Documents and laws

Alcohol in India and dry states

Alcohol is legal in most of India, but every state writes its own rules. Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland and Mizoram keep total prohibition, and the Lakshadweep islands restrict it tightly; of these, only Gujarat issues permits to visitors. On top of that come national and election dry days, drinking ages from 18 to 25, and strict limits on carrying bottles across state lines. The rules change often, so treat this page as a map and check the current position locally.

Why the map is patchy

Under the Constitution, intoxicating liquor is a state subject, so licences, taxes, opening hours, drinking age and outright bans are all decided state by state. A beer that costs little in Goa can be illegal two hundred kilometres away, and the same rule can change with a new excise policy or a new government.

In practice that means three questions for each leg of the trip: is the state dry, is today a dry day, and how old do you need to be here. Big hotels and licensed bars usually know the answers for their own state.

Dry states and territories

Status as of the date this page was checked. Prohibition policies are revised from time to time, so confirm before you travel.

Gujarat	Dry since 1960 under the Gujarat (formerly Bombay) Prohibition Act, 1949. Visitors from outside the state can get a liquor permit and buy only at licensed shops, usually inside large hotels. Since December 2023 controlled drinking is also allowed in GIFT City (Gandhinagar), but only for its employees and authorised visitors.
Bihar	Total prohibition since April 2016 under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016. There is no permit for visitors: buying, carrying, storing and drinking are all offences. People found drinking or drunk are arrested and brought before an Executive Magistrate, and vehicles and premises used for an offence can be confiscated. Since the 2022 amendment a first drinking offence is punished with a fine set by the state government (one month in jail if it is not paid); repeat offences bring further fines or jail. Supplying or carrying liquor is punished far more heavily.
Nagaland	Dry since 1989 under the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act. No visitor permit.
Mizoram	Total prohibition reinstated in 2019 under the Mizoram Liquor (Prohibition) Act, 2019. No visitor permit.
Lakshadweep	Historically alcohol was available only on Bangaram island; the territory's rules are under revision. Ask your resort what is allowed before you arrive and do not bring your own.

👣 Getting a liquor permit in Gujarat

Gujarat is the one dry state where a visitor can drink legally. The permit is personal and covers buying, keeping and drinking within the limits printed on it.

Apply online or at a licensed hotel shop
The state Prohibition & Excise Department runs an e-permit portal; licensed liquor shops in large hotels also process applications on the spot. Foreign passport holders apply for the tourist permit, travellers from other Indian states for the visitor permit.
Have your documents ready
Passport with visa; press guides also mention proof of travel into Gujarat (a boarding pass or train ticket) and proof of where you are staying. Apply soon after arrival and check the current requirements on the portal or at the hotel shop.
Buy only at a licensed shop
Documents are checked and stamped at the shop desk. Keep the permit and the purchase receipt with the bottle.
Drink in private
Drink in private, for example in your hotel room, not in public places, on the street or in a car. When the permit expires, leftover bottles become a problem.

Dry days

On a dry day licensed shops and bars stop selling and serving alcohol, usually including hotel bars. Stock up the day before if it matters to you.

National holidays	Most states declare 26 January (Republic Day), 15 August (Independence Day) and 2 October (Gandhi Jayanti) dry days.
Elections	No liquor may be sold or served in a polling area for 48 hours ending with the close of poll. Counting day is often declared dry as well. During a multi-phase election this moves around the country.
Festivals and local dates	Each state publishes its own list: Holi, Janmashtami (Krishna's birthday) and other religious days often close shops in many states.

Drinking age

The legal age is set by each state and ranges from 18 to 25. In Delhi it is 25: section 23 of the Delhi Excise Act forbids selling or delivering liquor to anyone apparently under that age (the Delhi High Court has noted that the rule targets sale, not drinking as such). Bars in big cities do ask for ID, so carry your passport or a clear copy if you look young. Elsewhere check locally: the numbers are revised and secondary lists online often disagree.

Carrying bottles between states

Liquor bought in one state is meant for that state. Goa is the classic trap: prices are low, but road and rail checkpoints into Maharashtra and Karnataka seize bottles carried without a permit. The Goa Excise Department issues personal transport permits for one or two 750 ml bottles to a short list of states (Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Kerala and some others), and neither Maharashtra nor Karnataka is on it. Carrying any alcohol into a dry state (Gujarat without a permit, Bihar, Nagaland, Mizoram) is an offence in itself. If you want to take a bottle home, buy it at the airport duty free on the way out.

Holy towns

Some places are dry by local rule rather than by state law. In pilgrimage towns such as Pushkar, Rishikesh, Haridwar and Vrindavan the sale of alcohol is banned, at least in the central holy areas (in Mathura-Vrindavan, for example, by a 2021 Uttar Pradesh notification). These are pilgrimage towns, and the ban is part of their character, like the vegetarian thalis and the evening aarti (the fire ritual) on the ghats. Bringing your own and drinking in a guesthouse is both risky and disrespectful; the nearest town with a licensed bar is usually a short drive away.

Bhang, and why the rest is different

Bhang (a drink or paste made from cannabis leaves) sits in a legal gap. The national NDPS Act defines ganja as the flowering or fruiting tops of the plant and expressly excludes leaves and seeds when not accompanied by the tops, so bhang is regulated by states instead. Where a state allows it, it is sold in government-licensed shops; buy only there, and know that strength varies a lot, especially in Holi bhang lassi.

Ganja (the flowering tops), charas (the resin) and anything sold "on the beach" fall under the NDPS Act and are a criminal matter, whatever the local atmosphere suggests.

Bringing alcohol into India

On arrival, up to 2 litres of alcoholic liquor or wine has been allowed duty free under the baggage rules; anything above that has to be declared. New Baggage Rules took effect on 2 February 2026, so check the current limit on cbic.gov.in before you fly. A bottle from duty free is still subject to the rules of the state you carry it into, so do not take it on to Bihar or into Gujarat without a permit.

❓ Questions people ask

Can I drink in Gujarat?

Yes, with a liquor permit: apply online or at a licensed shop in a large hotel, buy only there and drink in private.

Can I bring my own bottle into Bihar?

No. Bihar has no visitor permit, and carrying or storing liquor is an offence with arrest and confiscation.

Will my hotel bar serve on a dry day?

No. The ban on sale and service covers hotel bars and restaurants too.

I'm 23. Can I order a beer in Delhi?

Not legally: bars and shops in Delhi may not sell or serve liquor to anyone under 25, and they can ask for ID.

Is bhang legal?

It depends on the state. Where it is allowed, buy it only from a government-licensed shop. Ganja and charas are illegal everywhere.

Can I take a few bottles from Goa to Mumbai by car?

No. Goa issues personal transport permits only for a short list of states, and Maharashtra is not on it. Checkpoints on the Maharashtra border seize bottles.

Sources (17)

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