The West Bengal state government has established various rules and regulations under the Bengal Excise Act 2012, making it mandatory for restaurants, hotels, and clubs that wish to sell alcohol on their premises to obtain a liquor license.
A liquor license is a document that allows a business to sell alcoholic beverages in a specific location. Those who wish to obtain a liquor license in Bengal can do so by applying on the state’s Excise Directorate’s website which can be accessed through www.excise.wb.gov.in. The excise directorate is in charge of enforcing the law pertaining to the manufacture, production, possession, distribution, transportation, supply, sale, and purchase of liquor and other intoxicants.
A liquor license is a document that permits a business to sell alcoholic beverages at a particular place. Liquor license is issued by the Excise Department of the respective state. It is illegal for any individual to manufacture, dispense or sell intoxicating alcohol without a valid state license. The state government has established various rules and regulations under the Bengal Excise Act 2012, making it mandatory to acquire a liquor license for restaurants, hotels, clubs etc.
Categories of Liquor License in West Bengal
Temporary License ( Valid only for a period of 6 months)
This license is valid only for a period of 6 months and is of the following types –
- Restaurant-cum-bar license is required for the retail sale of foreign liquor on the premises of any restaurant or associated bar.
- Hotel-cum-restaurant-cum-bar license is required for the retail sale of foreign liquor on the grounds of any hotel, restaurant, or associated bar.
- Hotel-cum-Bar license is required for the retail sale of foreign liquor on the grounds of any hotel and related bar.
Regular License
A regular liquor license is valid for one year from the date it is issued. A liquor license can be renewed a year after it has expired by filling out the renewal application form accessible on the State Excise Department’s website and paying the applicable renewal fee.
Eligibility Criteria to Obtain a West Bengal Liquor License
- The individual should be age twenty-one years or above and should be an India citizen or a Person of Indian Origin (in case of individuals the application can be made by a single individual or multiple individuals jointly).
- A firm which is regulated by the Indian Partnership Act, 1932.
- A company which is regulated by the Companies Act, 1956.
- A society which is registered under the West Bengal Co-operative Act, 1983 or the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961.
The following are some of the conditions by which an individual is not eligible for applying for the Liquor license in the State of West Bengal.
- A person who has been convicted by a criminal court of a non-bailable offence.
- An existing license holding person who has violated the terms and conditions of his license.
- A person who was a defaulter in the payment of excise revenue to the State Government.
- A person who is interested, either directly or indirectly, in the manufacture or sale of any intoxicant in foreign territory or any bordering State of West Bengal.
Minimum Requirements for Site Plan
The site plan for categories mentioned above like Restaurant-cum-Bar, Hotel-cum-Restaurant-cum-Bar, Hotel-cum-Bar should contain the layout of the site, main entrance, seating arrangements, restrooms, bar counters, foreign liquor store or go down, kitchen etc. Also the same should be duly signed by the applicant and the landlord or owner of the premises.
Applicable Fee
Restaurant-cum-Bar License:
| Location of the Site | Non-refundable application fee | Monthly nonrefundable fee for temporary bar license | Initial Grant Fee | Security Deposit (1/3rd of Initial Grant Fee) | Fee for Grant of License for the Next period of settlement |
| Panchayat Area | Rs. 8,000 | Rs. 5,000 | Rs. 3,00,000 | Rs. 1,00,000 | Rs. 20,000 |
| Municipal / Notified Area | Rs. 12,000 | Rs. 10,000 | Rs. 4,50,000 | Rs. 1,50,000 | Rs. 40,000 |
| Municipal Corporation Area | Rs. 25,000 | Rs. 20,000 | Rs. 6,00,000 | Rs. 2,00,000 | Rs. 50,000 |
Hotel-cum-Restaurant-cum-Bar License (below 3-Star category Hotel):
| Location of the Site | Non-refundable application fee | Monthly nonrefundable fee for temporary bar license | Initial Grant Fee | Security Deposit (1/3rd of Initial Grant Fee) | Fee for Grant of License for the Next period of settlement |
| Panchayat Area | Rs. 8,000 | Rs. 5,000 | Rs. 6,00,000 | Rs. 2,00,000 | Rs. 30,000 |
| Municipal / Notified Area | Rs. 12,000 | Rs. 10,000 | Rs. 8,00,000 | Rs. 2,66,667 | Rs. 50,000 |
| Municipal Corporation Area | Rs. 25,000 | Rs. 20,000 | Rs. 10,00,000 | Rs. 3,33,334 | Rs. 70,000 |
Hotel-cum-Restaurant-cum-Bar License (below 4-Star category Hotel):
| Location of the Site | Non-refundable application fee | Monthly nonrefundable fee for temporary bar license | Initial Grant Fee | Security Deposit (1/3rd of Initial Grant Fee) | Fee for Grant of License for the Next period of settlement |
| Panchayat Area | Rs. 8,000 | Rs. 5,000 | Rs. 12,50,000 | Rs. 4,16,667 | Rs. 50,000 |
| Municipal / Notified Area | Rs. 12,000 | Rs. 10,000 | Rs. 15,00,000 | Rs. 5,00,000 | Rs. 80,000 |
| Municipal Corporation Area | Rs. 25,000 | Rs. 20,000 | Rs. 18,00,000 | Rs. 6,00,000 | Rs. 1,00,000 |
Hotel-cum-Restaurant-cum-Bar License ( 5-Star or above category Hotel):
| Location of the Site | Non-refundable application fee | Monthly nonrefundable fee for temporary bar license | Initial Grant Fee | Security Deposit (1/3rd of Initial Grant Fee) | Fee for Grant of License for the Next period of settlement |
| Panchayat Area | Rs. 8,000 | Rs. 5,000 | Rs. 15,00,000 | Rs. 5,00,000 | Rs. 15,00,000 |
| Municipal / Notified Area | Rs. 12,000 | Rs. 10,000 | Rs. 20,00,000 | Rs. 6,66,667 | Rs. 15,00,000 |
| Municipal Corporation Area | Rs. 25,000 | Rs. 20,000 | Rs. 25,00,000 | Rs. 8,33,334 | Rs. 15,00,000 |
Hotel-cum-Bar License:
| Location of the Site | Non-refundable application fee | Monthly nonrefundable fee for temporary bar license | Initial Grant Fee | Security Deposit (1/3rd of Initial Grant Fee) | Fee for Grant of License for the Next period of settlement |
| Panchayat Area | Rs. 8,000 | Rs. 5,000 | Rs. 6,00,000 | Rs. 2,00,000 | Rs. 30,000 |
| Municipal / Notified Area | Rs. 12,000 | Rs. 10,000 | Rs. 8,00,000 | Rs. 2,66,667 | Rs. 50,000 |
| Municipal Corporation Area | Rs. 25,000 | Rs. 20,000 | Rs. 10,00,000 | Rs. 3,33,334 | Rs. 70,000 |
Retail beer, wine and low alcoholic beverage (LAB) license for consumption off the premises from existing Departmental Stores:
| Location of the Site | Non-refundable application fee | Monthly nonrefundable fee for temporary bar license | Initial Grant Fee | Security Deposit (1/3rd of Initial Grant Fee) | Fee for Grant of License for the Next period of settlement |
| Panchayat Area | Rs. 8,000 | Nil | Rs. 40,000 | Rs. 13,334 | Rs. 15,000 |
| Municipal / Notified Area | Rs. 12,000 | Nil | Rs. 60,000 | Rs. 20,000 | Rs. 30,000 |
| Municipal Corporation of Siliguri, Kolkata and Howrah Area | Rs. 25,000 | Nil | Rs. 1,50,000 | Rs. 50,000 | Rs. 60,000 |
| Other Municipal Corporation Area | Rs. 25,000 | Nil | Rs. 1,20,000 | Rs. 40,000 | Rs. 40,000 |
A retail foreign liquor license for consumption on the premises of any existing theatre, club, canteen (except canteen for Defence Personnel), Dak-bungalow, Railway refreshment room, dining car, steamer, customs airport or any place of public resort and entertainment and attached bar:
| Location of the Site | Non-refundable application fee | Monthly nonrefundable fee for a temporary bar license | Initial Grant Fee | Security Deposit (1/3rd of Initial Grant Fee) | Fee for Grant of License for the Next period of settlement |
| Panchayat Area | Rs. 8,000 | Nil | Rs. 3,00,000 | Rs. 1,00,000 | Rs. 20,000 |
| Municipal / Notified Area | Rs. 12,000 | Nil | Rs. 4,50,000 | Rs. 1,50,000 | Rs. 40,000 |
| Municipal Corporation Area | Rs. 25,000 | Nil | Rs. 6,00,000 | Rs. 2,00,000 | Rs. 50,000 |
How to Obtain a Liquor License in West Bengal: Step by Step Guide
Step 1: Go to the West Bengal Excise Directorate’s official website.
Step 2: From the home screen, select ‘Apply for new excise license.’
Step 3: From the citizen corner, choose ‘Prepare Application.’
Step 4: Now from the available options, choose the kind of application you want to apply for,
Step 5: When the instruction page displays, click the ‘Click to proceed’ button.
Step 6: Enter your mobile phone number so that an OTP can be delivered to your number for verification purposes.
Step 7: Enter the OTP correctly onto the site to ensure that the verification process is completed. Following this, the website will forward you the online application form.
Step 8: Fill up the application form with the required information and upload it. Following this upload the necessary scanned documents.
Step 9: After completing the application, the candidate must pay the application fee online.
Step 10: Following payment, the applicant will be sent an acknowledgment as confirmation. Once the application is processed and everything is in order, the excise directorate will issue the liquor license to you.
FAQs
Can a person take multiple GST registration in the same state?
A person may only register for a single GST registration for a sole proprietorship business in a single state under a single permanent account number (PAN), according to the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017. You need to register for GST separately for each place where you operate your firm.
Can the GST number be taken on residential addresses?
Yes you can proceed with GST registration in a residential address. However you cannot register a factory or other industrial manufacturing units on a residential property. If the house is registered in your parents’ name, you might need to get a no-objection certificate (NOC) from them.
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