Regulators
- TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) — federal authority that approves wine, malt and distilled spirits labels via COLAs Online
What COLA covers
Every wine label sold across state lines in the United States must hold a current Certificate of Label Approval (COLA). The TTB reviews labels for mandatory information, prohibited claims and class/type designation. Without a COLA you can't ship interstate, period. Cepaos centralizes the label assets, the application data and the TTB tracking number so nothing falls through the cracks.
Prerequisites
- TTB permit number active in Settings > Compliance > US.
- COLAs Online account with valid login credentials.
- Label artwork as high-resolution PDF or JPEG (front, back and any neck or strip labels).
- Net contents declaration matching one of the TTB-authorized container sizes.
- Brand name registration completed (or in progress) if the brand differs from the permit name.
Step by step
1. Open the label module
Go to Commercial > Labels > COLA Applications. The list view groups labels by status: draft, ready to file, submitted, approved and revoked.
2. Create a new label entry
Click + New label and complete the required fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Brand name | Exactly as it will appear on the label |
| Fanciful name | If you use a sub-brand or vintage-specific name |
| Class/type | Table wine, sparkling, dessert, fortified, etc. |
| Net contents | 750 ml, 1.5 L, 187 ml, etc. |
| Alcohol by volume | Within the TTB tolerance band for the class |
| Wine vintage | Single year if 95%+ from that harvest |
| Appellation of origin | County, state, AVA or country |
| Origin claim | Estate bottled, vinted and bottled, produced and bottled |
Cepaos enforces the TTB tolerance rules. For example, a still wine labeled 12.5% alcohol must actually fall between 11.0% and 14.0% to comply.
3. Upload artwork
Upload front, back, neck and strip labels. Verify each file is at least 300 dpi and includes the government warning statement in the exact required font size.
4. Run pre-flight checks
Click Run pre-flight. Cepaos flags common rejection reasons:
- Missing or undersized health warning.
- Net contents not in the approved size list.
- Alcohol content outside the class tolerance.
- Prohibited therapeutic or health-related claims.
- Origin claim that doesn't match the appellation rules.
Fix every red flag before you submit.
5. Submit to COLAs Online
Cepaos packages the application as a COLAs Online-ready bundle. Open COLAs Online, paste the application ID and upload the artwork ZIP. Record the TTB ID once you receive it so the status syncs automatically.
6. Track approval
The typical TTB review window is 15 to 30 days. Cepaos pulls the status from COLAs Online twice a day. You'll see one of:
- Approved: the COLA is live. The PDF certificate downloads into the label record.
- Needs correction: TTB lists the specific issues. Address them and resubmit.
- Rejected: the application can't proceed. Start over with the corrected design.
Pro tips
- Lock in your AVA: if you label an AVA, 85% of the grapes must come from that AVA. Cepaos cross-references your harvest records to confirm.
- Pre-COLA review on COLAs Online is free and catches obvious issues before you commit a real application slot.
- Use the Allowable Revisions list to make minor changes (vintage year, alcohol within tolerance) without filing a new COLA.
FAQ
Do I need a COLA for direct-to-consumer sales in my own state?
Not for intrastate sales. The TTB only requires a COLA when wine moves in interstate commerce. State-level licensing still applies.
How long is a COLA valid?
A COLA stays valid indefinitely until you change the label or the regulations change. Update the COLA before any material design or content change.
Can I file multiple labels in one submission?
No. Each label SKU needs its own COLA application. Cepaos lets you clone an existing label entry to speed up data entry for related SKUs.