Permission for a still
If you're a licensed excise manufacturer you can buy, import, manufacture, dispose of, possess, own or sell a still without permission.
If you're not a licensed excise manufacturer you must have permission to buy, import, manufacture, dispose of, possess, own or sell a still unless it:
only has a capacity of five litres or less, and
will not be used to distil alcohol.
Otherwise you'll need to apply to us for permission for a still.
Licence to distil alcohol
You must hold an excise manufacturer licence before you can distil alcohol, and you must pay excise duty on any alcohol you produce.
All distilled alcohol is subject to excise duty whether produced by a licensed manufacturer or not.
Alcohol includes spirits, ethyl alcohol and ethanol. It does not include methanol, propenol, isopropenol and butanol.
Excise licences are only granted to applicants who can demonstrate they meet the requirements of the Excise Act 1901, including having:
physically secure premises to prevent any other person having access to the licensed area
skills and experience in distillation
appropriate volume and alcoholic strength measuring equipment
an approved record keeping system.
Attention
You will have committed an offence and penalties may apply if you do not have the appropriate permission or licence.
