We offer
Licensing Support
Obtaining relevant licenses from HMRC and local government can be the most onerous part of setting up a distillery.
Licence support services include
APPA
The APPA (Alcoholic Products Producer Approval) is the new, single, unified regulatory approval required by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for almost anyone who produces alcohol in the UK.
It was introduced as a key part of the modernised UK Alcohol Duty system, replacing several older, product-specific licences and registration.
| Explanation | |
| Purpose | To authorise a business to legally produce and/or carry out certain production-related activities on alcoholic products in the UK. |
| What it Replaced | It replaced the previous patchwork of excise approvals, most notably: The Distiller’s Licence The Brewer’s Registration The Wine Producer’s Licence The Compounder’s and Rectifier’s Licence (when using duty-suspended spirits) |
| What it Covers | A single APPA can cover all alcoholic products produced by a business (spirits, beer, cider, wine) and at all of its approved production premises. |
| Duty Suspension | Crucially, the APPA can grant the producer the right to hold alcoholic products in duty suspension on their approved production premises. This eliminates the need for most producers to also hold a separate Excise Warehouse Approval for their own production site’s storage. |
| Requirement | Any business that produces alcohol, or carries out an activity that changes an alcohol product’s volume (ABV) or classification (e.g., compounding or rectifying duty-suspended spirits), must hold an APPA before they begin. |
AWRS
AWRS (Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme) is a mandatory registration scheme for businesses involved in wholesaling alcohol.
Premises Licence
Required for establishments selling alcohol on their premises. This license is obtained from the local licensing authority
Personal Licence
A personal license is required for individuals responsible for the sale of alcohol at a licensed premises. To obtain a personal license, one must undergo relevant training and pass an exam.
Distiller's Licence / compounder & rectifiers
The Alcoholic Products Producer Approval (APPA) has replaced the Distiller’s Licence (previously applied for using form DLA1) as well.
The APPA, which became effective from 1st February 2025, is a single, unified approval that covers all producers of alcoholic products in the UK, including:
Distillers (Spirits production)
Compounders and Rectifiers (for duty-suspended spirits)
Brewers (Beer)
Wineries (Wine and Made-Wine)
Cider Makers
For businesses already holding a Distiller’s Licence, HMRC automatically migrated their approval to the new APPA system. New producers now apply directly for the APPA.
The requirement for a specific Compounder’s and Rectifier’s licence is no longer in force when operating with spirits upon which duty has already been paid.
These activities, when performed using spirits in duty suspension, are now covered under the new single UK approval regime: the Alcoholic Products Producer Approval (APPA). This APPA replaced the previous system for producers, including compounders and rectifiers using duty-suspended alcohol, effective from 1st February 2025.
WOWGR
(Warehousekeepers and Owners of Warehoused Goods Regulations). Allows the individual or business to be registered as owners and hold duty suspended goods in a third party warehouse.
APPA covers production and on-site storage for producers (and replaced the Distiller’s/Compounder’s Licences).
WOWGR has been streamlined to remove the bureaucratic burden on Owners and Duty Representatives, but the core requirement for a Warehousekeeper to be approved for a third-party excise warehouse still remains.
Excise Warehouse Approval
If you’re producing spirits for commercial purposes, you need approval from HMRC for duty suspension in a warehouse by an authorised warehousekeeper.
EXTENDED SUPPORT
The Craft Distilling Business also offers extended support through a trusted partner, providing services such as:
- Personal Licence Applications and Training
- Staff Training in Responsible Alcohol Retailing
- Premises Licence Applications, Variations, and Transfers
- Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) Variations
- Temporary Events Notices
