Distillers Alcohol regulations in Bolivia, Plurinational State of
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Bolivia, Plurinational State of, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched January 2025.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in January 2025 from the public sources listed at the bottom of this page. Duty rates, fees and rules change often: confirm with the regulator, a customs broker or local counsel before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- Status
- Legal
- Legal drinking age
- 18
- Legal purchase age
- 18
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Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- SENASAG Registro Sanitario de Empresa Elaboradora/Procesadora de Alimentos y Bebidas; Municipal Licencia de Funcionamiento; Tax registration (NIT) with Servicio de Impuestos Nacionales (SIN).
- Authority
- SENASAG (national level) and respective Gobierno Autónomo Municipal (local level).
- Documents
- Application form, company registration/NIT, proof of legal constitution, plant layout and process diagrams, Good Manufacturing Practices (BPM/GMP) manual, sanitary water supply certification, environmental clearance, and municipal zoning compliance.
- Fees
- Variable depending on facility scale and category under SENASAG fee schedule (Ley 830) plus municipal licensing tariffs.
- Time to obtain
- Approximately 30 to 60 business days depending on inspections and municipal processing times.
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Legally incorporated companies or individuals registered in the Bolivian Tax Registry (NIT) and registered as importers with Aduana Nacional de Bolivia (Padrón de Importadores).
- Licences or registrations
- Registro Sanitario de Empresa Importadora (SENASAG) and import clearance registration with Aduana Nacional.
- Authority
- SENASAG and Aduana Nacional de Bolivia.
- Documents
- Import entity application form, NIT certificate, warehouse architectural layout/location diagram, good storage practices dossier, commercial registration (SEPREC).
- Fees
- SENASAG importer registration service fee categorized by product risk level under Ley 830.
- Time to obtain
- Approximately 15 to 30 business days.
Product and label registration
Required: yes Process: Importers/producers must submit individual product technical dossiers and label designs to SENASAG to obtain product registration and a Label Approval Certificate (Certificado de Aprobación de Etiquetas)…
Import rules
Imports require an advance sanitary import permit (Permiso de Inocuidad Alimentaria de Importación) issued via SENASAG/VUCE prior to dispatch. Each shipment must include commercial invoices, packing lists, bill of lading, and…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
40% ad valorem Gravamen Arancelario (GA) on CIF value for distilled spirits under HS Heading 2208 (e.g., whisky, rum, vodka, gin, liqueurs).
Excise and taxes
Impuesto a los Consumos Específicos (ICE): composed of a specific rate per liter (updated annually by Servicio de Impuestos Nacionales via RND based on UFV indexation) plus an ad valorem percentage ranging from 5% to 10%…
Retail and distribution
Private retail permitted through licensed retailers (supermarkets, liquor shops, grocery stores, bars, restaurants, and hotels); retailers must hold a municipal alcohol license (Ley 259). National law prohibits sale and…
Online sale and delivery
allowed
Labelling
Labels must be in Spanish and display: product brand and generic denomination, alcohol content by volume (% ABV), net contents, full ingredient and additive list, lot number, country of origin, importer/producer identification…
Advertising
Ley 259 restricts alcohol advertising: prohibited on broadcast media between 06:00 and 21:00; prohibited from featuring minors under 18 or cartoon characters; cannot suggest that drinking brings sexual, social, athletic, or…
Legal definitions of spirits
Regulated by technical standards issued by IBNORCA (Instituto Boliviano de Normalización y Calidad). Singani is protected by law as a national geographical denomination of origin (Law 1334) exclusively distilled from Muscat of…
Dry or restricted areas
No nationwide dry zones, but Ley 259 bans sales on public streets/plazas without special permits and bans licenses within municipal buffer distances from schools, sports centers, and healthcare facilities. Strict temporary…
Recent changes
Servicio de Impuestos Nacionales issued annual updates to specific ICE excise rates for spirits and alcoholic beverages (including RND 102400000037 for 2025). Aduana Nacional updated and tightened the administrative regulations…
Opportunities for exporters
Demand exists in urban centres for premium imported distilled spirits including Scotch whisky, gin, and specialty liqueurs. However, foreign exporters must navigate high tariffs (40% GA), substantial combined ICE taxes, and…
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- Ley N° 259 de Control al Expendio y Consumo de Bebidas Alcohólicas
- SENASAG - Requisitos de Registro Sanitario e Inocuidad Alimentaria de Importación
- Aduana Nacional de Bolivia - Arancel Aduanero de Importaciones
- Aduana Nacional de Bolivia - Reglamento de Timbres de Control Fiscal (TCF)
- Servicio de Impuestos Nacionales - Normativa RND Alícuotas ICE
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