Can a US-based company hold AWRS and WOWGR registrations, or must they be UK-registered?

A US-based company cannot directly hold AWRS and WOWGR registrations—these require a UK-registered business entity. AWRS requires UK VAT registration, which in turn requires a UK-registered business. To hold bonded stock in the UK as an overseas business, you must appoint a UK duty representative, typically a paid service offered by bonded warehouses.

Key options if you want to centralise operations to the US:

- **Appointing a UK duty representative** — Bonded warehouses like Cadus Vaults can act as duty representatives for overseas businesses, though note this is typically offered for cask storage rather than finished goods inventory. - **Using a logistics-focused distributor** — Members recommend exploring partners like **Proof Drinks** or **Tortuga**, which operate logistics business models (rather than pure agency) and may be able to hold and manage your stock in bond under their UK registration. - **Retaining a UK subsidiary** — If you self-distribute and need to hold stock in bond, you currently cannot shut down your UK subsidiary and retain that stock under a US-only structure.

Caveats: The regulations around duty representation and bonded stock are strict. Self-distribution with a centralised US operation appears incompatible with holding bonded inventory in the UK under current arrangements.