Distillers Alcohol regulations in Greenland
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Greenland, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched November 2024.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in November 2024 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 Spotted something out of date?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 / dry areas exist
- Legal drinking age
- 18
- Legal purchase age
- 18
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Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- Commercial distillery registration / authorization and municipal food safety and environmental permits
- Authority
- Skattestyrelsen (Tax Agency) and Greenland Food Authority (VFMG)
- Documents
- not confirmed
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Licensed commercial businesses (supermarket retailers, hospitality distributors, wholesalers) holding valid business registrations, or private individuals importing for personal use under specific permits.
- Licences or registrations
- Commercial import tax clearance; for private freight imports, a digital one-time import permit (engangstilladelse) is mandatory; deposit barcode registration via the Deposit Administration portal.
- Authority
- Skattestyrelsen (Greenland Tax Agency)
- Documents
- Commercial invoice, freight booking details (vessel/carrier details), CVR/CPR identification, customs declaration, and deposit packaging registration.
- Fees
- DKK 250 processing fee per application for private freight import permits; commercial regulatory fees not confirmed.
- Time to obtain
- Private import applications must be submitted at least 5 working days before the freight delivery deadline; commercial processing times vary.
Product and label registration
Required: no Process: There is no formal spirit formula or brand-label pre-approval process (such as US COLA). However, all commercial beverage containers must be registered in the Greenlandic deposit and return system…
Import rules
Greenland is not part of the EU or the EU customs territory. All cargo imports must go through authorized freight channels (primarily sea freight via Royal Arctic Line or air freight via Air Greenland). Receivers must hold an…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
Specific import duty (indførselsafgift) based on ABV bands per litre: 22.10%–26.09%: DKK 205.00/L; 26.10%–30.09%: DKK 253.00/L; 30.10%–35.09%: DKK 308.00/L; 35.10%–45.09% (standard spirits): DKK 397.00/L; 45.10%–60.09%: DKK 544.00/L; 60.10%–100%: DKK 650.00/L. Beverage packaging duty adds DKK 1.40 (≤0.25 L) or DKK 2.90 (>0.25 L) per bottle plus deposit fees. Private freight imports incur a 50% supplementary duty on top of the import duty.
Excise and taxes
0% VAT (Greenland does not levy Value Added Tax or general sales tax). Taxation of spirits is handled almost entirely via the high specific import duty (indførselsafgift) or equivalent domestic production excise duty.
Retail and distribution
No state retail monopoly; retail sales are conducted by licensed commercial supermarket chains (Pisiffik, Brugseni, Pilersuisoq) and private stores. Municipalities (Kommunalbestyrelser) issue retail licenses. Off-premise retail…
Online sale and delivery
restricted
Labelling
Must comply with Greenlandic/Danish consumer protection and food labeling regulations (Danish or Greenlandic language required for mandatory declarations, list of ingredients where applicable, and ABV percentage). Container must…
Advertising
Banned. Section 27 of Inatsisartutlov nr. 35 af 23. november 2017 imposes a complete ban on advertising, commercial signage, display promotion, and marketing for alcoholic beverages over 2.25% ABV across all media, including…
Legal definitions of spirits
Greenlandic statute primarily classifies alcoholic beverages by ABV ranges for licensing and duty collection. Food composition and standards of identity for spirits (whisky, gin, vodka, rum) mirror Danish / EU food regulations in…
Dry or restricted areas
Municipal councils have the statutory authority to impose local restrictions, quota systems, or temporary alcohol bans. Several remote settlements and Eastern Greenland communities (such as Tasiilaq, Ittoqqortoormiit, and…
Recent changes
In 2024–2025, the Government of Greenland (Naalakkersuisut) launched a joint initiative with WHO/Europe and the Center for Public Health to formulate recommendations for an updated national alcohol policy focused on child welfare…
Opportunities for exporters
Opportunities exist for premium and craft spirits brands targeting high-end hospitality and the expanding Arctic tourism sector. However, exporters face exceptionally high specific import taxes, a total ban on alcohol marketing,…
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