Brewery Licenses

Overview

In Montana, a brewery is a business licensed to manufacture, import, and distribute beer.

Brewery Permissions

Definition

Micro breweries produce less than 200 gallons of beer per year.

What This License Allows

A micro brewery may:

  • Provide only free samples from 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM. They may not charge for those samples.
  • Sell beer for customers to take home from 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM.
  • Sell and deliver beer using their own employees and equipment to:
    • Wholesalers
    • Retailers
    • The public

Delivery to Retailers

A micro brewery may not use common carriers and may only deliver to retailers using their own trucks, equipment, and employees.

Definition

A domestic small brewery produces 200 gallons—60,000 barrels of beer per year

What This License Allows

A domestic small brewery may:

  • Give away or sell up to 48 ounces in samples to customers from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM at their designated sample room
  • Sell beer for customers to take home from 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM
  • Sell and deliver beer using their own employees and equipment to:
    • Wholesalers
    • Retailers
    • The public

Delivery to Retailers

A domestic small brewery may not use common carriers and may only ship to retailers using their own trucks, equipment, and employees.

Definition

Large breweries produce over 60,000 barrels of beer per year

What This License Allows

 A large brewery may only sell and deliver beer to licensed beer wholesalers.

Fees

  • New License Fee: $500
  • Application Processing Fee: $200
  • Renewal Fee: $200

Note: The application processing fee only applies for original applications and is not applied to renewals.

  • New License Fee: $500
  • Application Processing Fee: $200
  • Renewal Fee: $500

Note: The application processing fee only applies for original applications and is not applied to renewals.

Application Options and Dates

To apply for a Montana brewery license, you must have a Brewer's Notice issued by the Alcohol, Tobacco, Tax and Trade Bureau, then complete the appropriate application:

In-State (Domestic) Brewery License

Out-of-State Brewery License

Renewal Dates

A brewery license must be renewed every year by June 30.

Application Requirements

Important: All beer with an ABV of 8.75% and over to under 14% produced by a domestic brewery must be approved by CARD even if the beer is only served and sold in your sample room.
  • All beer labels must be approved by the Montana Department of Revenue before selling and shipping into Montana.
  • You may register your labels for approval through our TransAction Portal (TAP).

  • Your business must be recognizable as a brewery.
  • Your business must be physically separated from any other alcoholic beverage business.
  • You may not operate under a concession agreement.
  • You may not let customers buy alcoholic beverages through automatic vending machines or self-service devices.
  • You must keep unauthorized people from your manufacturing area.
  • You must have a designated sample room or an approved on-premises retail license stacked/co-located at your brewery's premises in order to sell beer directly to the public. You may include a deck or patio if it is enclosed and only accessible from the on-premises consumption area.
  • You may only serve alcoholic beverages in the appropriate amounts and in the designated areas.

For a detailed list of requirements, please see ARM 42.12.149 and ARM 42.13.601.