---
kind: "section"
citation: "27 U.S.C. § 214"
title: "27"
title_heading: "Intoxicating Liquors"
number: "214"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/27/214"
units:
  - "Chapter 8 — Federal Alcohol Administration Act"
  - "Subchapter II — Alcoholic Beverage Labeling"
---

# §214. Definitions


As used in this subchapter—

- (1) The term “alcoholic beverage” includes any beverage in liquid form which contains not less than one-half of one percent of alcohol by volume and is intended for human consumption.
- (2) The term “bottle” means to fill a [container](#5) with an [alcoholic beverage](#1) and to seal such [container](#5).
- (3) The term “bottler” means a [person](#7) who [bottles](#2) an [alcoholic beverage](#1).
- (4) The term “commerce” means—
  - (A) [commerce](#4) between any [State](#10), the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island and any place outside thereof;
  - (B) [commerce](#4) between points in any [State](#10), the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island, but through any place outside thereof; or
  - (C) [commerce](#4) wholly within the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island.
- (5) The term “container” means the innermost sealed container irrespective of the material from which made, in which an [alcoholic beverage](#1) is placed by the [bottler](#3) and in which such beverage is offered for sale to members of the general public.
- (6) The term “health” includes, but is not limited to, the prevention of accidents.
- (7) The term “person” means an individual, partnership, joint stock company, business trust, association, corporation, or any other business or legal entity, including a receiver, trustee, or liquidating agent, and also includes any [State](#10), any [State](#10) agency, or any officer or employee thereof.
- (8) The term[^1] “sale” and “distribution” include sampling or any other distribution not for sale.
- (9) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Treasury.
- (10) The term “State” includes any political subdivision of any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, or Johnston Island.
- (11) The term “State law” includes [State](#10) statutes, regulations, and principles and rules having the force of law.
- (12) The term “United States”, when used in geographical sense, includes the several [States](#10), the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Wake Island, the Midway Islands, Kingman Reef, and Johnston Island.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “terms”.

## Source credit

(Aug. 29, 1935, ch. 814, title II, § 203, as added Pub. L. 100–690, title VIII, § 8001(a)(3), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4518.)