCS will help you identify other permiting/licensing agencies you may need to interact with, but of course, if it is not specifically related to wine compliance you will want to work with a competent winery oriented corporate attorney. About the Permitting Process As a Winery, i.e. type of business, the responsibilities of Washington wineries are basically to obtain permits/licenses from and report to two government agencies, the Federal Alcohol, and Tobacco Trade Bureau (TTB) and the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB). The TTB is primarily concerned with alcohol production issues such as how was the wine made, where it is produced, how much wine has been produced and issues affecting taxation levels (% of alcohol in a wine), has the wine left a bonded area into a tax paid area and payment of excise taxes. And too, new on the Fed scene, is the Bioterrorism Act, which now includes a further level of record keeping and reporting for all food producers including wineries. The WSLCB, on the other hand, is typically most concerned about regulating your use of your liquor license /permit privileges relating to promotional activities, sales (to whom and at what price), and in receipt of sales taxes.
The Permitting Process is not Static The Permitting process is not static nor completed once a winery has filed the various required permits, received approvals and begun production. As a winery expands or becomes smaller, takes on financial partners, adds a tasting room, takes on local distributors, sells into other states either directly or through other distributors, these changes are all reflected in the changes or amendments to permits and in the reports the government agencies require. A Winery as a company has a series of forms and licenses to complete and involves various agencies such as the IRS, EPA, FDA, State Department of Revenue, City and County permitting/planning agencies, etc. These should be worked out with a competent winery oriented corporate attorney.