The Government of Himachal Pradesh on March 31, 2026, issued amendment in the Himachal Pradesh Liquor License Rules, 1986.
The following amendments have been stated:
In rule 38, the sub-rule 38 (1) shall be substituted as under :-
i) The L-1 license shall be granted to the bonafide residents of Himachal Pradesh only.
ii) The licensee shall have to make his own arrangements for adequate space atleast 2000 square feet, for storage of Liquor for the L-1 license.
iii) The application for grant of L-1 license shall be accompanied with the location map of the storage godown, layout plan, rent deed/proof of ownership of premises, affidavit of non-conviction and no dues under any enactment administered by the State Taxes and Excise Department and any other condition prescribed from time to time.
iv) Application for the grant of L-1 license shall be submitted to the Dy./Astt.Commissioner of State Taxes & Excise, Incharge of the District concerned who will forward the same, after recording his remarks/recommendation to the Collector (Excise) of the zone concerned, who will grant the license subject to approval of the Commissioner of State Taxes & Excise, H.P.
v) The holder of L-1 license will have to furnish a security of Rs.15,00,000/- (Rupees Fifteen Lakhs only) in the shape of FDR/ Bank Guarantee per license duly pledged to the Dy./Astt.Commissioner of State Taxes & Excise, incharge of the District concerned.
vi) The fixed license fee as prescribed shall be paid at the time of grant of license.
vii) The L-1 licensee shall make wholesale supplies to L-2/ L-14/L-14A/ L-2S/ L-14S/L14AS/ (in rural areas) S-1AA, S-1F. The L-1 may supply foreign liquor/IMFS/Beer/Cider/Wine/RTD to a license L-3,L-4,L-5/ L-4,L-5, L-3T, L-4T, L5T& L-4A, L-5A only on approval of the District Incharge concerned.
viii) The licensee (L-1) shall obtain supplies from the licensee having license in form L-1-B, L-1-C, L-1-BB, S-1-B &S-1/S-1-A only and shall not be allowed to import liquor from outside the State.
ix) The licensee shall not sell any brand of Foreign Spirit, Indian Made Foreign Spirit, Beer/ RTD beverages, Indian Made Wine and Cider unless such brand has been registered with the Financial commissioner (Excise) and has been allotted a registration number.
x) If any brand which was registered for the previous years and has not been registered for the current year is lying in the wholesale/ retail vends, such brands where the date of manufacturing liquor is not more than three years shall be allowed to be sold by the District Incharge and if the date of manufacturing liquor is more than three years then the such liquor shall be allowed to be sold by the Collector concerned on the clear recommendations of the District Incharge on the following grounds :- a) Sample testing of such liquor through CTL Kandaghat or any other NABL Accredited Laboratories (within State or adjoining State/UT) b) Deposition of differential amount of current excise levies and registration fees c) Such liquor brands should be having holograms. d) Such stock should not be a case property.
xi) A license in form L-1 shall supply liquor to L-2 or L-14, or L-14 A licensee within the district. However, in case no L-1 is opened in a district the Collector in respect of his Zone and the Commissioner of State Taxes &Excise, Himachal Pradesh in respect of the State may allow retailers of such districts to obtain supplies from the approved L-1 licensees located in adjoining districts.
xii) The transfer of IMFS from one L-1 to another L-1 within the Zone may be allowed on approval of the Collector of the Zone. However, if the L-1 concerned belongs to different Zones the transfer of IMFS shall be subject to approval of the Commissioner of State Taxes & Excise, (H.P.) The concerned L-1 licensees shall also enclose the stock statements (Quarts, Pints, Nips brands wise, batch wise with manufacturing date) relating to both the licensed premises i.e. transferor and transferee premises and such statements shall be duly signed and countersigned by the ETI/AETO I/C of the L-1, AETC./ETO Incharge of the district and the concerned Zonal Collector in case of Inter Zonal transfer of stock.
xiii) An applicant may obtain L-1 in any district subject to the condition that the place where it is to be opened, should be situated as near as possible to the office of the AETC/ circle headquarter of the Excise & Taxation Officer/Excise & Taxation Inspector of the same district.
xiv) The L-1 vend may be changed from one place to the other within a district on the recommendations of the Dy./Astt.Commissioner of State Taxes & Excise I/C of District and on application to Collector(Excise) of the concerned zone after the approval of the Commissioner of State Taxes & Excise, Himachal Pradesh.
xv) The L-1 licensee shall be bound to give supply to any retail sale licensee located in the district of its operation, as demanded by such retail sale licensee.
xvi) In case the L-1 licensee fails to make supplies of liquor, the Excise Commissioner will be at liberty to permit the retailer to take supplies of the liquor, from any other L-1 vend in Himachal Pradesh.
xvii) The L-1 licensee shall be liable to pay such compensation to the retail sale licensee who has made demand for liquor from him but he fails to supply liquor within stipulated period as may be determined by the Collector (Excise).
xviii) The Excise Officer, Incharge of the District shall report to the Financial Commissioner the names of the L-1 licensees in the district, by 15th April, each year. xix) The license in form L-1 shall not be granted to a L-1C license holder.
xix) 0.60% breakage in total shall be allowed for in-storage and in-transit losses to the L-1 wholesale vends subject to maintenance of proper record of the breakages and verification thereof by the ASTEO/STEO Incharge.
[Notification No. 7-1/2026-EXN- 9601]
