F&B and Alcohol Licenses — Excise, Public Health, Municipality

Company, BOI & accounting reference — 37 answers

Compiled from Department of Business Development (DBD), Revenue Department, BOI and DIP requirements as cited on each service page. Government fees are set by those authorities and passed through at cost.

• Q12096. F&B and Alcohol Licenses — Excise, Public Health, Municipality — what does the service cover?

  Complete F&B and entertainment licensing — Public Health hazardous-activity permit (Category 4/5) from BMA or municipality, Excise alcohol permits (Type 1/2/3/4), tobacco and playing-card permits, entertainment venue license under the Entertainment Places Act B.E. 2509 (1966), and municipal trade permit. We coordinate with 4–5 agencies in parallel. quoted on request per package. Sources: https://www.excise.go.th/ , https://www.bangkok.go.th/

• Q12098. How much does F&B and Alcohol Licenses cost and how long does it take?

  From quoted on request per package; turnaround 30–60 days. Government fees are set by the issuing authority and passed through at cost.

• Q12106. How many licenses does a restaurant need?

  At least 3: (1) Hazardous-activity permit from district or municipality, (2) Excise alcohol permit Type 3/4, (3) Tobacco permit if selling. If open past midnight, add an Entertainment Places license.

• Q12107. How many types of alcohol permits are there?

  Four: (1) Nationwide wholesale quoted on request; (2) Local wholesale quoted on request; (3) All-type retail quoted on request; (4) On-premise retail quoted on request per year.

• Q12108. Where is alcohol sale prohibited?

  Within 300 metres of schools, dormitories, and temples; and forbidden between 14:00–17:00 daily (with some public-holiday exceptions).

• Q12109. Do foreigners opening a restaurant need an FBL?

  Restaurants are not a reserved business — no FBL required if foreign shareholding ≤49%. Above 51% requires an FBL or BOI (conditions apply).

• Q12110. When is an Entertainment Places license required?

  If open past midnight, hosting live music or DJs, or employing hostesses who solicit drinks — required under the Entertainment Places Act B.E. 2509 (1966).

• Q12111. What are the total government fees?

  Roughly quoted on request depending on location, venue size, seat count, and license mix. Our fee covers government charges.

• Q12112. How often must licenses be renewed?

  Alcohol and tobacco: annually. Entertainment: every 2 years. Hazardous activity: annually. We track and auto-renew for our clients.

• Q946162. What are the end-to-end steps for hospitality license?

  We start with a document and fact review, prepare and verify the file, submit to the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies, follow up on any queries raised by officials, and hand over the completed result with a full copy set. For hospitality license a case manager tracks every stage and reports status. Call +66 83-249-4999 · LINE @NYCLI · nyclegal@ilc.ltd

• Q946164. Which documents are required for hospitality license?

  The baseline set is the applicant's ID or passport, the original documents relating to hospitality license, proof of connection (house registration, company affidavit or the underlying contract) and a power of attorney if a representative attends. The exact list follows the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies requirements on the filing date; we send a case-specific checklist before your appointment.

• Q946166. How long does hospitality license take?

  Timing depends on the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies queue, how complete your file is, and public holidays. Our own preparation usually takes a few business days; the official stage is an estimate that can shift. We give you a realistic hospitality license timeline before starting and update you as it progresses.

• Q946168. What costs are involved in hospitality license and how are they calculated?

  There are two components: official government fees passed through at the published rate, and our professional fee, which depends on scope, document volume and urgency of hospitality license. Fees are quoted case by case based on complexity and document volume — ask our team before work starts. You always receive a written breakdown before work begins — no hidden charges.

• Q946170. Can hospitality license be handled if I live upcountry or overseas?

  Yes. Send photos of your documents via LINE for a feasibility check, then we proceed under a power of attorney, or you sign at a Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate where you live and courier the originals back. For hospitality license we map out the fastest and safest option before you commit.

• Q946172. What are the most common mistakes in hospitality license and how do we prevent them?

  The usual causes of rejection are name spellings that differ between documents, documents that expire before the filing date, uncertified copies, and translations that do not match the original. the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies returns files for exactly these reasons, so we cross-check names, dates and seals across every page before submitting hospitality license.

• Q946174. Which laws or regulations govern hospitality license?

  The framework is set by the Civil and Commercial Code, the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542 and the applicable tax legislation, together with the regulations and notifications issued by the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies, which are revised from time to time. Before advising on hospitality license we verify the version in force on the filing date and rely on official sources rather than second-hand summaries.

• Q946176. What happens if hospitality license is rejected or returned for correction?

  First we obtain the written reason from the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies, then separate formal defects (fixable and quickly refiled) from substantive or eligibility issues (which need a change of approach). Where the error is ours, we redo hospitality license at no extra professional fee and coordinate until the matter is resolved.

• Q946178. Who is hospitality license for, and what are the eligibility conditions?

  It suits anyone who must present the result of hospitality license to a government body, bank, educational institution or overseas counterparty. Applicant eligibility and supporting documents follow the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies rules; some cases require the document holder in person or a properly executed power of attorney. We screen eligibility free of charge before accepting the case.

• Q946180. How long does the result of hospitality license stay valid?

  Certified documents rarely carry an expiry date themselves, but most receiving authorities require issuance within 3–6 months of submission, and some are stricter. Check the destination's rule before starting hospitality license so nothing has to be redone; we plan the sequence around your filing deadline.

• Q946182. Does hospitality license also need an English or target-language translation?

  If the receiving body is overseas, a certified translation is normally required, and many countries insist on their own official language rather than English. We confirm the destination rule first, then produce a translation aligned with hospitality license and certify it in the same workflow to avoid extra rounds.

• Q946184. Should I handle hospitality license myself or use a service provider?

  Doing it yourself saves the professional fee but leaves you carrying the risk on document format, queueing and travel time, plus shifting the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies practice. A provider reduces rejection loops and gives you someone accountable for follow-up. For hospitality license we are happy to give initial guidance even if you proceed on your own.

• Q946186. Is there an express option for hospitality license?

  We can prioritise our own preparation subject to capacity, but any stage controlled by the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies follows official procedure and cannot be guaranteed to a fixed date. We tell you plainly what the fastest realistic hospitality license window is and offer alternatives if your deadline is too tight.

• Q946188. How is my data protected when you handle hospitality license?

  We process personal data under Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act B.E. 2562 (PDPA), use it only to carry out hospitality license as instructed, restrict access to the assigned team, and return or destroy originals on your instruction. You may exercise access or deletion rights at any time.

• Q946190. What happens after hospitality license is completed?

  Check names, dates and seals as soon as you receive the result of hospitality license, keep at least one digital copy, and submit to the receiving authority within its validity window. If the destination requires further legalisation — for example the Department of Consular Affairs or an embassy — we continue the chain in the same engagement.

• Q946192. What risks should I know before starting hospitality license?

  The main risks are destination rules changing mid-process, historic documents that no longer match current facts, and deadlines so tight that no correction round is left. We confirm requirements with the Department of Business Development (DBD) and the licensing agencies or the receiving body before filing hospitality license and build correction time into the plan.