The department has the exclusive right to import alcoholic liquor, and most people are prohibited from importing, selling, or possessing it except as allowed here.
1. The department has the exclusive right of importation into the state of all forms of alcoholic liquor, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, and a person shall not import alcoholic liquor, except that an individual of legal age may import and have in the individual’s possession an amount of alcoholic liquor not exceeding nine liters per calendar month that the individual personally obtained outside the state. Alcoholic liquor imported by an individual pursuant to this subsection shall be for personal consumption only in a private home or other private accommodation. A distillery shall not sell alcoholic liquor within the state to any person but only to the department, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. This section vests in the department exclusive control within the state as purchaser of all alcoholic liquor sold by distilleries within the state or imported, except beer and wine, and except as otherwise provided in this chapter. The department shall receive alcoholic liquor on a bailment system for resale by the department in the manner set forth in this chapter. The department shall act as the sole wholesaler of alcoholic liquor to class “E” retail alcohol licensees. 2. a. A person, acting individually or through another acting for the person, shall not directly or indirectly, or upon any pretense or by any device, do any of the following: (1) Manufacture, sell, exchange, barter, dispense, give in consideration of the purchase of any property or of any services or in evasion of this chapter, or keep for sale, or have possession of any alcoholic liquor, except as provided in this chapter. (2) Own, keep, or be in any way concerned, engaged, or employed in owning or keeping, any alcoholic liquor with intent to violate any provision of this chapter, or authorize or permit the same to be done. (3) Manufacture, own, sell, or have possession of any manufactured or compounded article, mixture or substance, not in a liquid form, and containing alcohol which may be converted into a beverage by a process of pressing or straining the alcohol therefrom, or any instrument intended for use and capable of being used in the manufacture of alcoholic liquor. (4) Own or have possession of any material used exclusively in the manufacture of alcoholic liquor. (5) Use or have possession of any material with intent to use it in the manufacture of alcoholic liquors. b. However, alcohol may be manufactured for industrial and nonbeverage purposes by persons who have qualified for that purpose as provided by the laws of the United States and the laws of this state. Such alcohol, so manufactured, may be denatured, transported, used, possessed, sold, and bartered and dispensed, subject to the limitations, prohibitions and restrictions imposed by the laws of the United States and this state. c. Any person may manufacture, sell, or transport ingredients and devices other than alcohol for the making of homemade wine or beer. [C51, §924 – 928; R60, §1559, 1563, 1583, 1587; C73, §1523, 1540 – 1542, 1555; C97, §2382; SS15, §2382; C24, 27, 31, §1924; C35, §1921-f54, 1924; C39, §1921.054, 1924; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, §123.54, 125.3; C73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §123.22] 85 Acts, ch 32, §18; 86 Acts, ch 1246, §733; 88 Acts, ch 1241, §4; 89 Acts, ch 161, §2; 2017 Acts, ch 119, §2; 2018 Acts, ch 1026, §38; 2018 Acts, ch 1060, §8; 2018 Acts, ch 1096, §2, 6; 2022 Acts, ch 1099, §24, 88; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §2372 Referred to in §123.10, 123.26, 123.28