- Business Setup
- Corporate Services
Advisory Services
Regulatory Services
Tax Services
Accounting Services
- Insights
- Who We Are
- Contact Us
Advisory Services
Regulatory Services
Tax Services
Accounting Services
Dubai’s vibrant lifestyle and booming tourism, make it a hotspot for dinning and hospitality businesses, including those serving alcohol.
Alcohol consumption and sales are strictly regulated and only allowed in licensed venues. The legal drinking and selling age in Dubai is 21 years old.
To sell or handle alcohol legally, you need a specific alcohol license. Dubai offers different types of alcohol licenses, and choosing the right one is crucial. According to Dubai Economic reports, over 70% of applications are rejected due to the selection of the wrong type of license.
This guide covers everything you need: types, requirements, steps, costs, and penalties to help entrepreneurs and residents apply confidently.
Any business involved in importing, selling, retailing or storing alcohol requires license. Even individual storing alcohol at home for personal use, must get one.
Alcohol purchase and consumption are tightly regulated in Dubai, making a license mandatory for compliance.
The types of alcohol license offered by UAE government are based on alcohol usage. Selecting the correct license from the listed types is very important.
1. Type A – Import License
This license is for importers, large distributors, trading companies. Allows importing alcohol or beverages into Dubai, UAE from abroad. It’s the first step in alcohol supply chain.
2. Type B – Wholesale/Retail Supply License
This license is for storing, distributing, and selling alcohol to other licensed venues, such as restaurants, hotels and bars. It’s ideal for distributors, liquor stores and warehouse serving hospitality businesses.
3. Type C – On premise Service License
This license allows serving and consuming alcohol only at your premises. This is the most common license for hospitality entrepreneurs. It also covers purchasing of alcohol from licensed suppliers, operating lounges, or hotel bars.
4. Type D – Personal Purchase License
This license is only for individuals, not businesses. It allows eligible individuals to purchase and store alcohol for personal use in Dubai from retailers. It prohibits resale or commercial use of alcohol.
The requirements of getting an alcohol license in Dubai includes the following:
the applicant must be
Core documents required for obtaining an alcohol license are:
There are some additional documents which may require for alcohol licence:
| Type of alcohol license | Additional documents required |
|---|---|
| Import license | Valid Trade License from DED or Free Zone No Objection Certificate (NOC) Detailed business plan Business registration proof Warehouse layout plan Tenancy contract / Ejari for warehouse premises. |
| Type B – Wholesale / Retail supply license | Valid trade license from DED or Free Zone authority, Company Memorandum of Association (MOA) NOC Tenancy contract or Ejari Warehouse approval |
| Type C – On premise alcohol service license | Valid trade license from DED or Free Zone authority MOA Letter assigning responsible manager for alcohol. NOC from landlord |
| Type D – Personal Alcohol Purchase License | Residence visa copy Proof of residential address |
The application process to obtain the alcohol license is simple. It includes the following steps:
The cost of an alcohol license in Dubai may vary based on the license type. The approximate cost of each type of alcohol license is listed below:
| Type of Alcohol License | Approximate Cost (AED) |
|---|---|
| Type A – Import License | 10,000 – 50,000+ (volume-dependent) |
| Type B – Wholesale / Retail supply license | 750 – 10,000 (small retail low-end; wholesale higher) |
| Type C – On premise alcohol service license | 5,000 – 7,500 (regular to elite for venues) |
| Type D – Personal Alcohol Purchase License | Free (As of January 1, 2023, the personal alcohol purchase license is free of charge) |
For businesses alcohol licenses (for Type A, Type B and Type C) the usual timeline is around 2- 3 weeks. While for personal alcohol license (Type D), the timeline is as short as 24-48 hours.
For unlicensed businesses serving or selling alcohol, the fines can exceed up to 100,000 AED. Apart from fine there can be consequences such as business closure, stock seizure, manager/owner prosecution and can even result in jail (UAE Penal Code).
For personal violations, for example non-Muslim residents caught possessing or buying alcohol without a license, the fines start from 500 AED (first offense) and can go up to several thousand AED for repeated offence. Violations can even result in short imprisonment and visa complications.
Dubai is a growing hub for tourists, which eventually lead to the growth of restaurant business. This growth provides a great opportunity to start an alcohol business. Dubai follows certain norms and regulations regarding alcohol consumption, like non-Muslims are not allowed to have an alcohol license, this makes it essential for business owner and entrepreneurs to understand alcohol license correctly.
Application process of an alcohol license is important and needs attention to correctly proceed with the steps.
For smooth applications consult licensing experts. Contact us today for personalised guidance.
