Rhode Island

• 1/1/2015 last updated

Rhode Island residents can own and use a still for non-ethanol production. The manufacture of moonshine for personal use is illegal.

Rhode Island residents can for personal and private use produce their own wines, ciders and beer as long as it is not made available for salel.

I was unable to find any information on fuel alcohol for this state.

3-6-1 Manufacturer's license.

(a)A manufacturer's license authorizes the holder to establish and operate a brewery, distillery, or winery at the place described in the license for the manufacture of beverages within this state. The license does not authorize more than one of the activities of operator of a brewery or distillery or winery and a separate license shall be required for each plant.

• (b) The license also authorizes the sale at wholesale at the licensed place by the manufacturer of the product of the licensed plant to another license holder and the transportation and delivery from the place of sale to a licensed place or to a common carrier for that delivery. The license does not authorize the sale of beverages for consumption on premises where sold. The license does not authorize the sale of beverages in this state for delivery outside this state in violation of the law of the place of delivery. The license holder may provide to visitors in conjunction with a tour and/or tasting, samples, clearly marked as samples, not to exceed three hundred seventy-five milliliters (375 ml) per visitor for distilled spirits and seventy-two ounces (72 oz) per visitor for malt beverages at the licensed plant by the manufacturer of the product of the licensed plant to visitors for off-premise consumption. The license does not authorize providing samples to a visitor of any alcoholic beverages for off-premise consumption that are not manufactured at the licensed plant.
• (c) The annual fee for the license is three thousand dollars ($3,000) for a distillery, five hundred dollars ($500) for a brewery, and one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) for a winery producing more than fifty thousand (50,000) gallons per year and five hundred dollars ($500) per year for a winery producing less than fifty thousand (50,000) gallons per year. All those fees are prorated to the year ending December 1 in every calendar year and shall be paid to the division of taxation and be turned over to the general treasurer for the use of the state.

There are several licenses you need to request to legally manufacture spirits. Below are the federal licenses only. Additional state requirements will need to be followed as well.

You must submit a request for a license to manufacture spirits: TTB 5110.41 Basic permit.

This license only allows you to produce spirits. You also need a license for the distilling equipment / distillery: TTB 5100.24 Distilled spirit plant

For manufacturing ethanol fuel you will need to submit a request for a TTB 5110.74 for a federal license.

3-5-1 License required for manufacture, sale, or importation of beverages.

No person shall at any time manufacture or sell or suffer to be manufactured or sold or keep or suffer to be kept on his or her premises or possession or under his or her charge for the purpose of sale within this state any beverage unless licensed to do so as provided in this title; and except as provided in this title no person shall import, or suffer to be imported beverages into this state.

Current federal laws allow citizens the right to own a still and operate it for non-alcohol production.

This means legally you can:

• Own, manufacture, sell or be in possession of a still.
• Distill water
• Produce essential oils or other non-alcohol liquids
• Fuel production is legal federally with the correct licenses.

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