Excise licences for excisable alcohol
If you manufacture, produce or store excisable alcohol products in Australia, you need an excise licence.
Manufacturing, producing or storing excisable goods without an excise licence is an offence under the Excise Act 1901 and criminal penalties may apply.
Make sure you understand:
- what excise licences you need to hold for your business or situation
- the conditions of the licences you hold
- your obligations as an excise licence holder.
On this page:
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Types of excise licences
There are different types of excise licences for different situations.
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How long the licence lasts
Your licence will be valid from the day we grant it until the next 30 September after the second anniversary of the day we grant it (unless we cancel it earlier).
For example, if we grant a licence on:
- 15 October 2015, it expires on 30 September 2018
- 15 September 2015, it expires on 30 September 2017.
If we renew your licence it will be valid for three years, expiring on 30 September of the relevant year.
When we may cancel your licence
Your licence remains in force until it expires or is cancelled.
Licence suspension
If we suspend your licence, the activities you are approved to do under your licence may be restricted. Suspension may be a temporary measure or may lead to the cancellation of your licence. The grounds for cancellation and suspension are effectively the same.
Licence cancellation
We can cancel your excise licence when:
- you ask us to (for example, where you intend to cease business)
- we decide to because one or more of the following occurs
- you or an associate are not fit and proper
- the company is not fit and proper
- a director, officer or shareholder who participates in the management or control of the company is not a fit and proper person
- you don't have, or have available to you, the skills and experience required to carry out the activity authorised by the licence
- the physical security of the premises is inadequate
- the plant and equipment used at the premises are inadequate to protect the excise revenue related to the goods at the premises
- you have no market for the goods covered by the licence
- you aren't complying with your record-keeping requirements
- you have breached a condition of your licence
- you have made a false or misleading statement to us
- cancellation is necessary to protect the related excise revenue
- cancellation is necessary to ensure you comply with the excise laws.
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Your obligations as a licence holder
As a licence holder, you have obligations you need to meet, including:
- stock control – manufacturing, storing and moving your goods
- lodging your excise return and paying excise duty
- record keeping
- advising us if your business changes or ceases.
Your licence will set out the obligations you need to meet.
Make sure you keep adequate records that enable you to demonstrate you have met your licence requirements.
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Other obligations for excisable alcohol
In addition to the general obligations for all excise licence holders, if you manufacture excisable alcohol you have additional obligations to measure alcohol volume and strength so you can correctly work out the amount of excise duty you need to pay.
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Obtaining licence information for third parties
You can contact us for certain information about the excise licences and permissions of third parties you deal with.
Other registrations
If you're in business, you may also need other licences, registrations and permissions.
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Businesses that manufacture, produce or store excisable alcohol products in Australia need the correct excise licence from us and must fulfil the associated obligations.