Alcohol regulations in Ecuador

Licences needed

Permiso de Funcionamiento de Establecimiento (ARCSA), Certificado de Buenas Prácticas de Manufactura (BPM), Patente Municipal / Licencia Única de Actividades Económicas (LUAE), Permiso de Bomberos, and SRI Tax Registration for Excise Goods

Authority

Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria (ARCSA), municipal Decentralized Autonomous Governments (GADs), and Servicio de Rentas Internas (SRI)

Documents

RUC certificate, technical director appointment, plant layout plans, process flowcharts, sanitation and hazard control manuals, BPM audit report, municipal land-use zoning approval, and environmental registry

Fees

Variable depending on enterprise scale (approx. $100 for micro/craft producers to $700+ for large industrial plants) plus municipal and BPM audit fees

Time to obtain

1 to 3 months (can take longer if full BPM facility certification audit is pending)

Who can import

Legally incorporated businesses or registered natural persons domiciled in Ecuador with an active commercial status

Licences or registrations

Active Tax Identification Number (RUC) registered for import activities with SRI, registration in SENAE's ECUAPASS customs clearance platform, and a valid digital signature token

Authority

Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador (SENAE) and Servicio de Rentas Internas (SRI)

Documents

RUC certificate, identification and appointment of legal representative, company articles of incorporation, and valid digital security certificate (token)

Fees

Registration in ECUAPASS is free; digital token issuance costs approximately $30–$50

Time to obtain

1 to 5 business days once digital signature and RUC are active

Required: yes Process: Mandatory Sanitary Notification (Notificación Sanitaria) for processed food and beverages submitted through the Ventanilla Única Ecuatoriana (VUE) module in ECUAPASS; requires formula analysis, laboratory…

All commercial shipments must be cleared by a licensed customs broker (Agente de Aduana) via ECUAPASS. Requirements include: importer of record registration, valid ARCSA Notificación Sanitaria, commercial invoice, bill of…

Spirits under HS 2208 are subject to ad valorem duties (typically 20% to 35% depending on specific sub-tariff line) or mixed/compound tariffs, a 0.5% FODINFA surcharge on CIF value, and applicable temporary safeguard surcharges on imported liquors (up to 25%).

Impuesto a los Consumos Especiales (ICE) operates on a mixed system: a specific rate of approximately $10.15–$10.30 USD per liter of pure alcohol (LPA) adjusted annually by SRI, plus an ad valorem component (up to 75%) applied…

Private distribution model. Retailers, liquor stores (licorerías), supermarkets, and hospitality venues require an annual Operating Permit (Permiso de Funcionamiento) from the Ministerio de Gobierno categorized by venue type,…

allowed with restrictions; online sales and on-demand delivery apps are permitted provided the retailer is licensed, orders comply with statutory retail operating hours, and mandatory age verification (18+) is conducted both at…

Mandatory Spanish labeling conforming to NTE INEN 1933 and ARCSA rules: commercial brand, generic product name, net volume (SI units), alcohol by volume (% Alc. Vol.), lot code, manufacturer and importer name/address/RUC, country…

Heavily restricted under the Constitution (Art. 46), Ley Orgánica de Salud, and Ley Orgánica de Comunicación. Alcohol advertising is banned on broadcast television and radio during family/daytime programming hours; marketing…

Defined under NTE INEN standards (e.g., NTE INEN 338 for general definitions, NTE INEN 1837 for liqueurs, NTE INEN 366 for brandy, NTE INEN 362 for aguardiente, and specific standards for whisky, rum, and vodka). Standard…

Nationwide dry law ('Ley Seca') is mandated under the Código de la Democracia starting 36 hours before national elections/referendums and lasting until 12 hours after voting closes. Municipal ordinances prohibit the public…

Value Added Tax (IVA) increased to 15% effective April 1, 2024, under the Ley para Enfrentar el Conflicto Armado Interno, increasing final landed costs for imported goods. SRI updated ICE annual specific rates and the ex-customs…

Consumer demand remains steady for premium foreign spirits—notably Scotch whisky, premium tequila, and craft gin—in major metropolitan hubs like Quito and Guayaquil. However, high compounding taxes (tariffs, ICE, and 15% VAT)…

1. U.S. International Trade Administration: Ecuador Import Tariffs, Requirements, and Documentation
2. SRI Resoluciones sobre el Impuesto a los Consumos Especiales (ICE)
3. ARCSA: Normativa Técnica Sanitaria para Alimentos Procesados (Resolución ARCSA-DE-067-2015-GGG)
4. NTE INEN 1933: Bebidas Alcohólicas - Rotulado
5. Ley Orgánica Electoral y de Organizaciones Políticas - Código de la Democracia (Ley Seca)