Alcohol regulations in Finland

Licences needed

Production licence for alcoholic beverages/spirits, tax warehouse authorization (veroton varasto) from the Tax Administration, and food establishment registration.

Authority

Finnish Supervisory Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto - LVV) and Finnish Tax Administration (Verohallinto)

Documents

Application via Allu e-services, corporate registration records, statutory self-monitoring plan (omavalvontasuunnitelma) per the Alcohol Act and Food Act, premises and equipment blueprints, food hygiene assessment documentation, and tax compliance certificates.

Fees

€3,500 decision fee for spirits production licence (valid until end of 2026); plus annual control fee (€390 base fee + €190 per extra site + €2.80 per 1,000 litres of 100% alcohol produced, capped at €18,000).

Time to obtain

Approximately 3 months on average

Who can import

Licensed wholesalers, licensed producers, licensed on-premise venues (for serving purposes after notification), and the state retail monopoly Alko Oy.

Licences or registrations

Wholesale licence for alcoholic beverages / spirits (tukkumyyntilupa), registered consignee or tax warehousekeeper status with Verohallinto, and an EU EORI number for customs clearance.

Authority

Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) for licence; Finnish Tax Administration (Verohallinto) for excise; Finnish Customs (Tulli) for border import clearance.

Documents

Application via Allu portal, company trade register extract, self-monitoring plan, description of storage facility, proof of tax warehousekeeper/registered recipient registration, and EORI registration.

Fees

€1,500 decision fee for spirit import and wholesale licence; €150 food operations registration fee; plus annual wholesale supervision fees.

Time to obtain

Approximately 3 months on average

Required: no Process: No pre-market label approval or product brand registration (such as US COLA) is required by Finnish state authorities. Conformity with EU and Finnish food and spirit labelling laws is managed via post-market…

Commercial import requires an EORI number, standard customs clearance (customs declaration via Tulli), and use of the EMCS (Excise Movement and Control System) for duty-suspended movements within the EU. Importers must file…

0% (customs duty-free) under the EU Common Customs Tariff (TARIC) for most distilled spirits under HS heading 2208 (e.g., whisky, vodka, gin, rum, liqueurs) imported from third countries.

Excise duty on ethyl alcohol / spirits (>10% ABV) is €56.28 per centilitre of pure alcohol (€5,628 per hectolitre of absolute alcohol; equivalent to approx. €15.76 in excise per 70 cl bottle at 40% ABV). Standard VAT is 25.5%.…

The state-owned enterprise Alko Oy holds an exclusive statutory monopoly over retail sales of beverages above 8% ABV and all non-fermented drinks above 5.5% ABV (covering all spirits). Supermarkets and private retail stores may…

Restricted. Under reforms enacted in 2026, licensed home delivery is permitted between 09:00 and 21:00; grocery stores may deliver permitted low-alcohol beverages (fermented up to 8% ABV), whereas spirit delivery to consumers is…

Must adhere to EU Regulation 2019/787 and EU Regulation 1169/2011: legal sales denomination, nominal volume, alcoholic strength by volume (% vol), lot number ('L'), EU producer or importer address, and mandatory allergen…

Advertising and sales promotion of strong alcoholic beverages (>22% ABV) is prohibited across mass media, billboards, public places, digital media, and social networks (with narrow exemptions for B2B trade press, printed lists…

Regulated under EU Regulation 2019/787: Whisky/Whiskey (min 40% ABV, distilled from cereal mash, aged min 3 years in wooden casks); Rum (min 37.5% ABV, distilled from sugarcane products); Vodka (min 37.5% ABV, from agricultural…

None (no dry zones or dry municipalities exist in Finland; the autonomous region of Åland enforces equivalent licensing and alcohol rules through its regional provincial government).

In June 2024, the retail grocery limit was raised from 5.5% to 8% ABV for fermented alcoholic beverages, while distilled spirits remained exclusive to Alko. On 1 September 2024, Finland's general value-added tax (VAT) was…

The primary commercial channel for foreign spirits brands is securing an Alko monopoly listing or partnering with licensed Finnish wholesalers supplying the HoReCa hospitality sector. Demand remains solid for super-premium,…

1. Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) - Applying for a Production or Import and Wholesale Licence for Spirits
2. Finnish Tax Administration (Verohallinto) - Excise Duty Table for Alcohol and Alcoholic Beverages
3. Finnish Government - Licensing and Supervision Transfer to the Finnish Supervisory Agency
4. Alcohol Act (Alkoholilaki 1102/2017) - Finlex Data Bank
5. Finnish Customs (Tulli) - Tariffs and Import Clearance