Delivering alcohol legally

By the end of this lesson you can say who may deliver liquor in Ontario, and what you check before you hand an order over. Delivery moves the service point to a doorstep, and the rules travel with it.

Two classes of delivery licence

Part VI of O. Reg. 746/21 (Licensing) sets two classes of licence to deliver: the general delivery licence and the affiliate delivery licence. Section 111 says the licence lets the licensee deliver liquor for a fee, and take or solicit orders for the sale of liquor for delivery.

The AGCO's General Delivery Licence Guide calls a delivery licensee an agent for the customer, or for the establishment or retail store directing the delivery. The licensee does not sell the liquor.

The general delivery licence covers most delivery businesses. Section 113 limits where the liquor comes from: a retail store, a holder of a licence to sell liquor, a holder of a by-the-glass endorsement, or a holder of an auction permit. The affiliate delivery licence started on July 1, 2026, for businesses affiliated with a licensed grocery store or a licensed and eligible convenience store. Section 114.2 keeps that licensee buying from the affiliated store only.

Both classes work in the same order: customer first, liquor second. Sections 113 (3) and 114.2 (3) bar the licensee from buying the liquor before the customer orders. Section 114 adds a food rule to the general delivery licence. Where a liquor sales licence holder or a by-the-glass endorsement holder sold the liquor, food must be included and delivered with it.

Who is allowed to carry the order

The AGCO guide sets three conditions on who does this work. Any individual purchasing or delivering liquor must be at least 18 years of age, carry a copy of the General Delivery Licence, and hold a valid certificate for a training course approved by the AGCO's Board.

At the door, you are that trained person.

The doorstep is the service point

Three checks decide whether the order changes hands.

• Age. A licensee cannot deliver liquor to, or allow a delivery to be accepted by, anyone under 19 years of age.
• Identification. If a person appears to be under 19, the licensee must inspect that person's identification. Valid ID must be current, reasonably appear to have been issued by a government or the LCBO, and include a photo of the person and their birth date.
• Sobriety. Licensees must make sure they do not supply or deliver liquor to anyone who is or appears to be intoxicated.

Read the age rule again. It names the person who accepts the delivery, not only the person who ordered. A 25-year-old can pay online and still fail the check at the door if a 17-year-old opens it.

Liquor must only be delivered to a residence or private place, and the licensee must make sure it is not opened or tampered with during delivery.

Delivery hours

The permissible hours of delivery are Monday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. You may only deliver inside that window, even if a retail store is open longer, such as 24 hours. Some licences carry conditions that limit the hours further.

Records and storage

Every order carries a record. It includes the licensee's name and address, plus:

• the customer's name and address
• the date of purchase and the date of delivery
• the name and address of the grocery store or convenience store it came from
• the kinds and quantities of liquor and food, and the price paid
• the delivery address
• the name of the person delivering, with their licence number where that person is a General Delivery Licensee or their employee or contractor
• confirmation of delivery

The licensee keeps each record for at least one year from the date of delivery. For deliveries from a retail store, the licensee also keeps the store's copy of the order for one year.

A licensee may store liquor a customer ordered. It must be stored securely, and reached only by the licensee, its employees, and contractors. Storage in a dwelling is not permitted, so the driver's apartment is not a warehouse. Liquor that cannot be delivered goes back to the store it came from, for a refund.

One doorstep

You arrive at 9:40 p.m. with two bottles of wine. A man opens the door and holds the frame to stay upright. His speech runs together, and he asks you twice what you brought.

You know these signs from module 4. No manager to check with, no team, no service history to weigh. You get one look, about ten seconds.

Make the call anyway. The rule at the door is the rule at the bar: do not supply or deliver liquor to anyone who is or appears to be intoxicated. Say plainly that you cannot leave the order, and go.

The wine goes back to the store it came from, for a refund. You do not leave it on the step or take it home.

The trap to expect on the test

The test likes the two ages in this lesson. It may put an 18-year-old at the door and call the delivery legal because the driver was also 18. Those are different rules. Delivery staff: at least 18; the person accepting delivery: 19 or older.

Hours are the other favourite. A question may say the store trades 24 hours, or that the customer ordered at 11:30 p.m. Neither fact moves the window. Watch the record question too: retention runs one year from the delivery date, not the order date.

Recap

• O. Reg. 746/21 Part VI sets two classes of licence to deliver: general and affiliate. The licence allows delivery for a fee and taking orders, not selling liquor.
• The order comes first. A licensee cannot buy the liquor before the customer orders.
• Anyone purchasing or delivering liquor must be at least 18, carry a copy of the licence, and hold a certificate from a training course approved by the AGCO's Board.
• No delivery to, or acceptance by, anyone under 19. Check ID when the person appears under 19. No delivery to anyone who is or appears to be intoxicated.
• Delivery hours are Monday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., whatever hours the store keeps.
• Order records are kept for at least one year from the date of delivery.
• Store liquor securely, never in a dwelling. Liquor you cannot deliver goes back for a refund.