How to get an Alcohol Retail License in Vietnam: Step-by-Step Procedure

Alcohol is a popular commodity and is consumed in large quantities worldwide, especially during holidays and Tet. However, to limit the danger of this type of product, as well as for the State to best manage individuals and enterprises trading alcohol in the market, individuals and enterprises wanting to carry out alcohol retail activities must apply for an alcohol retail license at a competent state agency. In the article below, Viet An Law Firm will guide clients: how to get an alcohol retail license in Vietnam: step-by-step procedure.

What is an Alcohol retail license / Liquor license in Vietnam?

What is an alcohol retail license?

Alcohol is a beverage containing food-grade alcohol, produced from the fermentation process of one or a mixture of main ingredients including starch of cereals, sugar syrup of plants, flowers, tubers, fruits or is a beverage prepared from food-grade alcohol.

Alcohol retail license is a certificate allowing alcohol retail business establishments to:

• Purchase alcohol according to the contents recorded on the license from:
  • Domestic alcohol production traders;
  • Alcohol distribution traders;
  • Alcohol wholesale traders;
• Sell alcohol to traders selling alcohol for on-site consumption or sell directly to buyers at business locations such as: bars, convenience stores, supermarkets…

Locations where alcohol retail is not allowed in Vietnam

At Article 19 of the Law on Prevention and Control of Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer 2019, locations where alcohol retail is not allowed include:

• Health facilities.
• Educational institutions.
• Facilities, areas for care, nurturing, playing, and entertainment for persons under 18 years of age.
• Detoxification facilities, compulsory education institutions, reformatory schools, inmate detention facilities, and other detention facilities.
• Social protection facilities.
• Workplaces of state agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations, socio-political-professional organizations, public non-business units, except for locations permitted to trade alcohol and beer.

Is it necessary to apply for a license for alcohol retail business?

Based on Article 4 of Decree 105/2017/ND-CP (amended by Clause 1 Article 16 of Decree 17/2020/ND-CP), regulating principles of alcohol management as follows:

• Alcohol business belongs to the list of conditional business investment lines.
• Organizations and individuals operating alcohol business must comply with the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer and the provisions of this Decree.
• Traders producing industrial alcohol, producing craft alcohol for business purposes, distributing alcohol, wholesaling alcohol, retailing alcohol with an alcohol content of 5.5 degrees or higher must have a license…

Accordingly, alcohol business belongs to the list of conditional business investment lines and traders retailing alcohol with an alcohol content of 5.5 degrees or higher must have a license.

Requirements for selling alcohol in Vietnam

According to Article 13 of Decree 105/2017/ND-CP amended by Clause 5 Article 17 of Decree 17/2020/ND-CP, to be able to apply for an alcohol retail license, it is necessary to meet the conditions for alcohol retail, specifically as follows:

• Being an enterprise, cooperative, union of cooperatives, or business household established according to the provisions of law.
• Having the legal right to use a fixed business location with a clear address.
• Having a letter of introduction or principle contract of an alcohol production trader, alcohol distribution trader, or alcohol wholesale trader.

Competence to grant alcohol retail license / Liquor license in Vietnam

On June 12, 2025, the Government issued Decree 139/2025/ND-CP (effective from July 1, 2025) regulating the decentralization of competence of local governments at 02 levels in the field of state management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Decree 139/2025/ND-CP clearly states: The competence to grant, re-grant, amend, supplement, and revoke Licenses for craft alcohol production for business purposes, Alcohol Retail Licenses in the area in the field of alcohol production prescribed at Point c, Point d Clause 1 Article 25; Article 33 of Decree No. 105/2017/ND-CP dated September 14, 2017 of the Government on alcohol business amended and supplemented by Decree No. 17/2020/ND-CP dated February 5, 2020 is performed by the Commune-level People’s Committee.

Note: The agency competent to grant the license has the right to grant amendments, supplements, and re-grant that license.

How to get an alcohol retail license in Vietnam?

For selling alcohol legally in Vietnam, company need to process 3 steps belows:

Procedure for granting alcohol retail license

Step 1: Prepare dossier

When using the service, Viet An Law will support customers to draft and prepare the dossier for applying for an Alcohol Retail Business License according to regulations. The dossier includes documents:

• Application form for Alcohol Retail License according to Form No. 01 issued with Decree No. 105/2017/ND-CP. The application should note the following contents:

(1): Record the type of license requested, in this case, alcohol retail license.

(2): Name of agency granting alcohol retail license: Ministry of Industry and Trade/Department of Industry and Trade/Economic Division or Economic and Infrastructure Division.

(3): Specify each type of alcohol product to be retailed: Wine, vodka, fruit wine,…

(4): Record design capacity; for craft alcohol production, record expected production output (liters/year).

(5): Clearly record name, address.

(6): Name of trader applying for license.

• Copy of Enterprise, Cooperative, Union of Cooperatives or Business Household Registration Certificate;
• Copy of lease/lending contract or documents proving the legal right to use the facility expected to be the retail location;
• Copy of letter of introduction or principle contract of alcohol production trader, alcohol distribution trader, or alcohol wholesale trader.

Step 2: Submit dossier

Traders eligible for alcohol retail submit dossiers directly or by post or online (if eligible for application) to the Commune-level People’s Committee where the trader places its head office.

Step 3: Competent authority reviews dossier, returns result

Within 10 working days from the date of receiving a complete and valid dossier, the competent state agency reviews, appraises, and grants the license to the trader. In case of refusal, it must reply in writing and clearly state the reason. In case the dossier is not valid, within 03 working days from the date of receiving the dossier, the licensing agency must have a written request for supplementation.

Some notes on alcohol retail license

• The Alcohol Retail License is valid for 05 years.
• When the 05-year period expires, the Trader must submit a dossier requesting re-grant of the license 30 days before the license expiration date. The dossier, competence, and procedure for re-grant for this provision apply as prescribed for the case of new grant.

According to Clause 4 Article 18 of Decree 105/2017/ND-CP, rights and obligations of alcohol retail traders are prescribed as follows:

• Purchase alcohol from domestic alcohol production traders, alcohol distribution traders, alcohol wholesale traders according to the contents recorded in the license;
• Sell alcohol to traders selling alcohol for on-site consumption or sell directly to buyers at business locations of traders according to the contents recorded in the license.

Alcohol retail license application service of viet an law firm

• Consult on conditions and dossiers for changing Alcohol Retail License;
• Request customers to provide information to complete the dossier for granting Alcohol Retail License;
• Draft dossier for granting Alcohol Retail License;
• Represent the enterprise to perform procedures for applying for Alcohol Retail License;
• Exchange and provide information to customers during the process of granting Alcohol Retail License;
• Receive and hand over the Alcohol Retail License to customers.

The above is the advice of Viet An Law regarding the how to get an alcohol retail license in Vietnam: step-by-step procedure. Customers having related questions or needing support, please contact Viet An Law for the best support!