Wholesale drug licence in Punjab

Why is Punjab different?

Across India, the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules let anyone apply for a wholesale licence as long as the premises are run by a qualified competent person. Punjab adds its own policy on top. It was framed to control the misuse of habit-forming drugs, following orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and was last amended by a Government of Punjab notification dated 25 March 2021 (No. 9/16/21-3H6/1039).

That policy decides who can get a wholesale licence in Punjab, and it is stricter than the national rule. So in Punjab, check your eligibility before you rent premises or pay any fee.

This guide is based on the official policy and the Health Department's licence checklist published on health.punjab.gov.in, read in November 2026. Policies change, so confirm with your Zonal Licensing Authority before applying.

Who can get a wholesale licence in Punjab?

For the pharmacist route, the pharmacist applies as the proprietor, or in a partnership only with family members (father, mother, brother, sister, husband or wife), and the registered pharmacist must be the major partner.

What does this mean if I am an MR or a new distributor?

• If you are a registered pharmacist with the experience above, you can apply in an urban area as proprietor, or with family members as partners.
• If a close family member is a qualifying pharmacist, a family partnership where they are the major partner may be possible.
• If neither applies, the national "graduate with one year's experience" route that works in many states does not get you a wholesale licence in Punjab under this policy. Talk to your Zonal Licensing Authority about your situation before you spend money on premises.

Many Punjab partners therefore start by confirming eligibility with the licensing office first, then setting up. How the wholesale licence works nationally.

Which documents does Punjab ask for?

From the Health Department's checklist for a fresh wholesale licence:

1. Application on Form 19, one each for biological and non-biological drugs
2. Treasury challan for the fee
3. Site plan of the premises in triplicate, with a location plan
4. Proof of possession of the premises: ownership, rent or other basis
5. Education certificates of the applicant or partners
6. Qualification and experience certificate of the competent person, or proof of their approval
7. Self-declaration or affidavit of the proprietor, partners, authorised signatory or directors
8. Self-declaration or affidavit of the competent person
9. Purchase bill or other proof of a refrigerator or air conditioner for special storage
10. Residence and identity proof of the proprietor, partners or directors and the qualified person
11. For companies: list of directors with addresses, board resolution and Memorandum of Articles; for firms, the partnership deed

Note that Punjab's checklist speaks of biological and non-biological drugs. These correspond to the two wholesale forms used elsewhere: 21B for drugs in Schedules C and C(1), and 20B for other drugs.

How much is the fee?

The official checklist lists a treasury challan of Rs 1,500 for each licence, biological and non-biological, Rs 3,000 in total. That checklist is dated 2022, so confirm the current amount on the portal before you pay.

How do I apply online?

1. Check eligibility against the table above.
2. Prepare the premises: storage, a refrigerator or air conditioner, and the site and location plans.
3. Register on xln.punjab.gov.in, reached through the Invest Punjab Business First portal.
4. Fill Form 19 for both licences and upload the documents.
5. Pay the fee by treasury challan as the portal directs, and submit.
6. Inspection: a Drugs Control Officer inspects the premises and verifies the documents.
7. Grant of the licence.

We could not find an officially notified number of days for the grant. A complete file and a ready premises are what keep it moving.

How is the competent person's experience checked?

The policy asks the Drugs Control Officer to verify the competent person's experience certificate against the appointment letter, attendance record and salary record, with salary at least at minimum-wage levels and paid by cheque, RTGS, NEFT or another approved banking route. A certificate on its own is not enough. Keep these records ready.

What other Punjab conditions should I know?

• Habit-forming drugs: licences carry conditions on eight identified habit-forming drugs (codeine, dextropropoxyphene, diphenoxylate, pentazocine, nitrazepam, buprenorphine and their salts, and oral solid forms of tramadol and tapentadol). Stocking them needs the department's permission and monthly reporting, within set quantity limits.
• Past cancellations: a person whose licence was cancelled for unethical trade in habit-forming drugs, or their blood relation, will not be granted a wholesale licence.
• Relocation: moving an existing wholesale licence to another district is allowed.
• Retail is different: retail licences have separate eligibility, including distance rules from existing chemist shops. This guide covers wholesale only.
• Keeping it valid: Punjab's checklist has a separate section for retention of a wholesale licence. Note your licence date and keep records clean, because past irregularities are considered at retention.

A worked example: a pharmacist in Ludhiana

Take an example. Harpreet is a B.Pharm, registered with the Punjab State Pharmacy Council, and has worked for a little over a year since registration. She wants to start a wholesale business in Ludhiana city with her brother.

1. She checks the policy: as a B.Pharm with one year's experience after registration, she is eligible in an urban area.
2. She sets up a family partnership with her brother, with herself as the major partner.
3. She rents a ground-floor room, fits racks, and buys a refrigerator, keeping the bill.
4. She gathers her appointment letter, attendance and bank salary records from her previous job to support her experience.
5. She registers on xln.punjab.gov.in, files Form 19 for both licences, pays the fee and books the inspection.

Had her brother applied alone, as a graduate without a pharmacy qualification, the firm would not have been eligible under Punjab's policy.

Can I start a PCD franchise in Punjab with Acrowell?

Yes, once your wholesale licence is issued. Acrowell asks for three things: your drug licence, GST number and ID. Orders are dispatched from Haryana within 24 hours of confirmation, and Punjab is close, so delivery is quicker than to distant states. Partners also get visual aids, literature, MR bags and samples with their range.

Frequently asked questions