Liquor License Services
New Applications and Renewals
Get guidance on the licenses required to sell alcoholic beverages in Thailand.
Licenses for retail
and wholesale liquor sales
New licenses
and renewals
All steps completed
within 5 days
Applying for a Liquor License
After the client pays the service fee and sends complete information, we prepare the forms, which takes 1–2 days from the date we receive complete documents. We then send the documents and forms to the client to sign.
Once we receive all the signed documents back from the client, we file the application with the Excise Department within 2–3 working days, and the liquor sales license is approved on the day the application is filed.
Basic Documents Clients Need to Prepare for a Liquor Sales License Application
- Copy of the shop owner’s ID card and copy of the shop owner’s house registration
- Copy of the house registration of the premises where the liquor will be sold
- Document showing ownership of, or the right to use, the premises
- Copy of the property owner’s ID card and copy of the property owner’s house registration
- Map of the business location and nearby places
Greenpro KSP
Basic Criteria for Applying for a License
1.
A liquor license is valid for one year from the date it is granted, and it can be renewed in advance up to 90 days before it expires. Anyone who sells liquor without a license, does not display the license in a visible place, or uses the license at a location other than the one specified commits an offense punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 baht.
2.
There are 2 types of liquor license, with the following license fees
- Type 1 is the wholesale of all kinds of liquor, sold in quantities of ten liters or more at a time. License fee: 5,500 baht per year
- Type 2 is the retail sale of all kinds of liquor, sold in quantities of less than ten liters at a time, which is divided into 2 categories:
- Premises of a business operator registered for value added tax (VAT): license fee of 2,200 baht per year
- Premises where the seller is not registered for VAT: license fee of 330 baht per year
3.
Anyone wishing to apply for a license must certify the qualifications of the applicant and of the premises
- Applicants must never have had a liquor license revoked, unless at least 1 year has passed since the revocation
- The liquor sales premises must not be any of the following places
- The site of an educational institution providing formal education under the law on national education, including areas adjoining and adjacent to it (Type 2 liquor sales only)
- The site of a temple, mosque, church, or place of worship of any denomination or religion, including areas adjoining and adjacent to it (Type 2 liquor sales only)
- The site of a fuel service station under the law on fuel control, including areas adjoining and adjacent to it (Type 2 liquor sales only)
- Premises that were previously the liquor sales premises of a person whose license was revoked, unless five years have passed since the date of revocation (Type 2 liquor sales only)
- The liquor sales premises of a person whose license has been suspended and who is still under the suspension order (applies to both Type 1 and Type 2)
- Places where liquor sales are prohibited under the law on alcoholic beverage control or other laws
Renewing a Liquor License, and What to Do When Your License Expires
If you still sell at the same shop, renewal does not require new supporting documents. You only need last year’s license or the licensee’s ID card, and then you pay the fee for the new year. You can renew from 90 days before the expiry date, and you can renew your tobacco sales license at the same time through the same channel.
Channels for Renewing a Liquor License
| Channel | When you get the new license | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Excise Smart Service app or the Excise Department website (edclogin.excise.go.th) | The excise office sends it by post within about 3 business days | No need to travel |
| Counter Service at 7-Eleven stores, or Krungthai Bank | You get the new license right away | Small payment service charge |
| Excise Department scan-to-pay (Self Service) via a banking app | Ask your area excise office | Uses the QR code on the old license |
| The area excise office or branch where the shop is located | Collect it at the office | The only channel available once the license has expired |
What to Do If Your Liquor License Has Expired
- Stop selling liquor from the day the license expires. The law has no grace period after expiry, and continuing to sell during this time counts as selling without a license, punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 baht.
- An expired license cannot be renewed via 7-Eleven, a bank or online channels. You must contact the area excise office or branch where the shop is located.
- Have your documents ready, the same set as for a new application, such as your ID card, the house registration of the sales premises, the title document or lease agreement, and the shop floor plan, because filing without additional documents is only possible when you file before the old license expires.
- Prevent it from happening again: set a reminder 90 days before the expiry date stated on the license, for both your liquor license and your tobacco sales license.
Let our team handle your renewal every year, or help sort things out if your license has already expired
Requirements for Selling Liquor
- Do not sell alcohol to anyone under 20 years of age, or to anyone so intoxicated that they cannot control themselves
- Do not sell alcohol on Buddhist Lent Day (Khao Phansa), End of Buddhist Lent Day (Ok Phansa), Asalha Bucha Day, Makha Bucha Day and Visakha Bucha Day
- Alcohol may be sold from 11.00 to 24.00 (under the Notification of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee, effective from May 29, 2026)
- Do not sell alcohol using vending machines, by peddling, by discounting, or through sales promotions
Restaurants that sell liquor must also have a restaurant license (a license or a notification certificate for establishing food sales premises). For other types of licenses, see Business License Services for All Types.
Tobacco Sales License for Shops That Sell Both Alcohol and Cigarettes
Shops that sell cigarettes must have a separate tobacco sales license from the Excise Department, in addition to the liquor license, under Section 167 of the Excise Tax Act B.E. 2560 (2017) and the Ministerial Regulation on Tobacco Sales Licensing B.E. 2560 (2017). You can apply at the same time at the same area excise office or online, using the same set of documents as for the liquor license. The license is also valid for 1 year, and the two can be renewed together.
How Many Types of Tobacco Sales License Are There, and What Are the Fees?
| Type | Quantity sold per transaction | Products | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type 1 wholesale | 1,000 sticks or more | Cigarettes / cigars | 1,200 baht |
| Type 1 wholesale | Shredded tobacco 2 kilograms or more · seasoned shredded tobacco or chewing tobacco 200 grams or more | Shredded tobacco, seasoned shredded tobacco, chewing tobacco, other cigarettes | 500 baht (100 baht for those who grow tobacco and produce their own shredded tobacco) |
| Type 2 retail | Fewer than 1,000 sticks | Cigarettes / cigars | 500 baht (VAT-registered shops or duty-free shops) · 100 baht (shops not registered for VAT) |
| Type 2 retail | Below the wholesale threshold | Shredded tobacco, seasoned shredded tobacco, chewing tobacco, other cigarettes | 100 baht |
Restaurants, convenience stores and small grocery shops that sell cigarettes by the pack to general customers use a Type 2 tobacco sales license. Type 3 (annual fee of 1,200 baht) applies to other kinds of tobacco products that will be designated by notification under the law; no products have been designated yet, so ordinary shops do not need it.
Who Can Apply, and Which Locations Cannot Obtain a Tobacco Sales License
- Applicants must be individuals aged 20 or over, juristic persons registered under Thai law, or Thai state enterprises
- Cigarette retail shops (Type 2) may not be located in educational institutions, temples, mosques, churches or other places of worship, including adjoining and adjacent areas (unlike the Type 2 liquor sales license, which also prohibits gas station areas)
- All types are prohibited from selling in places where the tobacco product control law prohibits sales, such as temples or places for religious ceremonies, healthcare facilities, pharmacies, educational institutions, public parks, zoos and amusement parks
- Premises previously used for sales by a person whose tobacco sales license was revoked (less than 5 years ago), or premises currently used for sales by a person whose license is suspended, are not eligible
Key Prohibitions When Selling Cigarettes
- Do not sell or give cigarettes to anyone under 20 years of age; if in doubt, ask to see their ID card. Do not use anyone under 18 as a seller. Violations are punishable by imprisonment of up to 3 months, a fine of up to 30,000 baht, or both.
- Do not split packs to sell cigarettes individually
- Do not sell through vending machines, online channels, or outside the premises specified in the license
- Do not display cigarette packs at the point of sale, and do not offer discounts, exchanges, giveaways or free gifts, or display prices in a way that encourages people to buy
- Selling tobacco without a license is punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 baht under the excise tax law
Apply for your liquor and tobacco sales licenses together in one go — our team prepares the documents and files everything for you
Frequently Asked Questions About Liquor Licenses
If my liquor license expires, how many days can I keep selling, and what is the fine?
There is no grace period. From the day the license expires, selling liquor counts as selling without a license, punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 baht. An expired license cannot be renewed via 7-Eleven, a bank or online; you must contact the area excise office where the shop is located. You should therefore renew in advance, within 90 days before expiry.
Can I apply for a liquor license online?
Yes. New applicants can file their application through the Excise Department’s online system or Biz Portal, while renewals can be done via the Excise Smart Service app or the Excise Department website. However, officials may request additional documents or inspect the shop premises before issuing the license.
What can I sell with a Type 2 liquor sales license?
You can retail all kinds of liquor, such as beer, wine, white spirits and colored spirits, in quantities of less than 10 liters at a time. It can be used for both shops and restaurants, but you cannot sell wholesale in quantities of 10 liters or more at a time, which requires Type 1, and it does not cover selling cigarettes, which requires a separate tobacco sales license.
How many licenses does a shop that sells both alcohol and cigarettes need?
At least 2: a liquor license and a tobacco sales license. They are separate applications, but they can be filed together at the same area excise office with one set of documents. If it is a restaurant, it must also have a license or a notification certificate for establishing food sales premises from the local authority.
If I move my shop or open a new branch, can I use my existing liquor license?
No. A liquor license is valid only for the premises specified in the license. A new branch must apply for its own license. A shop that is moving to a new location must obtain written permission from the excise official to change the premises specified in the license before moving (Excise Tax Act, Section 179; the fee is 1/4 of the license fee each time). Contact us or the area excise office to proceed, and before signing a lease, check that the new location is not in or adjacent to an educational institution, place of worship or gas station (for Type 2). Selling at the wrong location is punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 baht.
If the shop changes owners, can the liquor license be transferred?
It can be transferred with written permission from the excise official (Excise Tax Act, Section 180). The transferee must have the same qualifications as a new applicant, and the license must have at least 90 days remaining. The transfer fee is half of the license fee for that type. If a newly registered company will take over running the shop, you should first ask the area excise office whether a transfer or a new application is needed.
What should I do if my liquor license is lost or damaged?
Contact the area excise office or branch where the shop is located to request a replacement. The fee is half of the fee for that license, but not more than 100 baht. Shops must display the license in a visible place at all times, so you should request a replacement as soon as you find that it is lost.
Who can apply for a liquor license? Do I need to open a company first?
You can apply without opening a company. The applicant can be an individual aged 20 or over or a juristic person registered under Thai law, and must never have had a liquor license revoked, unless at least 1 year has passed since then. Shops that have already registered a company often apply in the company’s name, so that the shop’s income and expenses are in the same accounts.
Interested in Our License Application Services
Contact Greenpro KSP Consulting Co., Ltd.
Address: 43 Thai CC Tower, 11th Floor, Room 111, South Sathorn Road, Yannawa, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120
Phone: 094-864-9799
LINE Official Account: @greenproksp
E-mail: surapa@greenproksp.com