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Title 27

Displaying title 27, up to date as of 10/08/2026. Title 27 was last amended 9/25/2026.
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Alternation

§ 24.135 Wine premises alternation.

(a) General. The proprietor of a bonded winery or bonded wine cellar may alternate all or a portion of wine premises for use as a taxpaid wine bottling house or use as taxpaid wine premises. The proprietor may also alternate the use of adjacent or contiguous premises qualified under 26 U.S.C. chapter 51 (distilled spirits plant, brewery, etc.) for use as wine premises or vice versa. If a proprietor of a bonded wine cellar or winery wishes to use all or a portion of such premises alternately as a volatile fruit-flavor concentrate plant or vice-a-versa, the proprietor must comply with the requirements of §§ 18.40 through 18.43 of this title.

(b) Qualifying documents. Where the proprietor desires to alternate bonded wine premises as taxpaid wine bottling house premises or taxpaid wine premises, or other premises qualified under 26 U.S.C. chapter 51, the following qualifying documents will be filed:

(1) A statement on the application TTB F 5120.25 that an alternation of wine premises will occur;

(2) Evidence of existing bond, consent of surety, or a new bond covering the alternation, except in cases where § 24.146(d) does not require a bond or bonds;

(3) A description of how taxpaid wine or spirits, or untaxpaid wine or spirits will be identified and segregated; and

(4) Any other document or additional information the appropriate TTB officer may require.

(c) Alternation. After the necessary qualifying documents have been approved by the appropriate TTB officer, the proprietor may alternate wine premises as described in the application. Any portion of wine premises on which taxpaid wine is located will be considered taxpaid wine premises or taxpaid wine bottling house premises and any portion of the premises on which wine not identified as taxpaid is located will be considered bonded wine premises. The proprietor shall, prior to the initial alternation of the premises, identify by portable signs or tags, or by any other method or manner satisfactory to the appropriate TTB officer, either all taxpaid wine on taxpaid wine premises or taxpaid wine bottling house premises or all untaxpaid wine on bonded wine premises.

(d) Segregation. The proprietor shall keep untaxpaid wine or spirits physically separated from taxpaid wine or spirits and on the designated premises. This separation will be by use of tanks, rooms, buildings, partitions, pallet stacks, or complete physical separation, or by any other method or manner which will clearly and readily distinguish untaxpaid wine or spirits from taxpaid wine or spirits and is satisfactory to the appropriate TTB officer. Where necessary for the protection of the revenue or enforcement of 26 U.S.C. chapter 51, the appropriate TTB officer may require that the portions of wine premises alternated under this section be separated by partitions or otherwise.

(e) Conditions. Authority for the alternation of bonded wine premises, taxpaid wine bottling house premises, taxpaid wine premises, or other premises qualified under 26 U.S.C chapter 51 is conditioned on compliance by the proprietor with the provisions of this section. Authority for the alternation of bonded wine premises, taxpaid wine bottling house premises, taxpaid wine premises, or other premises qualified under 26 U.S.C. chapter 51 may be withdrawn whenever in the judgment of the appropriate TTB officer the revenue is jeopardized or the effective administration of this part is hindered by the continuation of the authorization.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1512-0058)

[T.D. ATF-299, 55 FR 24989, June 19, 1990, as amended by T.D. ATF-409, 64 FR 13683, 13685, Mar. 22, 1999; T.D. ATF-455, 66 FR 29483, May 31, 2001; T.D. TTB-146, 82 FR 1124, Jan. 4, 2017]

§ 24.136 Procedure for alternating proprietors.

(a) General. Wine premises, or parts thereof, may be operated alternately by proprietors who have each filed and received approval of the necessary applications and bonds and have qualified under the provisions of this part. Where operations by alternating proprietors are limited to parts of the wine premises, the application will describe areas, buildings, floors, or rooms which will be alternated and will be accompanied by a diagram delineating the parts of the wine premises to be alternated. A separate diagram will be submitted to depict each arrangement under which the wine premises will be operated. Once the qualifying documents have been approved, and operations initiated, the wine premises, or parts thereof, may be alternated. Any transfer of wine, spirits, or other accountable materials from one proprietor to the other proprietor will be indicated in the records and reports of each proprietor. Operation of a bonded winery engaged in the production of wine by an alternate proprietor will be at least one calendar day in length.

(b) Alternation. All operations in any area, building, floor, or room to be alternated will be completely finished and all wine, spirits, and other accountable materials will be removed from the alternated wine premises or transferred to the incoming proprietor. However, wine, spirits, and other accountable materials may be retained in locked tanks at wine premises to be alternated and remain in the custody of the outgoing proprietor.

(c) Bonds. The outgoing proprietor who has filed bond as required under § 24.146 and intends to resume operation of the alternated areas, buildings, floors, or rooms following suspension of operations by an alternating proprietor shall execute a consent of surety to continue in effect all bonds. Where wine, spirits, or other accountable materials subject to tax under 26 U.S.C. chapter 51 are to be retained in tanks on the wine premises to be alternated, an outgoing proprietor who has filed bond as required under § 24.146 shall also execute a consent of surety to continue the liability of all bonds for the tax on the materials, notwithstanding the change in proprietorship.

(d) Records. Each proprietor shall maintain separate records and submit a separate TTB F 5120.17, Report of Bonded Wine Premises Operations. All transfers of wine, spirits, and other accountable materials will be reflected in the records of each proprietor. Each proprietor shall maintain a record showing the name and registry number of the incoming or outgoing proprietor, the effective date and hour of alternation, and the quantity in gallons and the percent alcohol by volume or proof of any wine, spirits, or other accountable materials transferred or received.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control numbers 1512-0058, 1512-0216 and 1512-0298)

[T.D. ATF-299, 55 FR 24989, June 19, 1990, as amended by T.D. ATF-338, 58 FR 19064, Apr. 12, 1993; T.D. TTB-146, 82 FR 1124, Jan. 4, 2017]

§ 24.137 Alternate use of the wine premises for customs purposes.

(a) General. The wine premises may be alternated as a customs bonded warehouse under applicable customs laws and regulations, for the purpose of measuring, gauging, and bottling or packing wine. The use of the portion of the wine premises alternated as a customs bonded warehouse is subject to the approval of the district director of customs and the appropriate TTB officer. When it is necessary to convey wine in customs custody across bonded wine premises, the proprietor shall comply with the provisions of § 24.92.

(b) Qualifying documents. Where the proprietor desires to alternate a portion of wine premises for customs use, the following qualifying documents will be filed:

(1) TTB F 5120.25 to cover the alternation;

(2) A diagram clearly depicting any area, building, floor, room or major equipment in use during the alternation; and

(3) Any other documents or additional information the appropriate TTB officer may require.

(c) Alternation. After approval of the qualifying documents by the appropriate TTB officer, the proprietor may alternate the wine premises. Portions of the wine premises to be excluded by curtailment or included by extension may not be used for purposes other than those authorized. Prior to the effective date and hour of the alternation, the proprietor shall remove all wine and spirits from the portion of the wine premises to be alternated for customs purposes.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1512-0058)

[T.D. ATF-299, 55 FR 24989, June 19, 1990, as amended by T.D. ATF-344, 58 FR 40354, July 28, 1993; T.D. ATF-409, 64 FR 13683, 13685, Mar. 22, 1999; T.D. TTB-196, 89 FR 87941, Nov. 6, 2024]