Vintners DeskWine Compliance, Done for You.

Engagement terms

Effective Oct 28, 2026. These terms apply once you accept a written quote.

Vintners Desk / Brewers Desk / Distillers Desk: Engagement Terms

In effect from Oct 28, 2026. General terms of service, not legal advice.

Parties. Voraus LLC, a Wyoming limited liability company doing business as Vintners Desk, Brewers Desk or Distillers Desk, as named on your order ("we", "us"), and the client named on the order ("you").

1. What we do (scope)

1.1 We prepare the filings listed on your order or plan and, under the authorization in §3, submit them for you. These may include: TTB permit applications and amendments (Bonded Winery/BWC TTB F 5120.25, Brewer's Notice TTB F 5130.10, DSP TTB F 5110.41), which we prepare and submit under §3 (or you submit, if you choose §3.3); TTB label applications (COLAs, TTB F 5100.31) and formulas (TTB F 5100.51); state label or brand registrations; state license applications (DTC shipper, importer, wholesaler); renewals; FDA food facility registration; and, on Filing Desk plans, the Report of Wine Premises Operations (TTB F 5120.17), wine Excise Tax Returns (TTB F 5000.24) and your home-state winery or excise report; and, on report plans for breweries and distilleries, the Brewer's Report of Operations (TTB F 5130.9 / 5130.26), the DSP monthly reports (TTB F 5110.40, 5110.11, 5110.28) and Excise Tax Returns (TTB F 5000.24).

1.2 Not included unless quoted in writing: legal advice or opinions; structuring advice (for example, alternating proprietorship vs. custom crush); trademark clearance; tied-house or trade-practice questions; audits or investigations; responding to agency enforcement; appearing for you in any TTB or state conference, hearing, protest or permit proceeding (TTB limits that to attorneys, CPAs and enrolled practitioners, 27 CFR 71.31 and 26 CFR 601.521); offers in compromise; advice on whether a structure, trade practice or label claim is lawful; amended prior-period returns; cleanup of more than 3 months of records; out-of-state shipping tax returns; and any filing not listed on your order.

1.3 We are not a law firm and do not give legal or tax advice. Nothing we say is legal advice. For legal questions, consult a licensed attorney.

1.4 We are a private company. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for TTB, FDA, any state agency, or any government. You may make any of these filings yourself, and the government charges no fee for COLA applications.

1.5 We never take title to alcohol. Voraus LLC does not buy, sell, own, possess, store or ship alcoholic beverages. We prepare and submit paperwork only.

1.6 Not attorneys, CPAs or enrolled practitioners. We are not attorneys, CPAs or practitioners enrolled before TTB under 31 CFR Part 8, and we do not represent you in conferences, hearings, appeals or permit proceedings. We prepare filings from information you provide and, where you authorize it by TTB F 5000.8, sign or submit them and handle routine, factual correspondence with TTB staff about them. If TTB raises a legal issue or proposes to deny, suspend or revoke a permit, we will tell you promptly so you can engage counsel.

2. Your responsibilities

2.1 Accuracy. You are responsible for the truth, accuracy and completeness of all information, records, label artwork, formulas, production data, inventory, sales and tax figures you provide, and for keeping the records the law requires (for example, 27 CFR part 24). We rely on what you give us and do not audit it.

2.2 Review and approval. We will send each filing for your review. Nothing is submitted until you approve it. Your approval confirms the filing is accurate.

2.3 Signing and taxes. You remain the permittee, taxpayer and legally responsible party for every filing, including those we submit under your power of attorney. You pay all taxes, fees and bonds directly to the agency. We never collect, hold or remit tax money for you.

2.4 Deadlines. We will send reminders, but you must give us complete information at least 5 business days before a due date (10 for monthly 5120.17 / excise filers). Late or incomplete information may mean a late filing. We are not responsible for penalties or interest that result.

2.5 Labels and products. Product formulation, label claims, and compliance of your product and its marketing are your responsibility. Our AI pre-check is a screening aid, not a legal review.

3. Power of attorney and access

3.1 Default: one limited power of attorney; we prepare and submit everything. You sign TTB Form 5000.8 (Power of Attorney) naming our designated individual. Under it we prepare and submit your filings: original permits and amendments (Permits Online), COLAs and formulas (COLAs Online, Formulas Online), and Pay.gov excise returns and operations reports. We also receive TTB notices for you and forward them to you promptly. Nothing is submitted until you approve it (§2.2).

3.2 Scope of the authorization. Item 8(b) is limited to the filings above and receiving notices. It excludes conferences, hearings and offers in compromise. It's filed with TTB, and you may revoke it at any time in writing.

3.2a Onboarding: signing the authorization (about 15 minutes). We prefill the form from your intake details. You sign it before a notary or two witnesses (items 13a/13b): a remote online notary, or two witnesses at your office. We use TTB's official Form 5000.8 (PDF), and we never host or alter a copy. Until TTB has it on file, we prepare filings for you to submit.

3.3 Option: you submit permits yourself. If you prefer, we prepare the complete permit or amendment package and your owner or officer (your TTB Key Contact) submits it from your own Permits Online account. State applications are signed by you.

3.3b We never ask for, store or use your login credentials for any government system.

3.4 We will never ask for your passwords or log in as you. Portal accounts we use are in our own filer's name.

3.4a FDA food facility registration renewals. Either you submit the renewal from your own FDA Industry Systems account using the field sheet we prepare, or your account holder creates a free subaccount in our designated filer's name and you sign a written authorization for us to submit the renewal on your behalf; the submission then carries the certification FDA requires when someone other than the owner, operator or agent in charge submits (21 CFR 1.230(b)), naming the individual who authorized it. We never ask for your FDA account password or your registration PIN, and you may deactivate the subaccount at any time. We serve domestic facilities only and do not act as U.S. Agent.

3.5 You authorize our staff and vetted contractors (which may include offshore assistants who prepare drafts but do not sign or submit) to handle your information under §7.

3.6 Correspondence with TTB. We may respond factually to TTB specialist requests about filings we prepared (documents, corrections, clarifications), and we always copy you. Anything that argues law, asks for a conference, answers a citation, or concerns a proposed denial, suspension or revocation goes to you promptly, and we refer it to your own counsel (a beverage attorney or CPA).

4. No guarantee

Approval, timing and outcome of every filing are decided by the government agency. We do not guarantee approval, processing times, or any result. COLA filings include one correction resubmission for the same label. Further rounds, or substantive label redesigns, are billed as new filings.

4A. Our guarantee (in effect from Oct 28, 2026)

4A.1 Our error, our fix. If TTB or a state agency rejects, returns or requests correction of a filing because of an error in our preparation (for example, a typo we introduced, a missing statement our checklist should have caught, or a wrong form or field we chose), we correct it and refile it (or prepare it for you to refile, where you submit under §3.3) at no additional fee, as many times as needed for that error. This is in addition to the one correction resubmission already included with each COLA filing.

4A.2 Permit paperwork on time. If your permit or amendment paperwork is not ready for your approval within 5 business days of our receiving your complete information, we take $100 off that service's fee (never more than the fee itself).

4A.3 Other written deadlines. If we miss any other preparation deadline we committed to in writing, we credit or refund the lesser of $100 or that service's fee.

4A.4 Not covered: government, state and third-party fees; taxes, penalties and interest (we never cover TTB or state penalties); problems caused by information, records, artwork or formulas you supplied or approved; delays caused by you; agency processing times and agency discretion where the filing was correctly prepared; and changes in law or agency practice.

4A.5 No promise of approval. Approval and timing are decided by the agency. Nothing in this guarantee promises approval or a result (§4).

4A.6 How to use it: tell us within 30 days of the agency notice or the missed date. We confirm the cause in writing within 2 business days, we refile within 2 business days of receiving anything we need from you, or issue the credit or refund within 10 business days.

4A.7 Limits. This guarantee is our sole obligation for the events it covers. Our total liability is capped at the fees you paid for the service concerned (§6.1).

5. Fees and payment

5.1 Prepayment. One-time services are paid in full before we begin. Plans (Renewal Watch, Filing Desk) are billed monthly in advance, or annually in advance where offered, and renew automatically until cancelled. Monthly plans have a 3-month minimum term. Plans paid a year in advance cost 10 times the monthly price (2 months free). Permits are paid in two parts: about half at start and the rest when the application is ready to submit.

5.1a Offers (approved Oct 27, 2026).

  • Founding clients: the first 10 plan clients on each desk keep their plan price for 12 months. On Distillers Desk, the founding report desk price is $199/mo.
  • Permit credit: $200 off a permit if a monthly plan starts within 60 days of ordering it.
  • Permit Review: the $395 Permit Review fee is credited in full toward full permit preparation within 30 days.

5.2 Government fees, state fees, bonds, notary costs and courier costs are extra. You pay them to the agency directly, or we pass them through at cost with your approval.

5.3 Refunds. If we haven't started work, we refund in full. Once preparation has started, fees are non-refundable, except that if we fail to deliver a prepared filing for reasons within our control, we refund that item.

5.4 Prices may change with 30 days' notice for plans. Prices for one-time orders are fixed once paid.

6. Limitation of liability

6.1 Our total liability for any claim relating to these terms or our services is limited to the fees you paid us for the specific service giving rise to the claim.

6.2 We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, lost profits or lost sales, or for taxes, penalties or interest, except to the extent caused by our gross negligence or willful misconduct.

6.3 We are not liable for delays or errors caused by inaccurate or late information from you, agency system outages, changes in law or agency practice, or events beyond our control.

6.4 Deadlines. Our calendars and reminders are a convenience. You remain responsible for knowing and meeting your filing, payment and renewal deadlines. We are responsible only for preparing a filing within the stated turnaround after we have your complete information and approval.

6.5 Claims period. Any claim must be raised in writing within 12 months of the filing it concerns.

6.6 Acknowledgment. By accepting these terms (checkbox at checkout plus e-signature), you confirm you have read sections 2 (your responsibilities), 4 (no guarantee of approval), 4A (our guarantee and its limits) and 6 (limitation of liability).

6.7 Indemnity. You will indemnify us against claims arising from inaccurate information you provide, or from your products, labels or business practices.

7. Data handling and confidentiality

7.1 We use your information only to provide the services, and we keep it confidential. We do not sell it.

7.2 We store records in access-controlled cloud storage. We share them only with staff and contractors bound by confidentiality who need them, and with agencies as part of a filing.

7.3 Bank details: we do not store payment-account or bank login details for tax payments.

7.4 We keep filing copies for 3 years after the engagement ends (or longer if law requires), then delete them. You may request copies at any time.

7.5 We use AI tools to prefill forms and pre-check labels. Your data is not used to train public models, and every AI output is reviewed by a person before filing.

8. Term and termination

8.1 Either party may end a plan with 30 days' written notice. Fees already paid for the current period are not refunded.

8.2 We may end the engagement immediately if: you provide false information; you ask us to file something we believe is inaccurate or unlawful; you fail to pay within 10 days of the due date; or you appear on a sanctions list.

8.3 On termination we will tell you which open filings remain, hand over your files, and withdraw our power of attorney. You are responsible for filings due after the termination date.

9. General

  • Independent contractor.
  • No assignment without consent (we may assign to a successor business).
  • Entire agreement (order + these terms).
  • Notices by email.
  • Severability.
  • Governing law: the laws of the State of Wyoming.
  • Venue: the state or federal courts of Wyoming located in Laramie County, Wyoming, the county of Voraus LLC's registered office. Either party may instead bring a claim that fits within small-claims limits in the small-claims court where the client is located.
  • Electronic signatures accepted.

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