The Government of Himachal Pradesh on April 08, 2026, issued the Himachal Pradesh Municipality, (Grant of License for Use of Premises and Storage of Articles in a Premises) Bye-Laws 2026.
The following has been stated:
• The Bye-Laws require any person carrying on specified trades/businesses or storing notified articles within the municipal limits of Dalhousie to obtain a trade license through the online citizen portal. Licenses can be issued for 1, 5, 10, or 15 years and are renewable upon payment of the prescribed fee. Renewal is allowed without penalty within one month after expiry, after which a 50% penalty applies for the next month; beyond that, a fresh license is required. Licenses are generally non-transferable except to legal heirs upon the death of the license holder. Licensees shall display the license prominently, maintain records, allow inspections by municipal authorities, and avoid encroachments on public streets or drains.
• The Bye-Laws prescribe different license fees based on the scale of business and sector. A license may be denied to persons suffering from contagious diseases, habitual violators, persons convicted of unlawful sale or storage of notified articles, or persons below 18 years of age. Violations can result in suspension, monetary penalties ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹4,000, penalties for false declarations, and repeated violations may lead to cancellation of the license.
• The rules also specify numerous businesses that cannot be operated without a license, including eating houses, barber shops, laundries, printing presses, lodging houses, workshops, manufacturing activities, film shooting, and various industrial trades. Additionally, storage of specified articles such as chemicals, explosives, fireworks, petroleum products, paints, cotton, paper, timber, leather goods, and other listed materials requires a municipal license.
[Notification no. - 341 MCD/Trade License/2026]
