AP Bar Licenses Reopened After Tax Relief, Fresh Applications Invited
After scrapping the additional retail excise tax, the Andhra Pradesh government has reopened applications for bar licenses, offering entrepreneurs a renewed opportunity through a fresh notification covering 301 open category bars.
- AP bar licenses reopened under new excise policy.
- ARET removal eases cost burden on bar owners.
- Lucky draw to decide bar licenses.
The Andhra Pradesh government has issued a fresh notification inviting applications for bar licenses across the state, bringing renewed hope to liquor traders who had earlier stayed away from the process. A total of 301 bar licenses will now be allotted under the open category.
The move comes after the government withdrew the Additional Retail Excise Tax, a levy that had discouraged many applicants during the earlier schedule. Due to the extra tax burden, nearly 299 bar licenses remained unsold despite multiple rounds of discussions between officials and liquor traders.
Officials said the revised decision aims to restore confidence among applicants and ensure better participation. Along with the 299 pending bars, two additional licenses from Guntur and NTR districts have been added, taking the total to 301.
As per the updated schedule, applications will be accepted both online and offline until February four evening. The allocation of bar licenses will be done through a lucky draw system on February five.
The excise department stated that the policy change is intended to reduce financial pressure on license holders and bring uniformity in liquor pricing. With the removal of ARET, the price difference between wine shops and bars is expected to disappear, improving transparency in the retail liquor system.
Senior officials believe the fresh notification under the 2025 to 2028 excise policy will help fill vacant licenses and stabilise the bar sector across Andhra Pradesh.
