Alcohol regulations in China

Licences needed

Food Production License (SC Certificate), Business License (营业执照), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval, Fire Safety Permit, Water extraction/discharge permit

Authority

State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) / local Municipal Administration for Market Regulation

Documents

Application form, business license, land and plant property/lease deed, manufacturing equipment list, facility and production process flow diagrams, food safety management protocols and HACCP plans, water testing results, and in-house laboratory inspection personnel credentials

Fees

Zero statutory administrative fee (waived under administrative reforms; third-party environmental and testing audit fees apply)

Time to obtain

Statutorily 10 to 20 working days following formal document acceptance and on-site factory audit

Who can import

Chinese corporate entities registered with customs possessing foreign trade operator status and a Food Operation License (食品经营许可证) with alcohol distribution scope

Licences or registrations

GACC Decree 248 overseas manufacturer registration (CIFER platform), GACC Decree 249 overseas consignor and domestic consignee record-filing, and domestic Food Operation License

Authority

General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) and SAMR

Documents

Overseas producer: CIFER online application, corporate registration, facility photos, process flowcharts, compliance declaration; Importer: business license, customs registration certificate, food safety management system manuals

Fees

Zero official registration fee on GACC's CIFER portal

Time to obtain

1 to 3 months for overseas manufacturer registration; 5 to 15 working days for domestic importer consignee filing

Required: yes Process: Electronic filing through China International Trade Single Window during customs clearance; GACC verifies product declaration and Chinese back-label conformity against GB 7718 and GB 2758; physical sample…

Importer of record must be an authorized, registered Chinese legal entity; no state monopoly on distilled spirits imports; each commercial shipment must be accompanied by a Certificate of Origin, Certificate of Health/Sanitation,…

Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) customs duty is 10% ad valorem on CIF value for spirits under HS heading 2208 (whisky 2208.30, rum 2208.40, gin 2208.50, vodka 2208.60, Baijiu 2208.90.20); reduced or 0% under bilateral FTAs (e.g., RCEP, Australia, Chile, New Zealand); EU brandy subjected to anti-dumping security deposits / minimum price undertakings (27.7%–39%)

Distilled spirits face a compound Consumption Tax (Excise): 20% ad valorem on dutiable base plus a specific volume tax of RMB 1.00 per litre (RMB 0.50 per 500g/500ml); standard import VAT of 13% applied on (CIF + Customs Duty +…

Open private retail system (no state retail monopoly); supermarkets, dedicated bottle shops, convenience stores, licensed hotels, restaurants, and bars holding a valid Food Operation License may sell spirits; no national laws…

Allowed; e-commerce platforms (Tmall, JD.com, Douyin, WeChat stores) and on-demand delivery apps (Meituan, Ele.me) can sell and deliver spirits provided the merchant holds a valid Food Operation License, displays it on the…

Mandatory Chinese label items: product name, ingredient list, alcohol strength (% vol), net volume (mL/cL/L), country of origin, production date, storage instructions, Chinese importer/distributor company name, address and…

Regulated under Advertising Law of the PRC (Articles 23 and 40): alcohol advertisements must not induce or tempt drinking, depict the physical act of drinking, show driving of vehicles/boats/airplanes, or claim…

Defined under GB/T 17204, GB/T 11856 (Brandy: min 38% ABV for commercial brandy), GB/T 11856.1-2025 / GB/T 11857 (Whisky: grain-distilled, min 40% ABV, distilled at <95% ABV), GB/T 11858 (Vodka: min 40% ABV), GB/T 11859 (Rum: min…

No dry territorial jurisdictions, provinces, or dry counties; strict internal bans ('alcohol bans' / dry rules) apply to military facilities and government/Communist Party cadres during official duties, workdays, and public…

In October 2024, MOFCOM imposed provisional anti-dumping security deposits (30.6%–39.0%) on EU-origin brandy, later concluding the probe in 2025 with definitive duties (27.7%–34.9%) and price undertakings for complying European…

China remains the world's largest spirits market by volume, with robust long-term demand for imported single malt whisky, premium gin, and boutique spirits driven by younger urban consumers seeking diverse, high-end international…

1. US TTB - International Affairs Division: China Alcohol Import Requirements
2. GACC Decree 248 and 249 Overview - EU SME Centre
3. China CDC Weekly - Alcohol Policies and Alcohol-Related Harms in China
4. Advertising Law of the People's Republic of China - China Law Translate
5. GB/T 11856.1-2025 Quality Requirements for Distilled Spirits - Part 1: Whisky
6. China MOFCOM Anti-Dumping Investigations and Measures on EU Brandy
7. China Customs Import Tariff and Taxes Landed Cost Schedule