How to read these records

The permit number

Three parts: the state of the premises, a letter for the type, and a number. W is a wine producer or blender, S a distilled spirits plant, I an importer, P a wholesaler. CA-W-15001 is a wine producer's permit in California.

Holder and operating name

The holder is the person or company the permit was issued to. The operating name is the name it trades under, when it gave one. One holder can have many permits — a retail chain with a wholesaler permit per store, a winery with an importer permit — and the record lists them.

Several holders at one address

Common and normal: a custom crush winery hosts dozens of wine producers under one roof; a bonded warehouse hosts several importers. The record lists the other holders at the address.

What is not here

• Brewers, industrial alcohol producers and users, and tobacco permit holders: the TTB does not publish them (Internal Revenue Code section 6103).
• Issue dates and history: the list is a snapshot. The only time marker is a flag on permits issued in the 7 days before the list.
• State licenses: a federal permit does not replace the state's own license.
• 374 permits held by an individual without an operating name: found by number, not listed on any page.