Distillers Alcohol regulations in Honduras
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Honduras, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched May 2026.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in May 2026 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 Spotted something out of date?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
- Dry areas exist
- Legal drinking age
- 18
- Legal purchase age
- 18
Free guide: the import licence, import duty and manufacturing licence sections are open to all. Sign in free to read the other 11 sections for Honduras in full.
Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- Sanitary Operating License (Licencia Sanitaria de Establecimiento), Municipal Operating Permit (Permiso de Operación), Environmental License/Permit (Licencia Ambiental), SAR Tax Registry, and IHADFA establishment certification.
- Authority
- Agencia de Regulación Sanitaria (ARSA), relevant Municipal Mayor's Office (Alcaldía Municipal), Secretaría de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente (SERNA), and IHADFA.
- Documents
- Application form, company incorporation deed, RTN (tax number), property title or lease contract, site layout and sanitary plans, manufacturing process flowchart, drinking water quality certification, and proof of administrative fee payment.
- Fees
- Varies by production scale and municipality; ARSA sanitary establishment license fees typically range between L 1,000 and L 5,000, plus municipal tax and environmental assessment rates.
- Time to obtain
- 2 to 6 months depending on municipal inspections and environmental category clearance.
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Any legally registered commercial entity or individual merchant in Honduras holding an active Tax Registry Number (RTN) and registered as an importer.
- Licences or registrations
- Sanitary Importer Authorization with ARSA, annual commercial importer registration with IHADFA (Acuerdo No. 01-2022), SAR tax compliance, and Customs Importer Registry with Administración Aduanera de Honduras.
- Authority
- Administración Aduanera de Honduras (Aduanas Honduras), ARSA, IHADFA, and SAR.
- Documents
- Legal representation power of attorney, company deed, RTN, product sanitary registration certificate issued by ARSA, and proof of IHADFA annual registration.
- Fees
- IHADFA annual scale-based registration fee and standard customs registration processing fees.
- Time to obtain
- 1 to 2 months.
Product and label registration
Required: yes Process: Sanitary Registration (Registro Sanitario de Alimentos y Bebidas) and mandatory label pre-approval before commercialization and customs clearance, processed through ARSA's platform following Central…
Import rules
No state import monopoly. Importers of record must clear goods through a licensed customs broker via the SARAH system accompanied by the DUCA (Declaración Única Centroamericana), commercial invoice specifying ABV and volume,…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
Base MFN tariff (Derecho Arancelario a la Importación - DAI) on spirits under SAC heading 2208 is generally 15% to 20% on CIF value; 0% preferential duty applies to qualifying products originating from the US (under CAFTA-DR) and the European Union (under the EU-Central America Association Agreement).
Excise and taxes
Distilled spirits are subject to: (1) Impuesto de Producción y Consumo (IPC / specific volumetric excise tax) adjusted annually by SEFIN based on inflation—under Acuerdo No. 155-2026, distilled spirits (whisky, vodka, gin,…
Retail and distribution
Private commercial distribution across licensed supermarkets, grocery stores, specialty liquor stores, and on-premise venues (bars, restaurants, hotels). All vendors require a Municipal Operating Permit and IHADFA registration.…
Online sale and delivery
Allowed under general electronic commerce and commercial retail guidelines; delivery services and e-commerce platforms must operate under a valid commercial entity and verify that the customer/recipient is at least 18 years old…
Labelling
Mandatory compliance with RTCA 67.01.06:11. Labels must be in Spanish and state: product name/type, net content (SI units), alcohol content by volume (% Alc. Vol.), full list of ingredients/additives, name and address of…
Advertising
Regulated under Constitution Art. 75, IHADFA regulations (Acuerdo No. 03-95), and the Ley de Policía y Convivencia Social. Alcohol advertising cannot target minors, feature underage models, portray alcohol consumption as…
Legal definitions of spirits
Regulated under Central American Technical Regulations (RTCA) and national food standards: Aguardiente (spirit distilled from fermented sugarcane/molasses, typically minimum 30% ABV); Rum/Ron (spirit distilled from sugarcane…
Dry or restricted areas
Municipalities enforce temporary dry laws ('Ley Seca') prohibiting alcohol sales and public consumption during Holy Week (Semana Santa, especially Good Friday and Holy Saturday), national election days, and specific local public…
Recent changes
SEFIN issued Acuerdo No. 155-2026 updating the specific Impuesto de Producción y Consumo (IPC) on alcoholic beverages with a 4.98% inflation adjustment, raising the maximum rate for distilled spirits up to L 52.2817 per liter…
Opportunities for exporters
Rising urban consumption of premium and super-premium spirits (such as single malt whiskies, aged rums, tequilas, and craft gins) paired with duty-free access under CAFTA-DR and the EU-Central America agreement offers steady…
Read the full guide for Honduras, free
Product and label registration, excise, labelling, advertising, distribution and recent changes, with every source, plus an Excel file of every country. Sign in with your email: no password, no fee.
Sign in to read the full guideSources
- García & Bodán - Honduras ajusta el impuesto de producción y consumo (Acuerdo No. 155-2026)
- Diario Oficial La Gaceta / Leyes.HN - Acuerdo Ejecutivo No. 218-2024 Actualización IPC
- Agencia de Regulación Sanitaria (ARSA) - Requisitos Registro Sanitario Alimentos y Bebidas
- COMIECO - RTCA 67.01.06:11 Bebidas Alcohólicas Destiladas. Requisitos de Etiquetado
- Leyes.HN - Decreto 226-2001 Ley de Policía y Convivencia Social y reformas
- Leyes.HN - Acuerdo No. 01-2022 y Acuerdo 03-95 IHADFA Regulaciones
Selling into Honduras or buying from it?