Apply for an alcoholic products producer approval (APPA)
Apply for approval from HMRC to produce beer, cider, spirits, wine, and other fermented products in the UK.
This guidance has been published early and is for information only. It will apply from 1 February 2025.
Until then, you must follow the existing guidance for alcohol production, outlined in excise notices 39, 162, 163 and 226.
Read more about the upcoming changes to alcohol approvals, returns and payments.
Before you start
If you want to produce beer, cider, spirits, wine, and other fermented products in the UK, you’ll need an alcoholic products producer approval (APPA). You must not start to produce alcoholic products without it.
Check if you need to apply for an alcoholic products producer approval (APPA).
You should apply at least 45 working days before you intend to start production. It might take us longer than this to process your application if:
- it’s more complex
- we need to ask you for more information
What you’ll need
To apply, you’ll need to tell us:
- your name and contact details
- the details of anyone who is, or will be, connected to your business
- the addresses of your premises, and a correspondence address, if this is different
- your current business status — for example, whether you operate as a sole trader, in a partnership, or as a limited company
- your Unique Taxpayer Reference
- the categories of alcoholic products you’ll produce on the premises
- the date that you’ll start production
- the categories of any alcoholic products you plan to import or export
- details of any alcoholic products you send to, or receive from, other approved businesses or excise warehouses
You’ll need to give us an estimate of how much alcohol you’ll produce in the current year.
You’ll also need to give us a plan of your premises. This must show the position and description of all the equipment you’ll use to produce and store alcoholic products. The plan must:
- be A4 sized or smaller
- be in black and white
- have duty suspended areas shaded
Once you’ve applied
We’ll check your application and run background checks. This may include:
- checks to make sure that the information you’ve provided is complete and accurate
- checks to make sure you’ve complied with your tax obligations
- checks with other government departments and agencies
- checks with credit reference agencies
- a criminal records check
- a Companies House check
We may also visit your premises to look at your trading activities. During the visit, we’ll ask for details about your:
- suppliers
- customers
- business plan
- accounting and stock control systems
- premises
- financial viability
If we approve your application
If we approve your application, we’ll give you your 15-digit alcoholic products producer approval (APPA) ID. You can use your APPA ID to get access to the Manage your Alcohol Duty online service.
You must tell us immediately if you want to make changes to your alcoholic products producer approval (APPA). For example, if you intend to:
- produce a new category of alcoholic product
- use a new premises to produce alcoholic products
- stop production
You must follow the conditions set out in the alcoholic products technical guide. If you do not, we can change the conditions of your approval, or revoke it, at any time.
If we change or revoke your approval, you can:
- ask us to review our decision
- appeal to an independent tribunal
If we refuse your application
If we find out that the information you’ve provided is untrue, or incomplete, we can refuse your application. If you’ve deliberately misled us, you may have to pay a penalty. If we refuse your application, we’ll write to you to explain why.
If we refuse your application, you can:
- ask us to review our decision
- appeal to an independent tribunal
Apply online
For more detailed information about alcoholic products producer approval, read the alcoholic products technical guide.