A Liquor License is a permit given by the state excise department to those who want to sell alcoholic beverages at a certain place. Each state government has laid down certain rules and regulations for the licenses which should be followed by every person who wants to sell hard drinks, beer or wine. This license is issued only after close inspection and examination of all the details of the License holder.

Types of Liquor Licenses:

There are several different types of licenses which are issued by every State Government. It is necessary for a corporation or an individual to urge the grant of following licenses and for aforesaid purposes:

L-1 License – This license is granted by the state government to a company or to a society or a partnership or proprietorship firm that is running a licensed manufacturing unit/s.

L-3 License – For granting this license state government issues tenders and it is granted to working distilleries or bottling plants which must be licensed by either Central or State government.

L–6 License – This license is granted by the state government only for selected undertakings to retail vend of Indian liquor or beer.

L-9 License – The State government for the aim of retail sale of liquor of foreign brands solely grant this license. Only those who already have the L-1 License can apply for this license.

L-10 License – State government grants this license particularly for the aim of retail sale of various Indian and foreign brands solely.

P-10 License – This License can be provided by the State government for serving liquor in any function at specific premises anywhere in the city, but public parks are excluded from it.

P-13 License – The State Government grants license to those hotels or restaurants or clubs that are duly licensed giving them permission to serve foreign liquor inside or outside their licensed premises for hosting a function only on a specific day on a temporary basis.

Other than the Licenses aforementioned, there aare more licenses which are granted or issued for different reasons: L-11, L-12, L-15, L-16, L-17, L-18, L-19, L-20, L-21, L-28, L-29, L-30.

How to get a Liquor License in India

Every State has its own rules and regulations related to sale, purchase, and consumption of alcohol and it differs from state to state. A person applying for liquor license must have full knowledge about liquor laws of his state laid down by the state excise department. The person can inquire about the rules and regulations from the website of the state excise department.

Know the Alcohol Laws in the State you want to open the liquor shop. Every State has different laws and requirements for distribution of liquor licenses

• Every State has an Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) organization that directs the distribution and sale of alcohol, so you can also contact your local ABC organization for more information.
• Some States may have quota licenses limiting the number of places that can sell alcohol in the state, at any point of time. Towns might also have quotas in places. It is important to know whether there is a quota available in your state and town or not.

Decide whether you need an on-license or an off-license. There are majorly 2 types of licenses for selling alcohol.

• An on-license is required if the liquor you are selling is sold with the intention of being consumed on the premises. Examples of such businesses includes bars, restaurants and taverns.
• An off-license is need when you intend to sell the liquor which is toi be consumed off the premises. Examples of such business may include liquor stores, grocery stores and drug stores.

Figure out the specific class of license you need. In some states, you may be required to apply for specific category of license, depending on the essence of your business and also the variety of alcohols you propose to sell. Some of the most common license classes include:

• Tavern License: A tavern license can be required by some states from businesses which serve food but create up to half of their overall profits through the sale of alcohol.
• Beer and wine: Some smaller bars or restaurants may only be granted a license to sell “soft” liquors like beer and wine. This license doesn’t entitle its owner to sell “hard” liquors.
• Restaurant: Restaurant licenses usually permit any variety of alcohol to be sold on the premises. However, the license might stipulate that solely a particular proportion of the restaurant’s total earnings might return from the sale of alcohol. This proportion is generally within the region of four-hundredth.

Start as early as possible In the event that you simply anticipate opening a restaurant or bar that serves liquor, it’s essential that you simply begin the approach toward getting your alcohol license as prior to schedule as would be prudent.

Consider the Cost. The cost of obtaining your alcohol license will shift. In some cases you will just need to pay a couple of thousands to cover the application fee and taxes. Sadly, because of the license from an restaurant, existing bar or alcohol store. At the point when this happens, the cost of your acquiring your permit could rocket into the huge number of profits.

Write a clear outline of the type of business you will be running.  As mentioned above, there are normally different licenses for various sorts of organizations – for instance, opening an alcohol store will require a different kind of license than running a bar. Subsequently, as a major aspect of your application, you should compose a clear portrayal of the sort of business you will be running.

You ought to incorporate information on whether you mean to offer liquor for consumption on the premises and on the rate of your aggregate income you hope to originate from the sale of liquor. This is vital as a few sorts of liquor require a different license in comparison to others.

Fill in the necessary forms and provide any required documentation. You can gain the essential forms from your ABC agency or native council and Trade Bureau and therefore the Alcohol and Tobacco. In a few states, you have got to submit an application to each the state and your local city or district.

The application can incorporate insights related to your business and your personal background. And other details, for example, your business experience, your age and having a clean personal record may influence the state’s decision to concede you a license.
You will also need to incorporate various vital documents with your application, which may include: a partnership agreement, a certificate of incorporation, a duplicate of your proposed food menu, company constitution, floor plan of the interior and photographs or drawings of the building’s exterior, a code compliance certificate and a duplicate of the declaration of title for the premises.

You may need to be prepared to defend your proposal. After you present your application, a notice will be posted in the proposed area of your business, including your name, the sort of permit you are applying for and what marketing privileges the proposed license would entitle you to.

• This notice must be publicly shown for a particular time period (which fluctuates by state). Amid this point, anybody from the local people can approach and challenge your application.
• Contingent upon the state or city laws, you may be required to post an announcement of your alcohol license application in the local newspaper, and in some other places also which are connected with local neighborhood associations, for example, place of worship, schools, and nearby parks.
• In the event that there are no objections to your application, local government will continue with assessing your application as normal. On the off chance that there are complaints, you might be called forward to defend your proposition at an open hearing, before an official decision is made.