An authorization to sell alcoholic beverages at a specific location is known as a liquor license and is issued by the state’s excise department. The Madhya Pradesh Excise Act has been amended by the state government to include several rules and regulations that make obtaining a liquor license necessary for establishments including bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. In this article, you will get to learn about the nuances of a Liquor License in Madhya Pradesh.

What is the need to obtain Liquor License in Madhya Pradesh?

The following justifications, which are detailed below, state why someone must acquire a Liquor License in Madhya Pradesh:

• To prevent the sale of alcohol without a license in a certain state, a license is required.
• To protect national health, the sale of alcohol must be governed by a license.
• Anyone who produces distributes, or sells alcoholic beverages without a state license issued by the state supervisor of the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control is breaking the law.

Various Kinds of Liquor Licenses in Madhya Pradesh 

A Liquor License in Madhya Pradesh must include the following:-

For the sale and production of alcoholic beverages, the Government of Madhya Pradesh grants more than 25 different types of licenses to brewers, distilleries, bottling plants, and wholesalers of foreign liquor in exchange for the payment of the required yearly licensing fee, which is as follows:

1. License FL-1B: This license is required to be obtained by the Shop- Bars in Madhya Pradesh.
2. License FL- 2: The FL- 2 is for the Restaurant that serves drinks i.e. restaurant bar license and also for the Cruise boat in Bhopal lake. Its license shall be obtained by some of the cities such as Gwalior, Bhopal, Indore, Sagar, Jabalpur, Ujjain, and Reva. 
3. License FL- 3: This license is required to be obtained by the shop- Hotel bars in Madhya Pradesh. 
4. License FL-3A: The FL-3A license is for the Resort bars in Madhya Pradesh.
5. License FL- 4: This license is required to be obtained by the clubs in Madhya Pradesh.
6. License FL- 4A: The FL- 4A license is for the commercial clubs of liquor in Madhya Pradesh. Its license shall be obtained by some of the cities such as Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, etc. 
7. License FL- 5: This license is for alcohol enterprises on a broad platform in Madhya Pradesh.
8. License FL- 6: The FL- 6 license is for the Military canteens regulating the wholesale of liquor in Madhya Pradesh.
9. License FL- 7:   This license is required to be obtained by the Military canteens regulating the retail of liquor in Madhya Pradesh.
10. License FL- 8: The FL- 8 license is for the Military clubs regulating liquor management in Madhya Pradesh.
11. License FL- 9: This license is required to be obtained by the Bottling services of liquor in Madhya Pradesh
12. License FL- 9A: The FL- 9A is for the Sprit bottling services of alcohol concerning the system of Franchises in Madhya Pradesh.
13. License FL- 10A: This license is required to be obtained by the sparkling wine and beer units in Madhya Pradesh.
14. License FL- 10B: This license is required to be obtained by foreign manufacturers of beer, wine, and spit in Madhya Pradesh.
15. License D- 1: The D- 1 license is for the manufacturers’ sprits in the distillery in Madhya Pradesh
16. License B- 3: This license is required to be obtained by the breweries in Madhya Pradesh^[1].
17. License CS- 1: The CS- 1 license is for the wholesale supply of liquor in the country from Madhya Pradesh.
18. License CS- 1A: This license is required to be obtained by the sprit export of liquor in the country from Madhya Pradesh.
19. License CS- 1B: CS- 1B is for the sprit bottling services of liquor in the country from Madhya Pradesh.
20. License DS- 1: This license is required to be obtained for the wholesalers of denatured sprit in Madhya Pradesh.
21. License DS- 2: The DS- 2 license is for the retail sale concerning Hydrolyzing sprit services of liquor in Madhya Pradesh.
22. License DS- 3: This license is required to be obtained for the possession of denatured sprit with industrial and scientific use concerning alcohol permits in Madhya Pradesh.
23. License DS- 4 S: The DS- 4 S license is a special license, which must be obtained by the druggist in Madhya Pradesh.
24. License RS- 1: This license should be obtained for the possession of rectified sprit to manufacture basic drugs in Madhya Pradesh.
25. License RS- 2A: This license should also be obtained by possessing a rectified sprit to manufacture basic drugs in Madhya Pradesh.
26. License PS-III: The PS-III license is for the retailers of poppy straw in Madhya Pradesh.  

Essential Documentation

The following are the essential documents, which are necessary to acquire a Liquor License in Madhya Pradesh:

• The application form must be submitted with the necessary documentation.
• Form for an application to the Excise and Taxation Officer (Excise)
• Age Verification (should be more than 25 years of age)
• Evidence of Residence (copy of Driving License, Ration Card, Voter Card, Passport, etc.)
• The Aadhar Card.
• The fire department’s NOC
• Picture of the applicant’s NOC from the municipal corporation.

How to Apply for a Liquor License in Madhya Pradesh?

Applying for the License in Madhya Pradesh requires the completion of the stages listed below:

Discussion with the Excise Department

Step 1: To get an application for a liquor license, the applicant must first go to the office of the designated officer of the excise department.

Fill in all the details

Step 2: Complete the application with the necessary information and affix the required files.

Send in the application

Step 3: Hand over the properly completed application form to the Excise & Taxation Officer at the same office.

Pay the invoice

Step 4: The applicant must make payment after applying by creating a Chalan.

Notice of Payment

Step 5: The applicant will receive notification of the successful payment on the registered mobile number and email address once the Chalan has been submitted and the payment has been completed.

Issuing a Liquor License:

Step 6: The applicant will receive a fire license following the verification and inspection of their supporting documentation.

Process Duration concerning the Liquor License in Madhya Pradesh

After the application date, the full procedure of issuing a liquor license will be completed in a day.

Renewal of a Liquor License in Madhya Pradesh

The Madhya Pradesh government only allows liquor licenses to be valid for three or five years at a time, thus after the completion time, they must be renewed. Every year, architectural drawings and images are intended to be produced for the redevelopment of the current hotels and restaurants. Additionally, it is necessary to submit the required paperwork, and the Excise Commissioner will have the authority to renew the liquor license after receiving the following payment.

Penalty

Without a valid liquor license, anyone found in possession of any intoxicant or transporting or manufacturing it faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a fine of one thousand rupees, or both.

Conclusion

Liquor Licenses in Madhya Pradesh shall be obtained as early as possible in order to avoid legal disputes and penalties to be adhered to by the State government. And also now the upcoming policy will allow temporary units run by the Eco-Tourism Board and the Tourism Development Corporation at tourist destinations to receive bar licenses at reduced prices. The state legislature also decided to streamline the importation of alcohol. You can get in touch with our legal experts for any professional assistance at BizAdvisors.io regarding the Liquor License.

Read our article:How to get a Liquor License in Punjab: A Complete Overview