Industry Notice: Provisional Product Registration and Impact of Federal Government Reopening

To: Holders of a Brewer’s License (BW), Winery Permit (G), Distiller’s and Rectifier’s Permit (D), Brewpub License (BP), Nonresident Brewer’s License (BN), or Nonresident Seller’s Permit (S)

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission began accepting and approving Provisional Product Registration Applications last month when the U.S. federal government shut down. However, the government reopened on Nov. 13, which means TABC is no longer accepting or approving provisional applications, and any business with an approved provisional product registration must take prompt action in accordance with TABC Rule 45.12.

TABC Resumes Accepting and Approving Standard Applications

TABC stopped accepting and approving provisional product registration applications when the federal government reopened on Nov. 13, 2025.
Anyone who did not apply for or obtain a provisional product registration from TABC between Oct. 1 and Nov. 12, 2025, who now needs to register their product with TABC, must adhere to the standard registration process outlined on the TABC Product Registration page.

Deadline for Provisional Registrants to Apply for COLA

If TABC approved your provisional product registration application during the federal government shutdown that occurred between Oct. 1 and Nov. 12, 2025, your provisional registration will automatically expire on Dec. 14, 2025 (i.e., 31 days after the resumption of TTB services) unless you apply for a U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Trade and Tax Bureau (TTB) Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) by Dec. 13, 2025.
If you apply for a TTB COLA by Dec. 13, your provisional registration with TABC will remain active until either:
- TTB approves the COLA, in which case your provisional approval continues for 30 days after the COLA’s approval date; or
- TTB issues a denial, in which case your provisional approval expires upon TTB’s notice of that denial.

Post-COLA Requirements for Provisional Registrations

If TTB approves your COLA or grants an exemption, you must apply for TABC product registration within 30 calendar days of receiving TTB’s approval while your provisional approval remains in effect.
If TTB denies your COLA application, you must notify TABC within five calendar days of receiving the denial. The commission may revoke the provisional registration upon TTB’s denial.

Questions

If you have questions about obtaining TABC product registration, contact product.registration@tabc.texas.gov or 512-206-3410.