Brewing beer: rules and regulations for commercial brewing
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-05)

Regulations that brewers and contract brewers must comply with when producing beer to sell.

This page is up to date

We reviewed this page on 7 November 2025. We need to review it again on 7 May 2026.

Get an email when there are any changes (https://www.gov.uk/email/subscriptions/single-page/new?topic_id=brewing-beer-rules-and-regulations-for-commercial-brewing).

Before you start commercial brewing

Apply for an alcoholic products producer approval from HMRC (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-alcoholic-products-producer-approval-appa). Do this at least 45 working days before you start production.

You do not need HMRC approval if you’re paying someone else to brew your beer.

You must register as a food business and should do this at least 28 days before you start trading:
- register as a food business in England, Wales (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/food-business-registration)
- register a food business in Scotland (https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/business-and-industry/advice-for-new-businesses/guide-to-registering-your-business)
Alcohol Duty, VAT and excise

You’ll need to pay Alcohol Duty to HMRC if you’re brewing beer on your own premises or someone else’s premises.

If you’re paying someone else to brew your beer, you do not pay alcohol duty. The brewery that is brewing your beer pays the duty and you pay the brewery.

Find out about Alcohol Duty rates, submitting returns and Small Producer Relief (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/alcohol-duty-detailed-information).

Measuring alcohol content

You need to measure the alcohol content of your beer (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/alcoholic-products-technical-guide/section-11-alcoholic-strength) to calculate the duty.

There are also regulations for labelling the strength of the beer (#alcoholic-strength).

VAT

You’ll have to charge VAT on your beer if you’re VAT registered (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/vat-detailed-information).

You must register for VAT if your turnover is above the threshold. You can choose to register for VAT if your turnover is below the threshold.

Paying duty and VAT when moving your beer

You can move your beer from your brewery to another brewer’s HMRC-approved premises – for example for bottling or canning – or to an excise warehouse for storage, without paying alcohol duty.

You can receive beer at your brewery from other approved breweries and excise warehouses, that has not had alcohol duty paid on it.

You pay alcohol duty when your beer leaves your brewery to go to a premises like a shop or pub, that is not an approved brewery or excise warehouse.

There are different ways to account for VAT if you’re moving alcoholic products in excise duty suspension (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/alcoholic-products-technical-guide/section-27-accounting-for-vat) from one approved premises to another or to an excise warehouse.

Claiming back alcohol duty on exports

Follow procedures for exporting duty paid and duty suspended alcoholic products (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/alcoholic-products-technical-guide/section-22-exports).

Moving beer between Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Special rules apply when moving goods between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland.

You must sign up for the NI Retail Movement Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/export-health-certificates/general-certificate-for-moving-goods-under-the-ni-retail-movement-scheme#sign-up) and apply for a General Certificate (https://www.gov.uk/export-health-certificates/general-certificate-for-moving-goods-under-the-ni-retail-movement-scheme) for each consignment you send to Northern Ireland.

Follow guidance on accounting for VAT when you’re moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accounting-for-vat-on-goods-moving-between-great-britain-and-northern-ireland-from-1-january-2021).

The Trader Support Service (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trader-support-service) can help with queries about moving excise goods into or out of Northern Ireland.

Selling and distribution

You need licences to sell alcohol.

Selling to other businesses

Apply for the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-alcohol-wholesaler-registration-scheme-awrs) to sell or distribute alcohol to another business like a pub or a shop (known as ‘wholesale’).

Selling to the public

You need the right licences to sell alcohol online or from a premises.

Your local licensing authority or board is responsible for alcohol licensing. This is usually your local council.

The licences you require depend on how and where you sell alcohol:
- alcohol licensing guidance for England and Wales (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/alcohol-licensing)
- alcohol licensing guidance for Scotland (https://www.gov.scot/publications/alcohol-licensing-guidance/)
You’ll need a special licence to provide alcohol at an event being held at an unlicensed premises.

Apply for a temporary events licence for events in England and Wales (https://www.gov.uk/find-licences/temporary-events-notice).

Apply for an occasional licence for events in Scotland (https://www.gov.uk/find-licences/occasional-licence-scotland).

Advertising and marketing alcohol

Follow the law on advertising and marketing (https://www.gov.uk/marketing-advertising-law) and Advertising Standards Authority guidance on advertising alcohol (https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-and-resources/resource-library/resource-search-results.html?extra_resource_type=9DEAB5BB-5B64-4C8A-9AF31F7875E79C1D&q=alcohol).

Exporting

Check duties and customs procedures for exporting goods (https://www.gov.uk/check-duties-customs-exporting).

Get help with export queries (https://www.business.gov.uk/export-from-uk/support-topics/).

Food safety and hygiene, and ingredients

You must have a food safety management system in place based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles (https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/hazard-analysis-and-critical-control-point-haccp).

Local councils enforce food safety and hygiene laws. They can inspect your premises at any point in the production and distribution process.

The council will give you a food hygiene rating (https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/food-hygiene-rating-scheme) if you:
- are based in England and supply beer directly to the public
- are based in Wales and supply beer to the public or other businesses
In Scotland, you’ll be assessed under the food hygiene information scheme (https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/business-and-industry/safety-and-regulation/fhis-info-for-businesses).

Handling ingredients and allergens

Store and handle ingredients safely to avoid cross-contamination (https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/allergen-labelling-for-food-manufacturers#avoiding-allergen-cross-contamination).

Follow guidelines for providing information about and handling allergens (https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses).

Make sure your staff receive appropriate supervision and training in food hygiene.

Traceability records

Keep records (https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/managing-food-safety#traceability) of any suppliers you use and any businesses you supply. These should include:
- name and address of supplier
- name and address of business you are supplying
- type of and quantity of products
- transaction and delivery dates
Unsafe food and drink

If you believe that beer you have supplied might be unsafe to drink you must report it. This is known as a ‘food incident’.

Check how to respond to a:
- food incident in England and Wales (https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/food-incidents-product-withdrawals-and-recalls)
- food incident in Scotland (https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/business-and-industry/scottish-food-crime-and-incidents-unit/food-incidents)
Organic ingredients

If your beer is organic or you use organic ingredients, you must make sure that the producer is certified by an organic control body (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/organic-food-uk-approved-control-bodies).

Additives, enzymes and flavourings

Certain food ingredients, including food additives, preservatives, flavourings, and enzymes, are regulated and require authorisation before they can be sold in the UK

The Food Standards Agency provides information on regulated products (https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/regulated-products-application-guidance) and registers of those that have been approved for use in the UK.

Packing and labelling beer

Filling bottles, cans and kegs

Follow regulations for weights and measures (https://www.gov.uk/weights-measures-and-packaging-the-law) when filling bottles, cans and kegs.

Labelling rules

In England and Wales follow rules for labelling pre-packed food (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/food-labelling-giving-food-information-to-consumers) and naming food products. (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/naming-food-products)

In Scotland you must follow the food labelling regulations and composition standards (https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/business-and-industry/safety-and-regulation/labelling).

Alcoholic strength (ABV) on labels

You must put the alcoholic strength (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/alcoholic-products-technical-guide/section-11-alcoholic-strength) on either the label or directly onto the container.

For low-alcohol beers, follow the guidance for how to describe low-alcohol (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/low-alcohol-descriptors) products.

Organic ingredients on labels

Follow rules on labelling and marketing organic food (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/organic-food-labelling-rules) if you are using organic ingredients.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and ingredients on labels

Your label must say if your beer contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or ingredients made from GMOs (https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/genetically-modified-foods#how-gm-foods-are-labelled).

Safe drinking guidelines and warnings

You should communicate the latest advice on the low-risk drinking guidelines.

Find out how to communicate the UK chief medical officers’ alcohol guidelines (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/communicating-the-uk-chief-medical-officers-alcohol-guidelines) on your product labels.

Setting up your brewery space and equipment

Health and safety

Follow health and safety at work regulations (https://www.hse.gov.uk/).

Fire safety and risk assessments

Carry out a fire risk assessment for your premises and put in place and maintain fire safety measures and evacuation plans.

Fire safety regulations in England and Wales (https://www.gov.uk/workplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilities).

Fire safety regulations in Scotland (https://www.gov.scot/policies/fire-and-rescue/non-domestic-fire-safety/).

Planning permission and change of use

You will probably need planning permission (https://www.gov.uk/planning-permission-england-wales) to build a new premises or open a brewery in a building not currently used as a brewery.

Business rates

Business rates are charged on most non-domestic premises. They are paid to your local council. Find out about:
- business rates in England (https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates)
- business rates in Wales (https://www.gov.wales/business-rates-guide)
- non-domestic rates in Scotland (https://www.mygov.scot/non-domestic-rates-guidance)
Water and sewerage

You’ll have to pay for the water your business uses and for drainage of water and liquid waste, (known as ‘trade effluent’).

You may need a new non-domestic connection to the water supply (https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/nonhouseholds/supply-and-standards/getting-a-connections/).

Find out more about:
- water and sewerage rates in England and Wales (https://www.gov.uk/water-and-sewerage-rates-for-businesses)
- water and sewerage charges in Scotland (https://www.mygov.scot/water-sewerage-business)
Check if you need a:
- permit to discharge trade effluent (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/discharges-to-surface-water-and-groundwater-environmental-permits)
- licence to abstract water (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-need-a-licence-to-abstract-water)
Disposing of waste and by-products

Use a registered waste carrier and fill in a ‘waste transfer note’ to dispose of business waste.

Check your:
- responsibilities for commercial waste in England (https://www.gov.uk/dispose-business-commercial-waste)
- duty of care for commercial waste in Scotland (https://www.mygov.scot/business-commercial-waste)
- responsibilities for commercial waste in Wales (https://www.gov.wales/changes-workplace-recycling-guidance-workplaces)
You might need to report your packaging data. This is known as ‘extended producer responsibility (EPR)’ (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/extended-producer-responsibility-for-packaging-who-is-affected-and-what-to-do).

Ask your waste carrier about options for recycling or reusing spent grains and other brewery by-products.

Supplying by-products as animal feed

To supply by-products as animal feed, follow the:
- feed hygiene information in England and Wales (https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/animal-feed-legislation)
- feed hygiene regulation guidance in Scotland (https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/business-and-industry/industry-specific-advice/farming-and-primary-production/animal-feed)
You must store by-products for animal feed separately from waste products.