Licences, notifications and changes related to the retail sales of alcoholic beverages
- Permit or other obligation
- Nationwide except the Åland Islands
- Public service
The retail sale of beverages with an alcohol content of over 2.8% is a licensed business activity. Before starting retail sales, a retail trade licence has to be applied for and obtained from the Regional State Administrative Agency. An alcohol retail trade licence is specific to each company and place of business. The Regional State Administrative Agency grants retail trade licences for an indefi ...
Do the following
Use the e-service to fill in the applications and notifications related to the retail sale of alcoholic beverages electronically. The electronic system will guide you in filling in applications and notifications which will be automatically referred to the correct Regional State Administrative Agency.
Alternatively, you can fill in a form and deliver it to the Regional State Administrative Agency. More detailed instructions are available on each form.
- Retail trade licence application
- Retail trade licence application for producers
- Self-supervision plan for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages
- Annual retail report
To whom and on what terms
The Regional State Administrative Agency will grant a retail trade licence to a natural or legal person who fulfils the conditions for applicants laid down in the Alcohol Act and the conditions required for carrying out operations. To apply for a licence, you need a valid business ID.
A licence cannot be granted to a limited company, general partnership, limited partnership, cooperative or association that is being set up, as they will only have legal capacity after their registration.
Deadline
Apply for a retail trade licence well in advance before starting operations.
Processing time
The indicative processing time for applications is approximately one month.
Period of validity
An alcohol retail trade licence is granted until further notice or for a fixed period of time.