Alcohol regulations in Telangana

Licences needed

Prior clearance, Letter of Intent (LOI), Factory & Boiler approvals, Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) Consent to Establish/Operate, PESO spirit storage licence, and DM-1 or DM-2 (MGO) Distillery/Bottling Licence.

Authority

Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise, Government of Telangana

Documents

Detailed Project Report, factory and distillery plant blueprint/layout, land title or lease deed, TSPCB consent certificates, PESO explosive storage approvals, local municipal NOC, company incorporation records, promoter affidavits, and bank guarantees.

Fees

Prior clearance fee of ₹1,00,000 to ₹2,00,000; annual distillery licence fee, distillery excise tax (e.g., ₹1/BL on RTD), and prescribed security deposits.

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Only licensed commercial importers or registered manufacturing entities holding a valid DGFT IEC, FSSAI Central Importer License, and state excise import authorisation, supplying exclusively to the state distribution monopoly.

Licences or registrations

Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) IEC, FSSAI Central Import Licence, Telangana Excise Import Permit / Pass per consignment, and registration as an approved supplier with TSBCL.

Authority

Prohibition and Excise Department of Telangana and Telangana State Beverages Corporation Limited (TSBCL)

Documents

Customs clearance documents (Bill of Entry), Certificate of Origin, Certificate of Analysis (COA), Age/Maturation Certificate (for spirits requiring aging), FSSAI approval, commercial invoices, and state excise NOC/import permit.

Fees

Consignment-wise import permit fees (e.g. prescribed duty/pass fees per bulk litre or case as notified in state excise schedules).

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required: yes Process: Manufacturers and brand owners must register each brand variant and label annually with the Prohibition and Excise Department and secure approval from TSBCL. An application dossier is submitted, sample…

Direct imports by private retailers are prohibited. All commercial imported spirits (Bottled in Origin - BIO) must be consigned to customs bonded warehouses and routed exclusively through the Telangana State Beverages Corporation…

At the federal level (HS 2208): 50% Basic Customs Duty (BCD) + 100% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC), totaling 150% import tariff. (Bourbon whiskey under HS 2208 30 attracts a reduced AIDC of 50%, resulting in a 100% total tariff under Customs Notification No. 14/2025). Alcoholic beverages are excluded from GST under Article 366(12A) of the Constitution.

Spirits are taxed via State Excise Duty, Special Excise Cess, Value Added Tax (VAT - generally applied on wholesale/turnover thresholds), Retail Shop Excise Tax (RSET, fixed slabs ranging from ₹50 lakh upwards based on…

State monopoly at the wholesale level through Telangana State Beverages Corporation Limited (TSBCL). Off-premise retail is privatized via 2,620 licensed 'A4' wine/liquor shops allotted via transparent lottery/draw of lots for…

banned (e-commerce sale and home delivery of alcohol are not permitted under the Telangana Excise Act and state retail regulations; consumer purchases must be made physically at licensed retail shops or on-premise venues).

Must comply with central FSSAI regulations and Telangana Excise specifications: Brand Name, spirit classification/designation, Net Contents (ml), Alcohol Content (% ABV), manufacturer/importer name and address, Country of Origin,…

Direct and indirect/surrogate advertising and promotional sponsorship of alcoholic beverages across television, radio, print, digital media, and public billboards are prohibited under the Cable Television Networks Rules, Consumer…

Regulated under Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018. Distilled spirits (whisky, rum, gin, vodka, brandy) must have a minimum alcoholic strength of 36% ABV. Standard commercial Indian Made Foreign…

Traditional country liquor ('arrack') is completely banned statewide under the Telangana Prohibition Act, 1995. Tribal agency areas are subject to special regulatory clearances under PESA. Mandatory dry days apply statewide on…

Telangana notified its Excise Policy for the 2025–2027 licensing term, retaining the cap of 2,620 retail A4 shops across the state allocated via lottery. Increased the non-refundable retail liquor shop lottery application fee…

Telangana is one of India's highest per-capita alcohol consuming states, providing strong demand for premium imported spirits (BIO Scotch, bourbon, and craft liquors) in urban centers like Hyderabad. Exporters must partner with…

1. The Telangana Excise Act, 1968 (Act No. 17 of 1968)
2. Telangana Prohibition & Excise Department Service Charges and Fees Schedule
3. Telangana Gazette Orders - Retail Liquor Guidelines (G.O. Ms. No. 93 Revenue Excise)
4. CBIC Notification No. 14/2025-Customs (Tariff Revision on Bourbon Whiskey)
5. FSSAI Food Safety and Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018