New Jersey approves home third-party delivery of booze and cocktails ‘to-go’

New Jersey on Friday announced that third-party services — such as DoorDash and Instacart — will soon be allowed to deliver alcoholic beverages from restaurants, bars, and liquor stores to customers at home.

Applications for a “third-party delivery permit” — including for cocktails “to go” — will open Oct. 1, the state Attorney General’s Office said.

In Pennsylvania, to-go cocktails were legal during the pandemic, but then they were banned again.

The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which is part of the Attorney General’s Office, issued its ruling on Friday after working through the details with the New Jersey Licensed Beverage Association, the New Jersey Liquor Store Alliance, and participants in the third-party delivery sector, the Attorney General’s Office said in a news release.

“The demand for delivery services exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic and the third-party delivery permit expands that market in New Jersey and allows retail licensees to tap into it,” acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said in a statement.

The permit allows delivery services to enter formal agreements with restaurants, bars, and liquor stores to make deliveries on their behalf, the Attorney General’s Office said. The permit will not be available for businesses that do not have retail liquor licenses, such as craft breweries and distilleries.

The permit, which will cost $2,000 annually, will allow independent contractors using their personal vehicle to deliver alcoholic beverages from permit-holders to the homes of customers and charge a fixed fee for delivery.

Officials emphasized that a series of safeguards will be in place, including requirements that delivery drivers pass background checks on criminal history and driving records.

There will be alcohol-compliance training to make sure customers are of legal age and not visibly intoxicated, officials said.

Deliveries to the campus of any college or university will be prohibited.

Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement: “Safety is a key element of this ruling; we want to make sure that those involved in delivering and receiving these products are authorized to do so. As we continue with the COVID-19 economic recovery, we must continue to take steps to evolve and adapt to our new normal.”