Distillers Alcohol regulations in New Caledonia
How to import or export liquor and spirits to New Caledonia, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched July 2026.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in July 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 Spotted something out of date?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
- Partial prohibition / dry areas exist
- Legal drinking age
- 18
- Legal purchase age
- 18
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Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- Excise warehouse/distiller permit (régie d'alcools / entrepositaire agréé) and provincial environmental operating permit (ICPE).
- Authority
- Direction régionale des douanes de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Direction des Services Fiscaux (DSF), and relevant Provincial Environmental Directorate.
- Documents
- Company registration (RIDET/Kbis), site blueprint, technical description of distillation and storage equipment, ICPE declaration/authorization, and security bond.
- Fees
- Annual alcohol license duty (droits de licence) and standard administrative processing fees.
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Any registered commercial entity possessing a valid New Caledonian RIDET identification number and registered customs clearing account.
- Licences or registrations
- Customs declarant registration with the New Caledonia Customs Directorate; no separate statutory spirit import monopoly.
- Authority
- Direction régionale des douanes de Nouvelle-Calédonie
- Documents
- Commercial invoice, bill of lading/air waybill, RIDET certificate, certificate of origin (e.g., EUR.1 for EU preferential tariff), and packing list.
- Fees
- No specific import license fee; standard customs clearance handling fees apply.
- Time to obtain
- A few days to establish a customs account for an active local business.
Product and label registration
Required: no Process: No pre-market brand or label registration system (such as US COLA) exists. Goods are cleared upon customs declaration; labels must comply post-market with New Caledonian and French consumer protection…
Import rules
Customs declaration via the local automated customs system; proof of preferential origin for EU exemption; sanitary certificates where applicable; sea freight port toll (taxe de péage of 1% on maritime cargo). Commercial imports…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
Customs duties (droits de douane) on HS 2208: 0% for goods of EU/French and PTOM preferential origin. For non-preferential third countries, duties range between 0% and 20% ad valorem.
Excise and taxes
Taxe Générale sur la Consommation (TGC) at the higher rate of 22%; health and social sector tax on alcohol (Taxe sur les alcools et les tabacs en faveur du secteur sanitaire et social - TAT3S / TSPS); internal consumption excise…
Retail and distribution
Requires a beverage retail license issued by the municipality and province (categorized into classes: on-premise bars/restaurants and off-premise take-away). Off-premise retail (supermarkets, bottle shops) is subject to strict…
Online sale and delivery
Restricted. Local delivery of alcohol requires explicit authorization from municipal licensing authorities (e.g., Brigade des débits de boissons in Nouméa); delivery is bound by off-premise sales time windows and strict mandatory…
Labelling
Labels must be in French (supplementary stickers accepted). Mandatory items include product name/category, alcoholic strength by volume (% vol), net quantity, lot number, country of origin, and name/address of the EU/local…
Advertising
Strictly restricted under Loi du pays n° 2018-6. Commercial advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of alcoholic beverages are banned across television, cinema, radio, print, social media, and digital services targeted at New…
Legal definitions of spirits
Follows French and EU definitions under Regulation (EU) 2019/787 (e.g., whisky/rum/gin/vodka minimum 37.5% ABV, whisky minimum 40% ABV, brandy minimum 36% ABV).
Dry or restricted areas
Widespread periodic territory-wide bans on takeaway sales enacted by the High Commission during holidays, elections, or civil unrest; tribal councils and customary Kanak authorities may also enforce localized alcohol bans within…
Recent changes
Recurring territory-wide bans and severe restrictions on off-premise alcohol sales imposed by the Haut-commissaire following the May 2024 unrest and during sensitive civic periods through 2025 and 2026. Intensified controls and…
Opportunities for exporters
Opportunities exist primarily for premium French and EU spirits (cognac, premium rum, whisky) which enter duty-free under PTOM preferential arrangements. However, exporters face a highly restricted retail landscape with recurring…
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- Direction des Douanes de Nouvelle-Calédonie - Tarif des douanes
- Les services de l'État en Nouvelle-Calédonie - Arrêtés vente d'alcool
- Direction des Affaires Économiques NC - Fiche pratique lutte contre l'alcoolisme (Loi 2018-6)
- Ville de Nouméa - Démarche autorisation permanente de vente d'alcool
- Direction des Services Fiscaux de la Nouvelle-Calédonie
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