How to Get Liquor License in Dubai

Sep 21
07:02

2016

Bismil Cib

Bismil Cib

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It was in 1979 that the Dubai government introduced the liquor license system to control the sale of alcohol. The official religion of Dubai is Islam and disrespecting its laws can land one in serious trouble.

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Following the Muslim sharia law,How to Get Liquor License in Dubai Articles UAE prohibits the purchase and consumption of alcohol. However, for Non-Muslims, UAE has set rules for purchasing and consuming alcohol. In Emirates except for Sharjah, there are licensed hotels which serve alcohol. Clubs in UAE close by 3 am as by per the licensing laws. Tourists should also follow these laws and should be in possession of alcohol license.

Alcohol Laws in Dubai

Whether you are a resident of Dubai or an expat who has arrived in Dubai or a tourist, to drink alcohol, you need to have a liquor license. In Dubai, alcohol license is required to buy, transport and consume alcohol.

Venues for serving alcohol should be attached to hotels or private clubs according to the licensing laws of Dubai. Alcohol can be bought from only licensed premises and consumed only in licensed venues. It is illegal to drink in a street or public places.

Drinking while driving is strictly not allowed and has zero tolerance policy. It can lead to fines, imprisonment.

Alcohol License in Dubai

To buy alcohol in Dubai, Non-Muslim residents of Dubai need a liquor license. To qualify for the license, the applicant must be a non-muslim, resident of Dubai with earnings of more than AED 3,000 per month and over 21 years.

Where to buy liquor license

Two companies licensed to sell alcohol in Dubai are MMI (Maritime and Mercantile International) – and African & Eastern. Applications for Liquor license in Dubai can be bought from any one of these two stores.

Completed application for new liquor license forms should be submitted with the following documents:

  • Copy of passport and residence visa
  • Copy of labor contract issued by Ministry of Labor
  • Passport photo
  • Copy of tenancy contract
  • Application fee

You can submit to MMI or A&E and the store will process the application with Dubai police. The processing will take around 2-4 weeks. Licenses are valid for a year and then they need to be renewed.

Offers from MMI

Both these stores provide incentives to apply for a liquor license through their stores. For example, MMI (Maritime and Mercantile International) that is headquartered in Dubai is a leading wine, spirits and beer distributors in UAE.

To buy liquor in Dubai, you have 15 MMI stores with over 2000 products. You can shop for amazing monthly offers with big savings and great value for your money at MMI.