Does Instacart Deliver Alcohol? (All You Need To Know)

In many households, a bottle of wine or a case of beer is a regular part of the weekly stock-up, especially in those states where alcohol can be purchased alongside groceries.

However, does Instacart deliver alcohol? Can you actually get your merlot or your Bud Light delivered to your front door? If you’d like to find out, keep reading!

Does Instacart Deliver Alcohol In [currentyear]?

Instacart delivers alcohol in 14 states, plus one territory in the U.S., including California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C in [currentyear]. Customers must show a valid ID at delivery, or else alcohol will be ineligible for drop-off.

If you’d like to learn more about the rules of Instacart alcohol delivery, if drivers scan IDs, and even whether or not you can opt to pick up your alcohol, keep reading!

How Does Buying Alcohol on Instacart Work?

Buying alcohol on Instacart comes with a lot of rules for legal reasons, but the process itself is very simple and straightforward.

Remember: you must live in one of the 14 states listed above, or Washington, D.C., in order to be eligible for alcohol delivery via Instacart.

First, if you don’t have an Instacart account already, you will need to make one. It’s free to sign up, and you don’t have to pay anything beyond grocery prices and delivery/service fees.

However, if you find yourself using Instacart regularly, consider an Express membership for $10/month or $99/annually.

Once you are signed up, you can find alcohol for purchase in a few different ways.

You can search individually by stores if you already have a retailer you like and trust.

Navigate to the storefront for your chosen retailer, and you can either scroll down until you see the Alcohol section, or you can navigate manually by pressing on Aisles.

You can then scroll until you find the Alcohol aisle.

There is another way to shop alcohol with Instacart, as well.

Instacart has added a “hub” just for alcohol, which is located under the search bar on the main screen of the app, about a third of the way down.

Press on the correct hub, and you will see all the retailers near you that offer alcohol, all in one place.

From there, you can get to shopping! As you will see, Instacart also gives you the option to narrow the fields by types of beverage, like wines, hard seltzers, and spirits.

If your Instacart offers alcohol purchase and delivery, you will likely see all different kinds, including liquor, wine, beer, and more.

Once your cart is full, you can proceed to checkout.

Checking out with alcohol involves one extra step. You must verify that you are 21+ at checkout, and then you will do so again upon delivery.

Enter your correct birthdate, and press continue.

Next, you’ll continue checkout like normal, scheduling a time (make sure you’ll be home), including any delivery instructions, choosing your payment method, leaving a tip, etc.

Once you have submitted your order and it has been confirmed, you can wait until your shopper begins.

You will want to be available while your shopper is going through your order so that if they have any questions, you can answer them quickly.

When they’re done and on their way, it’s time for you to get ready for the delivery.

Unlike most grocery deliveries with Instacart, you must be present and have your ID out and ready.

The driver will scan it for authenticity, and to cross-reference with your face and given birthdate.

What Are the Instacart Alcohol Delivery Rules?

What Are the Instacart Alcohol Delivery Rules?

Because alcohol is strictly regulated in the U.S., particularly by age, Instacart follows specific guidelines and rules to ensure its alcohol delivery operations are aboveboard.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • While your shopper is gathering the order, you cannot do last-minute alcohol add-ons
  • You must be present at the time of delivery with your valid, non-expired ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.)
  • You must not appear visibly intoxicated; if you do, your driver is well within their rights to refuse delivery
  • Drivers are not permitted to leave alcohol on the premises, unattended; it must be received by the person who ordered it
  • Some states require you to sign for your alcohol delivery
  • If your alcohol delivery cannot be completed, you will be refunded the amount; however, you do not receive a refund for the delivery fee or tip

As you can see, it’s important that you only purchase alcohol for delivery if you are eligible and meet all the requirements.

Otherwise, you could be denied your purchase and be out of money for the delivery and tip.

What Stores Sell Alcohol on Instacart?

If you live in a state that allows alcohol delivery, you will find at least a dozen retail options.

Some major stores include:

  • Aldi
  • Costco
  • Sam’s Club and Walmart
  • Sprouts
  • Rite Aid
  • Albertsons
  • Meijer
  • BJ’s Wholesale
  • 7-Eleven

Options will vary based on your specific location. The best way to find out what is available in your area is to open the Instacart app and look in your Alcohol hub.

Does Instacart Scan ID for Alcohol?

Instacart full-service shoppers, who provide both shopping and delivery, scan IDs for alcohol, and are specially trained to deliver alcohol.

According to an online guide from the Louisiana state government, Instacart full-service shoppers themselves must be 21 to handle alcohol orders.

In fact, they can choose whether or not they want to take orders that contain alcohol.

If they decide to accept orders that contain alcohol, shoppers train with the Instacart Alcohol Module to familiarize themselves with alcohol laws and regulations in their state.

As well, any shoppers found not in full compliance with said laws will be blocked out from taking future batches.

Can You Pick up Alcohol with Instacart?

Instacart also offers a pick-up option for alcohol, both in states where delivery is permitted and in states where online ordering is legal.

For example, New York state does not allow alcohol delivery, but you can purchase it for pick-up through Instacart at any number of retailers, like Wegmans or 7-Eleven.

The process is much the same, where you must verify your birthdate at check-out.

Then, when you go to pick up your order, you will show your ID to the person bringing your groceries out.

To learn more, you can also read our posts on how late does Instacart deliver, Instacart Publix delivery, and what are demo orders on Instacart.

Conclusion

Thanks to Instacart, in 14 states and the District of Columbia, it’s easier than ever to add alcohol to your grocery order and have it delivered to your front door.

As long as you are 21, have the valid state ID to prove it, and do not appear visibly intoxicated, your Instacart shopper is authorized to bring the bottles and cans right to you.

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Cara Suppa

Cara Suppa has been freelance writing for over a decade and holds a BA in English and an MS in Integrated Marketing Communications. Outside of work, she is an avid cook, gardener, and discount shopper.

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