NJ approves home alcohol delivery

NEW JERSEY - Beginning this fall, people living in New Jersey will be able to get a bottle of wine, beer, or whatever their drink of choice is without leaving the comfort of their home.

The state's Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control announced Friday the approval of a new rule that will allow bars, restaurants, and liquor stores to use third-party delivery services like DoorDash and Instacart to deliver alcohol.

The rule creates the Third-Party Delivery Permit, which allows delivery services to enter formal agreements with restaurants, bars, and liquor stores to make deliveries on their behalf.

The permits will cost $2,000 annually.

"Opening the door to allow for third-party services to deliver alcoholic beverages to New Jersey residents will allow our local businesses to adapt to the everchanging world of technology and e-commerce," said Governor Phil Murphy in a statement.

Current regulations permit only licensed retailers and transporters to deliver alcohol in New Jersey.

"This is a game changer for New Jersey’s alcoholic beverage industry and a tremendous opportunity for growth," said ABC Director James B. Graziano. "We’ve worked diligently to craft a permit that serves as an economic stimulus for the industry while maintaining the integrity of New Jersey’s robust liquor laws. The Third-Party Delivery Permit includes appropriate safeguards to ensure orderly, controlled, verifiable, and accountable deliveries of alcoholic beverages."

Participating delivery companies will be required to create protocols to train workers in alcohol compliance, verifying customer ages and refusing delivery to anyone underage or visibly intoxicated.

Deliveries will not be able to be made to college campuses