Title 27 — Intoxicating LiquorsRelease 119-73

§214 Definitions

Title 27 › Chapter CHAPTER 8— - FEDERAL ALCOHOL ADMINISTRATION ACT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LABELING › § 214

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines common words used in the rules about alcoholic drinks. An "alcoholic beverage" is any drink in liquid form with not less than one-half of one percent alcohol by volume meant for people to drink. "Bottle" means filling and sealing a container, and a "bottler" is the person who does that. "Commerce" covers trade between the States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories listed below and places outside them; trade between points in those places that goes through outside places; and trade that happens entirely inside D.C. or those territories. A "container" is the innermost sealed package a bottler puts the drink in and offers for sale. "Health" includes preventing accidents. "Person" covers individuals, many kinds of businesses, and government bodies or officers. "Sale" and "distribution" also include sampling or giving away not for sale. "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Treasury. "State" and "United States" in a geographic sense include the several States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories: Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, and Johnston Island. "State law" covers statutes, regulations, and legal rules.

Full Legal Text

Title 27, §214

Intoxicating Liquors — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As used in this subchapter—

(1)The term “alcoholic beverage” includes any beverage in liquid form which contains not less than one-half of one percent of alcohol by volume and is intended for human consumption.

(2)The term “bottle” means to fill a container with an alcoholic beverage and to seal such container.

(3)The term “bottler” means a person who bottles an alcoholic beverage.

(4)The term “commerce” means—

(A)commerce between any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island and any place outside thereof;

(B)commerce between points in any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island, but through any place outside thereof; or

(C)commerce wholly within the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island.

(5)The term “container” means the innermost sealed container irrespective of the material from which made, in which an alcoholic beverage is placed by the bottler and in which such beverage is offered for sale to members of the general public.

(6)The term “health” includes, but is not limited to, the prevention of accidents.

(7)The term “person” means an individual, partnership, joint stock company, business trust, association, corporation, or any other business or legal entity, including a receiver, trustee, or liquidating agent, and also includes any State, any State agency, or any officer or employee thereof.

(8)The term 11 So in original. Probably should be “terms”. “sale” and “distribution” include sampling or any other distribution not for sale.

(9)The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Treasury.

(10)The term “State” includes any political subdivision of any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island.

(11)The term “State law” includes State statutes, regulations, and principles and rules having the force of law.

(12)The term “United States”, when used in geographical sense, includes the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, and Johnston Island.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

27 U.S.C. § 214

Title 27 — Intoxicating Liquors

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73