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Bar and liquor licence for restaurants: state-wise overview
A restaurant needs a state excise licence to serve alcohol. The licence type, fee and rules differ in every state, and some states do not allow bar licences at all.
The short answer
A restaurant needs a state excise licence to serve alcohol. The licence type, fee and rules differ in every state, and some states do not allow bar licences at all.
Source: excise.delhi.gov.in. Not yet matched to an official page; confirm on the official portal before paying.
Official fees
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Bar or restaurant liquor licence | Set by each state; no fee list is published online. Check your state excise portal before applying. |
Not officially verified Some figures are from secondary sources. Confirm on the official portal before paying.
Documents to keep ready
Tick what you already have. The shared list shows each one as ready or pending.
How to apply
- Check whether your state allows a bar licence for restaurants. Bihar, for example, has prohibition
- Find the licence category for restaurant bars on your state excise portal (the table lists them)
- Get the other licences first: FSSAI, trade licence and fire safety
- Apply on the state portal or at the district excise office with the site plan and documents
- The excise officers inspect the premises and check distance rules for schools and places of worship
- Pay the licence fee and security deposit as the state requires
- Receive the licence and display it. Renew before the year ends
By state
This fee is set by each state, so it differs. Each row shows whether we matched it to the official government site.
| State | Fee | Time | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on excise.delhi.gov.in. | excise.delhi.gov.inExcise licence (L-17 for restaurants), Department of Excise, Delhi |
| Maharashtra | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on stateexcise.maharashtra.gov.in. | stateexcise.maharashtra.gov.inExcise licence (FL-III for restaurants and bars), State Excise Department, Maharashtra |
| West Bengal | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on wbexcise.gov.in. | wbexcise.gov.inExcise licence (on-shop / bar), Directorate of Excise, West Bengal |
| Tamil Nadu | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inFL licence for bars (FL-2 / FL-3), Prohibition and Excise Department, Tamil Nadu |
| Karnataka | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inCL-9 bar licence, Excise Department, Karnataka |
| Telangana | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.in2B bar licence, Prohibition and Excise Department, Telangana |
| Gujarat | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inA bar licence for restaurants is restricted or not available here. Ask the Prohibition and Excise Department. |
| Uttar Pradesh | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on UP Excise Department. | UP Excise DepartmentBar licence (FL-7) for restaurants; name not stated on the official site, Excise Department, Uttar Pradesh |
| Bihar | Not availableNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inBihar is a dry state: total prohibition of alcohol since April 2016 (Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016). No bar licence is available. |
| Rajasthan | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on Rajasthan Excise. | Rajasthan ExciseBar licence for restaurants under the Rajasthan Excise Act, 1950 (exact category name not stated), Excise Department, Rajasthan |
| Madhya Pradesh | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on MP Excise portal. | MP Excise portalFL-2 / FL-3 bar licence (hotel and restaurant bars under the MP Foreign Liquor Rules); check the exact category with the district excise office, Excise Department, Madhya Pradesh (Commercial Tax Department) |
| Haryana | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on Haryana Excise and Taxation portal. | Haryana Excise and Taxation portalL-4/L-5 bar licence (restaurant or hotel bar), Excise and Taxation Department, Haryana |
| Chhattisgarh | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise Department, Chhattisgarh |
| Uttarakhand | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise Department, Uttarakhand |
| Goa | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inExcise licence for a restaurant or bar, Excise Department, Goa |
| Chandigarh | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on chandigarh.gov.in. | chandigarh.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise and Taxation Department, Chandigarh Administration |
| Himachal Pradesh | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on hptax.gov.in. | hptax.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), State Taxes and Excise Department, Himachal Pradesh |
| Jammu and Kashmir | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on eabgari.jkexcise.nic.in. | eabgari.jkexcise.nic.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise Department, Jammu and Kashmir |
| Kerala | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise Department, Kerala |
| Andhra Pradesh | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise Department, Andhra Pradesh |
| Punjab | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise Department, Punjab |
| Odisha | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise Department, Odisha |
| Assam | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise Department, Assam |
| Jharkhand | No official fee publishedNot officially verified Source | No time limit published by the state. Track your application status on nsws.gov.in. | nsws.gov.inBar licence (restaurant or hotel), Excise Department, Jharkhand |
Check the amount on the official portal, or ask the office, before paying.
Good to know
- No state fee is matched to an official page yet, so no state fee is officially verified. Fees depend on the licence type, location and seating.
- Serving or selling alcohol without a licence is an offence under state excise law.
- Dry states and states with prohibition do not give normal restaurant bar licences. Some allow permits through approved hotels.
- Our restaurant checklist shows this licence as part of the licences for your city. Open it to see the other licences you need.
After you apply
What to do once the form is submitted: where to track it, how long it takes, why it gets rejected and what the law says if you do not have it.
Track your application
Typical time
Depends on the state excise office; no time limit is published online.
Not officially verified
If you do not have it or miss the deadline
Serving or selling alcohol without a licence is an offence under the state excise law. Fine and jail terms differ by state; confirm with the state excise department.
Law: State Excise Acts
Not officially verified Source
Common reasons for rejection and how to fix them
| Reason | How to fix it |
|---|---|
| Premises too close to a school or place of worship | Check the distance rule of your state and choose another site. |
| Other licences missing, such as FSSAI or fire safety | Get those first and attach them. |
| Site plan or ownership papers not accepted | Submit a plan as the excise office asks, with a valid rent agreement. |
| Licence category chosen wrongly | Check the correct category for restaurant bars on your state portal. |
Not officially verified
Govt License is an independent guide. Fines and rules change, so confirm on the official portal. Items marked Not officially verified could not be checked on an official page.
Common questions
How much is a bar licence fee for a restaurant?
It differs by state and by licence type and is set in the state excise rules. We have not matched any state's fee to an official page, so every state is marked Not officially verified. Check your state excise portal.
Which licence do I need to serve alcohol in a restaurant?
The licence name differs by state. Examples listed in our data: L-17 in Delhi, FL-III in Maharashtra, CL-9 in Karnataka, 2B in Telangana and FL-2 or FL-3 in Madhya Pradesh. Confirm the category on your state portal.
Can I get a bar licence in a dry state?
Bihar has total prohibition since April 2016, so no bar licence is available there. Other states with prohibition rules have their own limits. Check with the excise department.
Aksar pooche jaane wale sawaal
Yahi jaankari, Hinglish mein.
Restaurant ke liye bar licence kaise le?
Apne state ke excise portal par restaurant bar category chunein, FSSAI, trade licence aur fire certificate ke saath site plan aur documents dekar apply karein aur fees bharein.
Bar licence ki fees kitni hai?
Fees state aur licence type ke hisaab se alag hai. Kisi state ki fees official page par nahi mili, isliye apne state excise portal ya office se pooch lein.
Kya Bihar mein bar licence milta hai?
Bihar mein April 2016 se poori prohibition hai, isliye bar licence nahi milta.
Bar aur liquor licence ka application status kaise check karein?
Official link par application ya reference number daalkar status dekhein. Link upar 'After you apply' mein diye hain: Find your state excise portal (NSWS). Apply karne ke baad kam se kam utna time rukein: Depends on the state excise office; no time limit is published online..
Bar aur liquor licence ka application reject ho jaye to kya karein?
Portal par likhi wajah padhein, galat ya dhundhle document badalkar dobara apply karein. Sabse aam wajah aur unka solution upar 'After you apply' mein diye gaye hain. Jahan 'Not officially verified' likha hai wahan official site se pakka kar lein.
Bina Bar aur liquor licence ke pakde gaye to kya hoga?
Kanoon (State Excise Acts) ke tahat jurmana ya saza ho sakti hai. Rakam aur details upar 'After you apply' mein English mein di gayi hain. Jahan 'Not officially verified' likha hai wahan official source se pakka kar lein.
Sources: nsws.gov.in excise.delhi.gov.in stateexcise.maharashtra.gov.in
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