AP liquor licence renewal process for the 2026-27 excise year has reached its deadline across all districts. The Prohibition and Excise Department had granted a two-day extension, allowing existing retail traders extra time to complete digital documentation, pay pending application fees and clear retail excise tax dues before the renewal window officially closed.

State authorities extended the original deadline from September 21 to September 23 to resolve technical issues affecting the online portal. Heavy online traffic on the final payment day caused server congestion, preventing numerous retail operators from completing mandatory banking transactions and generating chalanas. Considering formal representations from retail trade associations, Excise Commissioner Sridhar Chamakuri granted two additional days so valid applicants would not lose operational rights due to technical glitches.

AP: 3,236 Retail Liquor Shops Opt For Renewal

Andhra Pradesh saw more than 3,170 operators apply for annual licence renewals out of 3,650 A4 retail liquor shops notified for the 2026-27 excise period. The government collected over Rs 1,170 crore through application fees, renewal excise taxes and initial quarterly permit payments. Alluri Sitharama Raju and East Godavari recorded renewal rates nearing 95 percent.

Retail outlets that failed to complete mandatory fee payments by the final September 23 deadline face immediate license cancellation. The Excise Department plans to inventory all unrenewed shop locations across districts and reallocate the remaining licenses to new applicants through a transparent lottery draw system. Official notification details regarding the upcoming lottery schedule for unrenewed outlets will be published shortly.