Customers at a liquor shop in Visakhapatnam. Fresh applications will be invited for A4 shops that were not renewed for 2026-27. File
| Photo Credit: V. Raju
The Andhra Pradesh Excise Department has decided not to extend the deadline further for renewal of A4 liquor shop licences for 2026-27. Fresh applications will be invited for shops left unrenewed.
As of September 23, 3,650 A4 shops had been notified for renewal across the State. Of these, 3,236 shops came forward for renewal and payments were made for 2,906 shops. A total of 2,873 shops paid the Retail Excise Tax (RET) in full, and 33 made partial payments. Overall, 88.7% of the notified shops applied for renewal and 80% recorded payments.
East Godavari topped the payment rate at 97.1%, followed by Alluri Sitharama Raju (94.7%), Sri Sathya Sai (91.8%), Konaseema (91.1%) and Eluru (91%). The rates were 64.5% in Guntur, 68.8% in Bapatla and 69% in Visakhapatnam.
Shops that paid the full renewal RET by midnight on September 23 will be treated as renewed and excluded from the notification for fresh applications. Licensees will get two days to pay annual RET and permit-room RET.
The Gazette notification for fresh applications will be issued on Thursday (September 24, 2026). Applications can be submitted until midnight on October 1. Scrutiny will be conducted on October 3, followed by allotment through draw of lots on October 5.
Published – September 24, 2026 03:03 pm IST
