# ShipCompliant MCP

> ShipCompliant by Sovos connects your AI client to US alcohol shipping compliance data. Check if it's legal to ship wine or spirits between states, calculate state and local excise taxes for accurate invoices, verify necessary licenses, and get current carrier restrictions on the fly.

## Overview
- **Category:** ecommerce
- **Price:** Free
- **Tags:** alcohol-shipping, tax-calculation, regulatory-compliance, license-management, excise-tax, logistics

## Description

# ShipCompliant by Sovos

Connect your **ShipCompliant** account to any AI agent; it handles the whole mess of US alcohol shipping compliance. You don't gotta dig through state websites or read dusty PDF manuals—you just ask a question, and you get an immediate answer on legality, taxes, and rules.

### Compliance Checks & State Rules

You check if it's legal to ship any specific product from one state to another using the `check_compliance` tool. This is your primary safety net; it verifies whether moving wine or spirits violates current laws or volume caps between an origin and destination state.

If you need deeper context, you can pull detailed alcohol laws for a single state with `get_state_rules`. You'll find specifics here—things like age verification requirements, product restrictions, or specific local mandates. For general interstate movement rules, the `get_shipping_rules` tool gives you the scoop on volume limitations and carrier certifications that apply across borders.

### Taxes and Billing

When you know what you're shipping, you gotta pay the piper. Use `calculate_tax` to run a full calculation; it spits out the total tax amount, detailing exactly how much is due for sales tax, excise tax, or any local surcharges, so your invoices are spotless.

### Licensing and Inventory Management

Don't get caught flat-footed. The `check_license_status` tool lets you verify if your existing shipping licenses are active, expired, or pending renewal for a specific state. Better yet, `list_licenses` gives you a complete overview of every single shipping license you hold across all the states—essential for keeping track of your inventory rights.

For who you're sending it to, `list_carriers` lists which carriers are certified and legally approved to handle alcoholic shipments. You can also maintain a clear record of what you sell; `list_products` creates a registry of every registered product in your system, including brand names and alcohol content.

### How It Works

Your agent uses all these tools together. You ask it to check compliance for Product X going from Ohio to New York. It runs the checks, calculates the necessary taxes for that destination, confirms you have a valid license in both states, and tells you if any carrier restrictions apply—all before you even pack the box.

## Tools

### check_compliance
Checks if shipping specific alcohol products from an origin state to a destination state violates any current laws or volume limits. This is your primary check.

### calculate_tax
Runs a calculation and returns the total tax amount, detailing how much is due for sales tax, excise tax, etc.

### get_shipping_rules
Retrieves general rules about shipping goods between states, including volume limits and carrier certifications.

### list_licenses
Provides a complete overview of every shipping license you hold across various states, critical for inventory management.

### check_license_status
Returns the details and expiration date for a license in a specific state.

### list_products
Creates a list of all registered products in your system, including brand names and alcohol content.

### get_state_rules
Pulls deep-dive alcohol laws for a specific state, covering topics like age verification or product restrictions.

### list_carriers
Lists all approved carriers that can legally handle alcoholic shipments.

## Prompt Examples

**Prompt:** 
```
Can we ship Pinot Noir from California to Texas?
```

**Response:** 
```
📋 **Compliance Check: CA → TX**

✅ **Shipping is COMPLIANT**

📜 **Your license**: TX DTC Permit #TX-2024-8847 — Active (expires Dec 2026)

📦 **Volume limits**:
- Per shipment: 9 liters max
- Annual per customer: 108 liters (12 cases)

💰 **Tax breakdown** (example: $45 bottle):
- TX excise tax: $0.204/gallon
- TX sales tax: 6.25% → $2.81
- Local tax: ~2% → $0.90
- **Total tax: ~$3.91/bottle**

📋 **Requirements**:
- ✅ Adult signature required (21+)
- ✅ Common carrier only (FedEx, UPS)
- ❌ USPS not permitted
- ✅ Shipped from licensed premises
```

**Prompt:** 
```
Calculate alcohol taxes for a $50 bottle of wine shipped to New York.
```

**Response:** 
```
💰 **Tax Breakdown — CA → NY ($50 Bottle)**

- NY Excise Tax: $0.30/gallon
- State Sales Tax: 4.0% ($2.00)
- Local Tax (NYC): 4.875% ($2.44)
**Total Tax**: ~$4.44 per bottle
```

**Prompt:** 
```
Show my active shipping licenses for California.
```

**Response:** 
```
📋 **Active Licenses: California**

1. **CA DTC Winegrower Permit**: #CA-9921-W
   - Expires: Dec 31, 2026
   - Status: Active

2. **CA Wholesale License**: #CA-WW-229
   - Expires: Jun 30, 2027
   - Status: Active

*(No pending renewals required)*
```

## Capabilities

### Verify Shipping Compliance
The agent checks if moving a specific product from an origin state to a destination state violates any current alcohol laws or volume limits.

### Calculate Tax Liability
You provide the product and destination, and the tool calculates the total tax amount, separating out sales tax, excise tax, and local surcharges for accurate billing.

### Check License Status
The agent verifies if your existing shipping licenses are active, expired, or pending renewal for a specific state.

### Retrieve State Regulations
You get detailed legal rules (like age requirements or volume caps) for any given state's alcohol industry.

### List Approved Carriers
The agent lists which shipping carriers are certified to handle alcoholic beverages compliantly.

## Use Cases

### Shipping a new product line to an unfamiliar state
A DTC manager needs to sell their new craft beer shipment to Michigan. Instead of calling three separate regulatory boards, they ask the agent: 'Can I ship this beer from Ohio to Michigan?' The agent runs `check_compliance` and `get_state_rules`, confirming it's legal and listing any volume limits in Michigan.

### Reconciling tax discrepancies for e-commerce
An accounting team needs to verify if a recent large shipment invoice is correct. They feed the product details into `calculate_tax`. The agent runs the tool, providing an itemized tax breakdown that proves whether the local sales tax applied was accurate.

### Audit prep for compliance officers
A compliance officer needs to prove they hold active permits everywhere. They run `list_licenses` and then use `check_license_status` on specific states like Florida, getting a clear, auditable status report for every required permit.

### Planning bulk shipment logistics
A winery is moving inventory across state lines. They ask: 'What are the shipping rules for moving 50 cases of wine from Napa to Arizona?' The agent uses `get_shipping_rules` and `list_carriers`, providing both volume limits and a list of certified haulers.

## Benefits

- Avoid fines by running `check_compliance` before fulfilling an order. This tool validates if the shipment is legal, saving you from customs issues and rejections.
- Ensure your billing is perfect every time. Use `calculate_tax` to get a detailed breakdown of state sales tax and excise tax, guaranteeing accurate invoicing for any destination.
- Never ship with expired permits again. The agent uses `list_licenses` and `check_license_status` to instantly track expiry dates across all 50 states.
- Know your limitations: Use `get_state_rules` to understand specific state rules, such as volume caps or required adult signatures, preventing customer service failures.
- Streamline logistics planning. The tool lists approved carriers via `list_carriers`, ensuring you only use partners certified for alcohol transport.

## How It Works

The bottom line is you get an immediate, legally verified answer without having to open multiple state government websites.

1. Start by asking the agent a core question: 'Can I ship X product from State A to State B?'
2. The system runs `check_compliance` and, if necessary, pulls data from `get_state_rules` and `calculate_tax` to confirm legality and total cost.
3. You receive a structured report that includes compliance status (✅/❌), required licenses, volume limits, and the itemized tax breakdown.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**How do I know if my shipment is legal before I use check_compliance?**
You must ask the agent: 'Can we ship X product from State A to State B?' The `check_compliance` tool runs all necessary checks—tax, volume, and legality—in one go. It's your primary step.

**What is the difference between get_state_rules and check_compliance?**
`get_state_rules` gives you background info on a state (like general volume caps). `check_compliance` takes your specific shipment details (product, origin, destination) and tells you if *that* particular move is legal.

**Does list_licenses tell me if my license has expired?**
`list_licenses` shows all the permits you hold. To check expiration dates specifically, you should use `check_license_status` for a precise status update on that permit.

**I need to calculate taxes for multiple states; can I do it with calculate_tax?**
Yes. Just provide the product value and list all destination states you are shipping to, or run `calculate_tax` sequentially for each state's specific tax rate.

**Can I find out if a carrier is allowed to ship my goods? Use list_carriers.**
You can use `list_carriers` to see approved partners. For compliance, though, you should cross-reference this list with the output from `check_compliance` for the most accurate picture.

**What specific inputs must I provide to the `calculate_tax` tool?**
The tool requires product volume, alcohol percentage, and destination state. Providing these three data points ensures the total tax breakdown—including excise, sales, and local taxes—is accurate for your invoicing.

**Does running `check_compliance` require me to use `list_products` first?**
No, you don't have to. The tool checks compliance based on the origin, destination, and product type provided in the conversation. However, cross-referencing with `list_products` helps confirm if your specific brand is registered for that state.

**If I run `check_license_status`, what information do I get about renewal timelines?**
The tool returns the precise license expiration date and status (Active, Pending, Expired). This immediate feedback lets you know exactly how many months or days are left before a permit lapses.

**What is ShipCompliant?**
ShipCompliant by Sovos is the #1 compliance platform for shipping alcohol in the United States. It handles tax calculation, license management, and state-by-state regulatory compliance.

**Can it calculate state-specific excise taxes?**
Yes, it automatically calculates state excise taxes, sales taxes, and local surcharges for all 50 states.

**Does it check volume limits per customer?**
Yes, it tracks aggregated volume limits per customer per state to prevent non-compliant shipments.