I am a home winemaker in the state of Washington whose demand for wines and meads has exceeded the 200 gallon state limit for personal consumption. In order to meet the demand I have decided to license as a small winery and basically convert my garage into a 100 gallon per batch operation. I know nothing of bonds and how they work. All I know is the TTB requires I have one. Can you guide me through this process?
Companies that plan to produce wine or store wine on which the tax has not been paid must apply with the TTB and post a bond to ensure that taxes will eventually be paid. The bond guarantees that you will pay your taxes. If taxes are not paid, the surety will step in to pay the taxes and come back to you for full restitution.
The bond amount will depend on production with a minimum of $1,000. The TTB will tell you your exact bond amount.
You will need to check with the Washington State Department of Licensing and the Secretary of State for complete details regarding setting up your business.
When you are ready to apply for a bond, simply visit
www.suretygroup.com and complete our one page application. It generally takes less than 24 hours to get an approval.