Alcohol regulations in Saint Martin (French part)

Licences needed

Customs authorization as an approved fiscal warehouse/distillery (statut d'entrepositaire agréé) and declaration of distillation equipment; ICPE (Installations Classées pour la Protection de l'Environnement) environmental filing.

Authority

Direction générale des douanes et droits indirects (DGDDI - Direction régionale de Guadeloupe) and Préfecture de Saint-Barthélemy et de Saint-Martin / Collectivité de Saint-Martin

Documents

Commercial registration (Kbis), facility site plans, technical descriptions and capacity certificates of distillation equipment, security guarantee/financial bond, and environmental impact assessment.

Fees

No administrative fee for basic customs declaration; financial surety/bond required for customs status.

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Any legally registered commercial entity holding an active SIRET and EU Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number registered with French customs.

Licences or registrations

EORI number, registration with the Port of Galisbay customs bureau.

Authority

Direction régionale des douanes de Guadeloupe (Bureau de douane de Saint-Martin / Galisbay)

Documents

Single Administrative Document (DAU) / customs import manifest, commercial invoice, bill of lading (B/L) or airway bill, packing list, and health certificates if applicable.

Fees

No statutory import licence fee; port facility and stevedoring fees apply at Galisbay.

Time to obtain

2 to 5 business days for EORI issuance; import customs clearance usually completed upon vessel discharge.

Required: no Process: Spirits do not require pre-market brand or label registration, formula approval, or label certification prior to importation and distribution. Compliance with EU and French consumer labeling regulations is…

Commercial imports must enter via designated points of entry (Port de Commerce de Galisbay or Grand Case Airport). Under Article 2 of the EU Customs Code and the 1648 Treaty of Concordia heritage, Saint-Martin operates under a…

0% (exempt under Saint-Martin's 'port franc' / free port status; EU Common Customs Tariff duties and dock dues / octroi de mer are not levied on imports into Saint-Martin).

Excise duty: 0 € (national French consumption/excise duties on alcohol under the Code général des impôts and social security surcharges do not apply locally). Sales tax: 4% TGCA (Taxe Générale sur la Consommation / Chiffre…

Private retail and on-premises sales. Retailers and bars must hold a relevant beverage licence under the French Public Health Code (Code de la santé publique): Licence IV (Grande licence) for on-premises consumption of spirits…

Allowed with restrictions. Online vendors delivering within Saint-Martin must hold a 'licence à emporter', verify that the purchaser and recipient are 18 years of age or older, and adhere to local prefectural restrictions on…

Must comply with Regulation (EU) 2019/787 and Regulation (EU) 1169/2011. Mandatory information in French: legal designation of the spirit, nominal volume, alcoholic strength by volume (% vol), lot number, name and address of…

Strictly restricted pursuant to the French Loi Évin (Code de la santé publique, Articles L. 3323-1 et seq.). Direct or indirect alcohol advertising is permitted only through legally enumerated channels (printed press for adults,…

Governed by Regulation (EU) 2019/787: minimum ABV requirements include Rum (37.5%), Whisky/Whiskey (40%), Vodka (37.5%), Gin (37.5%), Brandy (36%), and Neutral Alcohol (96%). Geographical Indications (e.g., Rhum des Antilles…

No dry areas exist in the collectivity. However, statutory protection perimeters ('zones de protection') apply around schools, sports centres, hospitals, and youth facilities pursuant to the Code de la santé publique, within…

In January 2025, Decree No. 2025-38 established the Préfecture of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin as a full-fledged State prefecture (préfecture de plein exercice), separating its administrative oversight from the Préfecture of…

Saint-Martin presents an attractive entry point due to its duty-free 'port franc' status, eliminating customs duties and excise taxes on spirits imports into the territory. International premium spirits brands benefit from strong…

1. Portail de la Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects - Cas particuliers de l'île de Saint-Martin et de l'île de Saint-Barthélemy
2. Site de la Fiscalité de la Collectivité de Saint-Martin - Doing Business & Guide Fiscal
3. Les services de l'État à Saint-Barthélemy et à Saint-Martin - Préfecture et Recueil des Actes Administratifs
4. Légifrance - Code de la santé publique (Réglementation des débits de boissons, vente aux mineurs, Loi Évin)
5. Règlement (UE) 2019/787 du Parlement européen et du Conseil concernant la définition, la désignation, la présentation et l'étiquetage des boissons spiritueuses