Bringing Booze to Iowa: How Much Can You Legally Transport Across State Lines

Craft beer is very popular in the U.S. So are craft spirits. Who doesn't enjoy a road trip to a new town in a different state? Even better, try the local beer or spirits.

What happens when you enjoy a beverage and want to support the business by bringing something home to have when you're not traveling?

Can you, legally, bring booze into Iowa from another state? How about another country?

Read More: Eastern Iowa Man Leaves Incredibly Generous Tip

The short answer is yes, but the amount may surprise you...

Make Mine A Double!

While bringing booze into the Hawkeye State isn't any real risk, as long as you're not consuming it while you drive, it doesn't mean the state welcomes your out-of-town adult beverages in any amount.

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So, how much can you legally bring in?

Before we get into the how much, it's important to note that Iowa's rules on bringing in alcohol from elsewhere haven't always been so cut and dry. We documented the challenges of doing so back in 2017.

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What has changed since? In April 2018, about a year after our story, the state's Alcoholic Beverages Division clarified the rules for bringing alcohol back from your road trip.

Read More: Iowans and Alcohol... It's Not What You Think

According to the ABD educational bulletin, liquor (vodka, whiskey, tequila, etc.), wine, and beer can indeed be personally imported by individuals of legal age.

Personally meaning you cannot sell the important alcohol. If you're a bar owner or liquor store operator, you can't stick your personal stash, say, Spotted Cow, on your shelf and sell for a profit, or even a loss.

Let's break down how much you can bring in:

• Wine: Up to 9 liters of wine per month. If it's from another country, it's up to federal rules. By the way, 9 liters is a LOT of wine.
• Beer: Up to 4.5 gallons of beer in any one month. Like wine, the laws on foreign beer are up to the federal government. And also like wine, 4.5 gallons of beer is a LOT of beer! Except maybe on gameday...
• For liquor, the "hard" stuff: Much like wine, you can mosey on into Iowa with up to 9 liters of liquor.

If you need more than what's listed above, you can apply for a waiver. That's only possible for alcohol coming from another state, not another country.

So there you go. Happy trails! And happy booze hunting!

Since you are more educated on liquor laws, let's see if you can pass the Iowa booze test!