Draft Warehouse Licensing Regulations, 2026 Covering Public Private and Special Warehouses Proposed, Online Approval

[CBIC Draft Warehouse Licensing Regulations, 2026]

The draft Warehouse Licensing Regulations, 2026 are proposed to replace the Public Warehouse Licensing Regulations, 2016, Private Warehouse Licensing Regulations, 2016 and Special Warehouse Licensing Regulations, 2016. They will come into force from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

· Three categories of warehouses: Public, Private and Special warehouses.

· Electronic application: Applications for warehouse licences will be submitted through the ICEGATE/common electronic portal with prescribed documents.

· Eligibility: Applicant must be an Indian citizen or an entity incorporated/registered under Indian law. The premises must be suitable for secure storage and Customs supervision.

· Financial requirements: Generally, a solvency certificate from a scheduled bank and latest audited financial statements/business plan are required.

· Insurance: Before grant of licence, an all-risk insurance policy covering the customs duty involved in the warehoused goods is required.

· Approval timeline: Licence may be granted within 30 days where requirements are complete. If deficiencies/clarifications arise, the overall disposal period cannot exceed 45 days.

· Licence validity: Licence remains valid unless surrendered or cancelled. However, warehouses with no dutiable goods for one continuous year are generally placed in inactive status, subject to renewal provisions.

· Digital inventory: Licensees must maintain updated electronic records covering receipt, storage, transfer, removal and balance of warehoused goods.

· Quarterly stock verification: Stock must be physically verified at least once every quarter and reconciled with inventory records.

· Annual audit: Inventory and accounting records must be audited annually by a Chartered Accountant, with the audit certificate uploaded within 30 days of the following financial year.

· Licence amendment: Changes in licence particulars must be reported through the electronic portal within 15 days.

· Cancellation: Licence may be cancelled for violation of Customs law, false/misleading information, breach of licence conditions or failure to meet obligations, after providing an opportunity to show cause.

· Existing warehouses: Licences issued under the 2016 regulations will continue, provided the warehouses fulfil the new requirements within 3 months of commencement and register their licence details electronically.

· Warehouse infrastructure: The application requires details on premises, security, CCTV, fire safety, digital inventory systems, storage capacity and regulatory approvals.

Overall: The draft regulations move warehouse licensing towards a fully electronic, digitally controlled and compliance-oriented system, with stronger requirements for inventory management, security, insurance, financial safeguards, periodic stock verification and audit.