Delhi Wine Shop Timings 2026: Hours, Dry Days and Booking

Delhi wine shop timings are usually 10 am to 10 pm. The next two days when shops must stay shut are Sunday 8 November 2026 for Diwali and Tuesday 24 November 2026 for Guru Nanak's birthday.

That is the short answer. The longer one matters if you book online, because the 48 hour pickup clock can run straight into a dry day. This guide gives you the hours, the closed days, and a simple way to plan your trip this Diwali.

Planning a party or wedding in Delhi? Barmen handles the P-10 licence, the bar and the bartenders. Plan it with Barmen on WhatsApp

Delhi wine shop timings on a normal day

Delhi's retail liquor shops are run by four government corporations. Most people still call them wine shops. Their usual day runs from 10 am to 10 pm.

Here is where that number comes from, because you should know how firm it is:

• The written order we found is old. A report from August 2020 quotes an excise department order that moved closing time from 9 pm to 10 pm, "until further orders".

• Recent press still uses it. Reports from July 2026 call 10 pm the usual closing time.

• We found no 2026 notice that sets the hours. The recent notices on the excise department's homepage do not include one.

So treat 10 am to 10 pm as the normal pattern, not a promise from your local shop. A shop can open late or run out of stock. If you are going close to closing time, leave early.

We also found no rule that closes shops every Sunday. Sundays work as normal unless a dry day falls on one, and 8 November is one of those.

Dry days left in 2026

A dry day is a date when the excise department orders licensed shops to stay closed. The department's order dated 24 September 2026 lists these dates for the last part of the year:

• Friday 2 October: Mahatma Gandhi's birthday (already passed)

• Sunday 8 November: Diwali

• Tuesday 24 November: Guru Nanak's birthday

The order lists nothing for December. Orders come out in batches through the year, and the department can change a date, so check again before any big plan. It did this in May, when it moved the Bakrid dry day by one day.

One point in the same order often gets missed. It has a second, shorter list for licences such as L-16 to L-21 and for the P-10, P-10A and P-13 permits. That list names only 2 October. So Diwali and Guru Nanak's birthday are in the list for retail shops, not in the list for those licences and event permits. Ask your venue how this applies to it.

When shops close without much notice

This year had two sudden changes, and both came from public order concerns raised by the police:

• 24 to 26 July 2026: Shops were told to close at 8 pm instead of 10 pm. Press reports say normal hours came back once the order ended.

• 9 and 10 October 2026: The excise department ordered all retail shops to close completely. Its circular was dated 8 October, one day before.

You cannot plan for these. You can only avoid leaving things to the last evening. If there is trouble in the city that day, look for a fresh report before you step out.

How online booking changes your trip

Delhi Liquor Booking was reported in the news on 27 October 2026. You book and pay online for a DSIIDC shop, then collect in person within 48 hours. There is no home delivery. Our Delhi Liquor Booking app guide has the full steps, so we will not repeat them here.

Booking does not change the shop's hours. It changes three things about your trip:

• You pick the shop in advance. Your bottles wait at that one shop, so check that it is really on your way.

• You still have to reach the counter. Someone has to go, show the QR code and complete the check at the counter. A DSIIDC note says customers collect after OTP verification.

• A clock starts when you pay. The 48 hours are counted from payment, and the shop's closed hours fall inside them.

That last point is the one people miss. A 48 hour window is not 48 hours of open shop. With a 10 am to 10 pm day, the shop is shut for about 12 hours each night. Before you pay anywhere, also check that the link comes from DSIIDC or the Delhi excise department. This post does not link to any booking site.

The catch: how a dry day eats your 48 hours

Picture a man in Janakpuri who books on the Friday before Diwali. He pays at 9 pm on 6 November, feeling organised. He plans to collect on Sunday afternoon, when the family is home and he has time.

Look at what his clock really gives him:

• Friday night: One hour is left before closing, and he is at home.

• Saturday 7 November: The shop is open from about 10 am to 10 pm. This is the one full day he has.

• Sunday 8 November: The shop is shut for Diwali. His 48 hours end at 9 pm that night.

So his two days have shrunk to one busy Saturday, the day before Diwali. He must leave work on time, reach the shop, collect the bottles, and carry them home through festival traffic. He also needs mixers, ice and glasses, which are a separate errand.

Whether a dry day pauses the clock has not been announced. What happens to the money if an order is not collected has not been made public either. Our post on the 48 hour pickup rule covers that question. Until someone official says otherwise, plan as if the clock keeps running.

Planning a party or wedding in Delhi? Barmen handles the P-10 licence, the bar and the bartenders. Plan it with Barmen on WhatsApp

A simple plan for Diwali week

Here is the order we would follow, written for the dates in 2026:

1. Decide your list by Wednesday 4 November. Count your guests and write down what you need.

2. Collect by Friday 6 November if you can. If you book, pay early enough that the pickup falls on a working day you are free. A booking made on Wednesday or Thursday leaves you room.

3. Treat Saturday 7 November as your last chance. We expect it to be a busy day at the counter, so go early in the day.

4. Stay within the limits. Delhi's home possession limit is 9 litres, as an excise officer told the Press Trust of India in 2021. Everyone buying or being served must be 25 or older.

5. Do the same for Guru Nanak's birthday. Sunday 22 and Monday 23 November are your days before the Tuesday closure.

The same sum works for any dry day. Take the dry day, count back two days, and do not start your 48 hours inside that gap unless you are free the very next day.

Hosting a Diwali party

A party changes the question from timings to permits. The excise department's page says a P-10 is the permit for serving liquor at a place with no liquor licence. A banquet hall, motel or farm with no on-premises licence falls in the Rs. 15,000 band. The liquor must come from authorised sources in Delhi, with the original bill from the Delhi shop.

Two points matter this week:

• Your stock must be bought before the shops shut. The shorter list does not name 8 November for P-10, but the shops that sell to you are closed that day. For a party on 8 November, the bottles have to be in hand by 7 November.

• Applying alone is not enough. The department's October notice, as reported in The Pioneer, says that merely applying does not allow anyone to buy or serve at unlicensed premises. With only days left, start now and ask your venue who applies.

If you are in Gurugram

Gurugram follows Haryana's rules. Delhi's dry day order and the Delhi booking system do not apply there, so check Haryana's own list for any date you have in mind. The legal drinking age in Haryana is 21. Carrying bottles across the border has its own limits, so buy in the state where you will use them.

If you are at home in Gurugram and short of time, you can appoint someone to go to a licensed store for you. The runner never buys the liquor. You pay the licensed shop directly, and the bill is in your name. Barmen offers this on Golf Course Road up to Sun City, DLF Phase 1 to 5, Sushant Lok and Galleria. Runners stay inside this zone and do not bring anything into Delhi.

In Gurugram? A Barmen runner goes to a licensed store for you and brings your bottles, mixers and snacks home. You pay the shop directly. 21+ only, ID checked at handover. Say Hi to Barmen on WhatsApp

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Delhi wine shop timings today?

On a normal day, Delhi wine shop timings are 10 am to 10 pm. This comes from a 2020 order and from 2026 press reports that call 10 pm the usual closing time. We found no 2026 notice that sets the hours, and a single shop can differ, so do not leave it until the last minute.

Are wine shops open on Diwali in Delhi in 2026?

No. The excise department's order dated 24 September 2026 lists Sunday 8 November 2026 as a dry day for Diwali, and retail shops must stay closed. Buy before then. Saturday 7 November is the last day shops should be open, unless the department issues a fresh order.

Which is the next dry day in Delhi after Diwali?

Tuesday 24 November 2026, for Guru Nanak's birthday, in the same order. That order lists nothing for December. The department issues new orders through the year and can change dates, so check its website for any date you are planning around, especially around New Year.

Are Delhi wine shops open on Sunday?

We found no rule that closes shops every Sunday, so they normally work on the usual hours. The exception is a Sunday that is also a dry day. Sunday 8 November 2026 is one such day, because it is Diwali. Sudden closures can also happen when the department orders them.

Does the 48 hour booking clock stop on a dry day?

This has not been announced. Reports say you must collect within 48 hours of paying, and nothing public says a dry day adds time. Plan as if the clock keeps running. If you book close to a dry day, make sure you are free to reach the shop before it closes.

Can I get liquor at home in Gurugram when I am short of time?

You can appoint a Barmen runner to go to a licensed store for you, within its Gurugram zone. You pay the shop directly, and the bill is in your name. It is 21+ only, with ID checked at handover. Delhi's booking app does not apply in Gurugram, and runners do not enter Delhi.

Planning a party or wedding in Delhi, or hosting in Gurugram tonight? Barmen handles the licence and the bar for Delhi events, and sends a runner to a licensed store in its Gurugram zone. Say Hi to Barmen on WhatsApp

Run a liquor shop yourself? See how BottleShop's billing software handles the evening rush, look at the features, and compare the plans.

Last updated: 3 November 2026