Alcohol regulations in Himachal Pradesh

Licences needed

Distillery License (Form D-2), Bottling License (Form B-II), Letter of Intent (LOI) / Industrial License, State Pollution Control Board clearance, FSSAI Central License

Authority

Financial Commissioner (Excise) / Department of State Taxes and Excise, Government of Himachal Pradesh

Documents

Application with business entity documents (MOA/AOA/partnership deed), land ownership/lease deeds, approved layout and plant blueprint, financial solvency certificate, Fire NOC, Local Municipal/Panchayat NOC, Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board Consent to Establish/Operate, Director affidavits of no excise default/criminal record, and latest tax clearance

Fees

Prescribed under Schedule 'A' of the Himachal Pradesh Liquor License Rules, 1986; varies by operational capacity (annual renewal fee applies)

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Holders of valid wholesale licences (such as Form L-1 for IMFL or wholesale foreign liquor import licences) and registered manufacturers/bottlers holding an import permit

Licences or registrations

Wholesale License Form L-1 / L-1B, Brand Registration Certificate, Import Permit (issued per consignment)

Authority

Collector (Excise) and Commissioner of State Taxes and Excise-cum-Financial Commissioner (Excise), Himachal Pradesh

Documents

Valid wholesale/import licence, Brand Registration and Label Approval letters, import requisition request, proof of payment of import fee/advance duty, IEC (for overseas imports), FSSAI license

Fees

Bottled IMFS import fee is ₹36 per proof litre; overseas foreign liquor / BIO fees prescribed annually under Excise Announcements

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required: yes Process: Manufacturers and brand owners must apply annually to register and obtain label approval for each brand and variant before selling or distributing spirits within Himachal Pradesh. This is conducted at the…

Import into the state requires prior import permits granted by the Excise Collector per consignment, along with verified transport passes. Inter-state movements and customs border clearings require advance clearance, transit…

At the Indian national level (HS 2208), the standard Basic Customs Duty (BCD) is 150% ad valorem (with Bourbon whiskey reduced to 50% under Customs Notification No. 14/2025). Alcoholic liquor for human consumption is constitutionally exempt from national GST (outside GST); state import fees apply upon entry into Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh levies state excise duty on IMFL ranging from ₹75 to ₹185 per proof litre based on EDP slabs; fixed annual vend licence fees; Milk Cess of ₹10 per bottle; Gaudhan Vikas Nidhi (cow cess) and ambulance/social…

Privately operated retail vends allotted annually through an auction-cum-tender process (Form L-2 for retail foreign liquor/off-premise; Form L-14/L-14A for country liquor with rural foreign liquor rights); licensed hotel and…

banned, Section 23 of the Himachal Pradesh Excise Act, 2011 restricts sale strictly to licensed premises; e-commerce and home delivery of alcohol are not permitted.

Mandatory details must include: Brand name, volume in ml, alcoholic strength (% ABV), manufacturer details with address, FSSAI licence number and logo, batch number and date of manufacture, statutory health warnings: 'CONSUMPTION…

Completely prohibited under Section 79 of the Himachal Pradesh Excise Act, 2011, which explicitly bars direct as well as surrogate advertising promoting liquor consumption, reinforced by central ASCI guidelines and the Consumer…

Regulated under Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018 (FSSAI). Distilled spirits such as whisky, rum, gin, vodka, and brandy must maintain a minimum ABV of 36.0% v/v. In domestic trade across Himachal…

Tribal areas (such as parts of Lahaul & Spiti and Kinnaur) have exemptions permitting traditional distillation for domestic consumption but strict restrictions on unlicensed commercial sale; state-wide dry days apply on national…

Amendment to Himachal Pradesh Liquor License Rules, 1986 raising the brand registration and renewal fee for IMFL, BII, and beer brands to ₹1,50,000 per brand. Notification of the annual Excise Policies and Announcements for…

Himachal Pradesh allows open quotas for Bottled-in-Origin (BIO) foreign liquor and offers dedicated high-end wine and premium liquor licences in tourist hubs, enabling international exporters to supply ultra-premium spirits and…

1. Himachal Pradesh Excise Act, 2011
2. Himachal Pradesh Department of State Taxes and Excise - Excise Policies and Announcements
3. Himachal Pradesh Liquor License Rules, 1986 Amendments
4. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs - Notification No. 14/2025-Customs