Distillers Alcohol regulations in Saint Barthélemy
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Saint Barthélemy, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched October 2026.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in October 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 Spotted something out of date?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
- Legal
- 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 Saint Barthélemy in full.
Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- Déclaration de profession as distiller/alcohol producer with French Customs; registration on the Registre National des Entreprises (RNE); environmental classification authorization (ICPE) if production exceeds industrial thresholds
- Authority
- Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI - Guadeloupe) and Collectivité de Saint-Barthélemy
- Documents
- Commercial registration (Extrait RNE/Kbis), site blueprint and technical plans, specifications of distillation equipment/stills, storage tank capacity documentation, and surety/bond documentation
- Fees
- No administrative fee for basic declaration; security bonds may be required
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Registered businesses holding local commercial registration or private individuals importing for personal consumption within legal limits
- Licences or registrations
- Declaration of import filed with the local customs authority (Direction de la Douane et du Droit de Quai)
- Authority
- Direction de la Douane et du Droit de Quai de la Collectivité de Saint-Barthélemy
- Documents
- Commercial invoice, bill of lading (B/L) or airway bill (AWB), packing list, and local import declaration (déclaration de droit de quai)
- Fees
- No standalone import licence fee; normal carrier and port handling fees apply
- Time to obtain
- Immediate to 48 hours upon presentation of shipping manifests
Product and label registration
Required: no Process: No pre-market product approval, brand registration, or label approval (e.g. US COLA equivalent) is required prior to importation. Products and labels must comply with French and applicable European product…
Import rules
Saint-Barthélemy is an EU Overseas Country and Territory (OCT / PTOM) and sits outside the EU customs and VAT territories. There is no state alcohol monopoly. All inbound shipments arriving by sea at Port de Public or by air must…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
0% customs tariff. Saint-Barthélemy operates as a duty-free port; however, all goods imported into the island are subject to the local dock duty (Droit de quai) at a rate of 5% ad valorem calculated on CIF value (Cost, Insurance, and Freight).
Excise and taxes
No VAT/sales tax (TVA is not applicable in Saint-Barthélemy under Article 294 of the French CGI). No domestic alcohol excise duty (droits de consommation) is levied under the Code des contributions de Saint-Barthélemy. Total…
Retail and distribution
Private retail and hospitality establishments. On-premise sales of spirits (Groupes 4 and 5) require a Licence de 4e catégorie (Licence IV) or a Licence Restaurant. Off-premise retailers (cavistes, grocery stores, supermarkets)…
Online sale and delivery
Allowed. Online retailers based on the island must hold a licence à emporter and strictly enforce age verification (18+). If alcoholic beverages are sold online for delivery between 22:00 and 06:00, the operator must complete the…
Labelling
Complies with French food and spirit labeling standards: legal product designation/category, alcohol by volume (% ABV), nominal volume, batch/lot number, name and address of producer/packer or EU-established distributor, allergen…
Advertising
Regulated under the French Évin Law (Loi Évin, Code de la santé publique art. L. 3323-2 et seq.). Alcohol advertising is banned on television and at cinemas, and strictly restricted in public outdoor spaces and sports broadcasts.…
Legal definitions of spirits
French and EU spirit definitions (Regulation (EU) 2019/787) govern market standards: Rum minimum 37.5% ABV (distilled exclusively from fermented sugarcane products); Whisky/Whiskey minimum 40% ABV (distilled from mash of cereals…
Dry or restricted areas
None; no permanent dry areas exist. The Prefect or the President of the Collectivité may issue temporary orders prohibiting the consumption or sale of alcohol on public roads during designated public events or in the immediate…
Recent changes
The Territorial Council of Saint-Barthélemy adopted updated fiscal deliberations consolidating the Code des contributions de Saint-Barthélemy, reaffirming the baseline 5% Droit de quai on imported consumer merchandise including…
Opportunities for exporters
With no VAT, zero national customs tariffs, no domestic alcohol excise duties, and an affluent luxury tourism base, Saint-Barthélemy is one of the world's most attractive high-margin markets for ultra-premium, aged, and craft…
Read the full guide for Saint Barthélemy, 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
- Direction de la Douane et du Droit de Quai - Collectivité de Saint-Barthélemy
- Douane française: Cas particuliers de l'île de Saint-Martin et de l'île de Saint-Barthélemy
- Code de la santé publique - Livre III: Lutte contre l'alcoolisme
- Loi n° 74-1114 du 27 décembre 1974 de finances rectificative (Article 10 - Droit de quai)
- Services de l'État à Saint-Barthélemy et Saint-Martin - Réglementation Débits de Boissons
Selling into Saint Barthélemy or buying from it?