TTB ID
A TTB ID is the unique 14-digit identification number assigned by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to each Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) application, encoding the receipt date, submission method, and sequential filing number.
In Plain English
Every time someone submits a label for approval, the TTB assigns it a unique tracking number called a TTB ID. This is not a random number. It actually contains useful information if you know how to read it. The first five digits tell you the year and day of year when the application was received. The next three digits indicate how it was submitted (electronically, by mail, or hand-delivered). The last six digits are a sequential counter for that particular day. So a TTB ID can tell you exactly when an application was filed and roughly how many applications the TTB received that day. This numbering system replaced an older format and has been in use for electronic submissions since the COLAs Online system was launched.
Technical Detail
The 14-digit TTB ID follows a structured format: positions 1-2 represent the two-digit calendar year, positions 3-5 represent the Julian date (day of year, 001-366), positions 6-8 indicate the receipt method (001 for electronic via COLAs Online, 002 or 003 for mailed paper applications, 000 for hand-delivered), and positions 9-14 are a six-digit sequential number assigned in order of receipt within that day. For example, TTB ID 25001001000123 decodes to: received in 2025, on January 1 (Julian day 001), submitted electronically (001), and it was the 123rd application received that day. The TTB ID serves as the primary key in the TTB public COLA database and is used to reference specific approvals in compliance documentation.
Why It Matters
For market intelligence purposes, TTB IDs provide a reliable timestamp for when a company initiated the label approval process. By analyzing TTB ID sequences, you can estimate filing volumes by day, spot seasonal trends in application activity, and determine how far in advance companies are submitting labels before anticipated launch dates. BevAlc Intelligence uses the TTB ID as a primary identifier when tracking filings across time and companies, and it appears in search results and company profiles for reference.
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I look up a specific COLA by its TTB ID?
Yes. You can search for any approved COLA by its TTB ID on the TTB Public COLA Registry at TTB.gov, or in the BevAlc Intelligence database which provides additional context such as signal classification and company matching.
What does the Julian date in a TTB ID mean?
The Julian date is the day of the year expressed as a number from 001 to 366. January 1 is 001, February 1 is 032, and December 31 is 365 (or 366 in a leap year). This encoding tells you exactly what calendar date the application was received.
Do TTB IDs ever get reused?
No. Each TTB ID is unique and permanently assigned to a specific COLA application. Even if an application is rejected, withdrawn, or surrendered, the TTB ID is never reassigned to another application. This makes it a reliable permanent identifier for referencing specific filings.