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To be licensed as an Alberta liquor manufacturer, your business must meet AGLC's requirements. You should also get in touch with your municipality as early as possible to make sure that your proposed location is zoned for liquor manufacturing. After the initial application process has been completed, you will need additional items to complete the licencing process. 

AGLC will work with you to get your application processed as quickly as possible. However, a lot depends on how fast your local municipality can provide the documents and approvals needed to open your business.

Alberta liquor manufacturers have different licence options depending on what they do with their products. The most common licences for manufacturers are:

Class E licences

Required for all Alberta liquor manufacturers. Class E licences are for distillers, vintners, or brewers that have a permanent facility. This facility cannot be a residence (such as a garage, basement, or shed).

For more details, see Class E licences.

Class A licences

You need a Class A licence only if you plan to serve your products at your manufacturing facility. Four types of Class A licences are available to manufacturers:

• Manufacturer Taproom (Community Hub)
• Manufacturer Lounge
• Minors Allowed
• Minors Prohibited

For more details, see Class A licences.

Class D licences

You need a Class D Manufacturer Off Sales licence only if you plan to sell your products directly to the public, to be consumed off of your premises. For example, if you want to fill and sell growlers from your taproom or sell at farmers' markets.

For more details, see Class D licences.

You cannot start the AGLC/BCMB system setup process until you receive your liquor licence from AGLC.

Once you’re licensed, you have a few more steps to complete before you can start selling your products. These steps ensure that you are properly set up.

Liquor manufacturers are responsible for registering their alcohol containers directly with the Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB).

The steps you need to complete are:

1. Get set up in the Liquor Agency Portal (LAP)
2. Register alcohol container with the BCMB (if required)
3. Register at least one product in LAP
4. Complete your banking forms
5. Submit a sample invoice

Note: You must register your container before you can complete your first LAP product registration.

For details on these steps, see  AGLC system setup. You cannot start selling your products until all of these steps are completed. Your AGLC contact will let you know when you have completed the requirements and can start selling.

This process usually takes about four weeks. 

Check your AGLC setup status.

With a Class E licence, you can sell your products only to other licensees (such as liquor stores, bars or restaurants).

If you want to sell your products to the public, you must have a Class A or Class D licence.

To sell to someone with a Special Event Licence, you must have a Class D licence. First, you sell your product to yourself from your Class E to your Class D licence and then sell it from your Class D licence to the person with the Special Event Licence.

Most manufacturers have all three licences.