Traditional Liquor and Regional Specialty Liquor Manufacturing License (Recommendation and License Application)

Procedure

01
Confirm traditional liquor status and liquor type: Under the Liquor Tax Act, traditional liquor covers liquor made by intangible heritage holders and food masters and regional specialty liquor recommended by the governor. Regional specialty liquor must use main ingredients grown by the applicant or in the brewery's district or adjacent districts, so the sourcing plan is checked first. Licenses are issued per liquor type (takju, yakju, cheongju, fruit wine, soju and so on), and a different type needs a separate license.
02
Check the brewery and facility standards: For regional specialty liquor, Annex 1, item 3 of the Enforcement Decree requires a brewing room of at least 10 square meters plus a simple still and alcohol meter for takju, yakju and cheongju, a raw-material room of at least 6 square meters and a brewing room of at least 20 square meters for fruit wine, and a brewing room of at least 25 square meters for soju and general distilled liquor. Filtering, bottle-washing, filling and sealing facilities may also be required, so building use and layout are checked before leasing or buying equipment.
03
Submit the recommendation application to the city, county or district: Under Article 4 of the Enforcement Rule, the recommendation application (Form No. 1) with the business plan and documents proving eligibility is submitted to the mayor, county head or district head. The local government adds a review opinion and forwards it to the governor, who recommends the applicant to the Commissioner of the National Tax Service by recommendation (Form No. 2) if suitable, or notifies the applicant of the reasons if not.
04
Apply for the liquor manufacturing license at the tax office: Under Article 2 of the Enforcement Decree, Form No. 3 states the applicant's details, brewery location, liquor type and specification, manufacturing method and expected output per brewing year, and attaches the recommendation copy, business plan, drawings, equipment list, capacity table and process chart. The tax office may grant a license conditioned on completing the facilities, and any request for supplements is answered within the given period.
05
Register food manufacturing and processing: Under the proviso of Article 26-2(1) of the Food Sanitation Act Enforcement Decree, food manufacturing and processing that produces liquor is registered with the Minister of Food and Drug Safety. The registration application with facility documents and the hygiene training certificate is filed after the facilities are in place and before operations begin.
06
Report commencement, completion and facility changes: With a conditional license, construction must start within 1 year and be completed within 3 years of the license date (6 months and 1 year for small-scale liquor makers), with a report to the tax office promptly on each. The license lapses if the deadlines are missed. Any new, expanded or improved manufacturing facility, equipment, brewery building or site must be reported within 20 days.

Filing route

City, county or district office for the recommendation application (the governor issues the recommendation), the tax office with jurisdiction over the brewery for the manufacturing license, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for food manufacturing and processing registration

Confirm the current filing office, jurisdiction, and online availability on the official website.

Official check

Actual processing agencyCompetent Korean authority or official service · Competent Korean authority or official service · Competent Korean authority or official service · Competent Korean authority or official service

Statutory and policy authorityMinistry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs · National Tax Service · Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

Online routeGovernment24

Deadlines & processing notes

Check deadlines and next steps against the notice, filing date, and any request for additional documents.Official check

Basic documents

Basic documents0 / 8

Liquor manufacturing license application (Form No. 3 of the Enforcement Rule of the Liquor License Act)Liquor manufacturing license recommendation application (Form No. 1 of the Enforcement Rule of the Act on the Promotion of Traditional Liquors) and documents proving eligibility (farming business registration, proof of ingredient origin, etc.)Copy of the liquor manufacturing license recommendation (Form No. 2 of the same Rule, issued by the governor)Business plan (for the recommendation and for the license application) and drawings showing the brewery site and building structureList of machines, tools and containers used for manufacturing, storage and sale, and facility and equipment description with capacity tableManufacturing process chart and manufacturing method statementCopy of lease agreement (if the brewery is leased), articles of incorporation, minutes of shareholders or board meetings and lists of shareholders and officers (corporations), copy of partnership agreement (joint business)Food manufacturing and processing business registration application (Form No. 41-2 of the Food Sanitation Act Enforcement Rule) and hygiene training certificate

If equipment orders run late and the 1-year start or 3-year completion deadline from a conditional license is missed, the license lapses and you must apply again from the beginning, so equipment delivery and construction schedules should be set against the license schedule.

Scope of services

Hwang Yunsang Administrative Agent Office prepares and translates documents for administrative agencies, submits them on your behalf, and guides you through permit, application, and notification procedures. Services that require the principal’s personal appearance, principal’s application, or electronic signature may be limited in delegation.