Get your businessAWRSapproved!

Anyone selling or arranging the sale of alcohol to other businesses in the UK, including importers, cash-and-carry businesses, distributors, online platforms, and retailers supplying alcohol to events or venues.

Trading without AWRS approval is a criminal and civil offence. HMRC can seize your alcohol stock, impose financial penalties, and prosecute. Trade buyers who purchase from unapproved wholesalers also face penalties, stock seizure, and potential loss of their retail alcohol licence.

You must apply at least 45 calendar days before you intend to start trading. HMRC will process your application and conduct a fit and proper test during this period. With Barnab, document preparation takes 1–2 days, after which HMRC typically takes up to 45 days for approval.

Yes. In fact, you must apply and receive HMRC approval before you start wholesaling alcohol. New businesses must apply at least 45 days in advance and should have a solid business plan in place for HMRC to assess fit and proper criteria.

Yes. HMRC requires all alcohol wholesalers to have a documented due diligence policy showing how you verify your suppliers and customers are legitimate. Barnab provides a fully compliant due diligence policy template as part of the application service.

Submitting the application on the HMRC website is just the first step. In the second stage, HMRC will contact you in writing, requesting additional documents about your business, forecasted sales, list of supplier, list of customers and other documents. With Barnab, your documents are prepared in advance so you're ready for any HMRC enquiry or inspection.

AWRS registration is separate from premises licences and personal licences. You do not need either to apply for AWRS. However, if your business also sells alcohol to the public from premises, you will need a premises licence and a designated premises supervisor with a personal licence.

AWRS applications are submitted online through the HMRC Government Gateway. You need a Government Gateway user ID, your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), and supporting documents. Barnab prepares your full application pack and guides you through the submission process.

Yes. HMRC can refuse your application if you fail the fit and proper test. This assesses your business viability, compliance history, director backgrounds, and whether your business plan demonstrates a legitimate wholesale operation. Proper preparation significantly reduces rejection risk.

HMRC may conduct a pre-approval premises visit as part of the fit and proper assessment, often with just a few days' notice. They will check your business operations, stock management, record-keeping, and due diligence procedures. Barnab ensures you are fully prepared for any inspection.

The fit and proper test is HMRC's assessment of whether you and your business are suitable to trade as an alcohol wholesaler. HMRC examines your business plan, financial viability, compliance history, director backgrounds, and due diligence policies. A sound application with complete documentation is essential to pass. Barnab prepares all the documentation you need to satisfy the fit and proper criteria.

You need your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR), VAT number (if registered), company registration number, director details including NI numbers and proof of ID, a business plan, details of your top 5 alcohol suppliers by volume, customer letters of intent, a due diligence policy, bank details, and premises information including any third-party storage arrangements. Barnab collects all of this through a simple chat and prepares your complete application pack.

Yes. If you import alcohol and sell it to other UK businesses, you must be AWRS registered. This applies whether you import directly from overseas producers or through intermediaries. You may also need to register for excise duty purposes and understand customs and warehousing obligations. Barnab can guide you through the full process.

Your AWRS URN is issued by HMRC upon approval and must be displayed on all your wholesale alcohol invoices. Trade buyers are legally required to verify your URN using HMRC's online lookup service before purchasing from you. Without a valid URN, businesses cannot legally buy wholesale alcohol from you.

Yes. If multiple companies within the same corporate group make wholesale alcohol sales, they can apply for group AWRS approval. One company is nominated as the representative to deal with HMRC, and the group receives a single URN. Wholesale sales between group members are excluded from the scheme.