Stanford University has an Industrial Alcohol User Permit issued by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Each Department designates an individual who is authorized to approve requisitions to purchase Federal tax-exempt alcohol and must adhere to the following restrictions:

• The use of tax-exempt alcohol and resulting products shall be limited to scientific, medicinal, and mechanical uses for the purpose of scientific research.
• Alcohol issued is Not For Resale.
• Use of tax-exempt alcohol and resulting products shall be limited to the Stanford University Campus Departments and SLAC. Stanford’s permit does not allow for the removal of alcohol from the Stanford University Campus or SLAC.
• Marks and brands placed on alcohol containers must not be destroyed or altered until the alcohol is depleted.

Research alcohol must be purchased via SmartMart through vendors who have the University’s permit on file (e.g., Gold Shield and Fisher)

When purchasing research alcohol, refer to the Topic Overview: Purchase Goods page for special considerations and recommended purchasing methods.

Why won’t the vendor process my order?

It is possible that:

• The building is not included in the University’s permit
• The supplier/vendor does not have a copy of our permit

New delivery location

If a laboratory is moving to another Stanford building, contact David Featherman. It can take a few months for a new building to be added to our permit.

Temporary solutions when experiencing delays

• Ask a nearby lab to share their supply until order is processed
• Place the order at the current building location (before moving to a new building)
• Check the Surplus Chemicals Program for available inventory