Retail & Wholesale Drug License in India: Required Documents (2026)

Last reviewed: July 2026 by Siddharth Singhal, Managing Director, Vibcare Pharma.

To get a retail or wholesale drug licence in India, you apply online to your State Licensing Authority using Form 19, along with: the applicant's affidavit and ID proof; a registered pharmacist's affidavit (retail) or a competent person's affidavit and experience certificate (wholesale); educational certificates; premises proof (ownership or rent deed, electricity bill, site and key plan); a refrigerator purchase bill; constitution-of-firm documents; and the online fee receipt. Retail licences are granted on Forms 20 and 21, and wholesale licences on Forms 20B and 21B, under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

Retail vs Wholesale Drug License at a glance

What is a Drug License (DL)?

To start a pharma business, a drug licence is required. Retail and wholesale drug licences are issued by the State Licensing Authority (State Drugs Control Organisation) of the state where the premises are located, under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. (The central body, CDSCO, handles functions such as new-drug and manufacturing approvals, imports and clinical trials — but the sale licence itself is granted by the state authority.)

There are two common types: a Retail drug licence, issued to a person running a chemist shop, and a Wholesale drug licence, issued to a person selling drugs at wholesale level. In some states a retail drug licence is issued only to a person who holds a degree or diploma in pharmacy from a recognised university.

What are the different types of Licenses issued for the pharmaceutical business?

Based on the requirement of the pharmaceutical business, an applicant applies for a specific drug licence. Common licences include:

• Drug Manufacturing License
• Wholesale Drug License
• Retail Drug License
• Import of Drugs or Cosmetics
• Import of Medical Equipment
• Export of Medicines, etc.

The requirement for obtaining a Drug License

• Area – A licence in Form 20 or 21 (retail), or Form 20B or 21B (wholesale), requires premises of not less than 10 square metres. If you hold both retail and wholesale on the same premises, the minimum area is 15 square metres.
• Storage facility – Certain drugs such as vaccines, sera and insulin injections must be stored in a refrigerator, so a refrigerator and air conditioner in the premises are mandatory.
• Technical Staff –
  • Wholesale – Sale by wholesale must be made in the presence of a registered pharmacist, or a competent person who is a graduate with 1 year experience in dealing in drugs, or who has passed S.S.L.C. with 4 years experience in dealing in drugs, specially approved by the drug control department.
  • Retail – Sale by retail must be made in the presence of a registered pharmacist approved by the department, present throughout working hours.

Documents required for a Drug License

Application Form No. 19 (system-generated) is submitted online, along with:

• Covering letter signed with the name and designation of the applicant.
• Online fee deposit receipt.
• Self-declaration / declaration form in the prescribed format.
• Constitution-of-firm documents (declaration for proprietorship; partnership deed for a firm; MOA/AOA and board resolution for a company).
• Key plan and site plan of the premises.
• Affidavit of the proprietor, partner and pharmacist / competent person.
• Refrigerator purchase bill with address.
• Ownership or rent agreement deed of the premises.
• Electricity bill of the premises.

List of documents for a new Retail Drug License

(Licence Form No. 20, 21 – Proprietor + Registered Pharmacist)

1. Form No. 19
2. Government fee (paid online; varies by state – commonly around ₹3,000)
3. Affidavit of the proprietor on stamp paper
4. Educational certificate copies of the proprietor (self-attested)
5. Identity proof of proprietor (Aadhaar / Driving Licence / Voter ID), self-attested
6. Affidavit of the registered pharmacist
7. Educational certificate copies of the registered pharmacist (self-attested)
8. Identity proof of the registered pharmacist, self-attested
9. Blueprint / layout plan of the proposed premises
10. Electricity bill of the proposed premises
11. Copy of the refrigerator bill
12. Rent agreement (on stamp paper)
13. Ownership document of the premises, including the tax receipt
14. Covering letter
15. Passport photos of the registered pharmacist and proprietor

Note: Documents are uploaded to the state portal, typically as PDF scans.

List of documents for a new Wholesale Drug License

(Licence Form No. 20B, 21B – Proprietor + Competent Person)

1. Form No. 19
2. Government fee (paid online; varies by state – commonly around ₹3,000)
3. Affidavit of the proprietor on stamp paper
4. Educational certificate copies of the proprietor (self-attested)
5. Identity proof of proprietor (Aadhaar / Driving Licence / Voter ID), self-attested
6. Affidavit of the competent person
7. Educational certificate copies of the competent person (self-attested)
8. Identity proof of the competent person, self-attested
9. Experience certificate of the competent person (4 years after 12th, or 2 years after graduation, in original)
10. Blueprint / layout plan of the proposed premises
11. Electricity bill of the proposed premises
12. Copy of the refrigerator bill
13. Rent agreement (on stamp paper)
14. Ownership document of the premises, including the tax receipt
15. Covering letter
16. Passport photos of the competent person and proprietor

Note: Documents are uploaded to the state portal, typically as PDF scans.

Why most people applying for a wholesale licence are starting a franchise

Worth saying plainly, because it is the reason many readers are on this page: a wholesale drug licence is not usually the goal. It is a prerequisite. Almost nobody applies for Form 20B to become a wholesaler in the abstract — they apply because they want to distribute a pharmaceutical range in their area, and that means either a stockist arrangement or a PCD pharma franchise.

If that is you, the useful thing to know is that the licence and the company can happen in parallel. You do not have to wait for the licence in hand before choosing divisions and checking whether your district is open. Most partners run both at once and save a month.

How to apply for a drug license (online process)

Retail and wholesale drug licences are now applied for online through your State Licensing Authority's portal. The typical steps are:

1. Register on your state's drug-licensing portal and start a new application.
2. Select the correct application form (Form 19 / 19A / 19B / 19C as applicable) and the licence type (Form 20/21 for retail, 20B/21B for wholesale).
3. Upload the required documents and pay the government fee online.
4. A State Drug Inspector verifies the premises and documents.
5. On clearance, the licence (Form 20, 21, 20B or 21B) is issued through the portal – usually within 15 to 30 working days, depending on document completeness and inspection scheduling.

Validity and renewal of a drug license

Under the 2024 amendment to Rule 63 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, retail and wholesale drug licences are now valid in perpetuity, subject to payment of a licence retention fee every five years. This replaced the earlier five-year renewal requirement. If the retention fee is not paid on time, the licence lapses.

Retail / Wholesale Drug License application form (Form 19)

Qualification and eligibility for a Retail & Wholesale Drug License

An applicant should possess one of the following qualifications:

• Registered pharmacist under the State Pharmacy Council, or
• Minimum 1 year experience as a salesman in a registered drug-licensed firm after graduation, or
• Minimum 4 years experience as a salesman in a registered drug-licensed firm after senior secondary examination.

Frequently asked questions