Five types of excise licences will be issued free of charge for the year 2021, says the Department of Excise.

On the 01st of January this year, a Gazette Extraordinary has been issued by the Finance Minister PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, amending the Excise Notification No. 1004.

Thereby, the annual fee for five types of excise licences was amended.

In a letter directed to all District Secretaries, Commissioner General of Excise M.J. Gunasiri said the annual fee will not be charged for the following five licences:

• Hotel Licence (FL/7) Tourist Board approved and Hotels non-Tourist Board approved with 05 or more hotel rooms
• Hotel Bar Licence (FL/8)
• Restaurant Licences (for restaurants which are approved/not approved by the Tourist Board) (FL/11)
• Rest House Licence (FL/12)
• Consumer at the Premises (FL/22B) (for premises which are approved/not approved by the Tourist Board)