Alcohol regulations in Sao Tome and Principe

Licences needed

Alvará Industrial (Industrial License) and commercial establishment authorization.

Authority

Direcção da Indústria / Direcção do Comércio (Ministério do Turismo e Comércio / Ministério da Economia)

Documents

Company registration, proof of business premises, environmental/sanitary clearance, tax identification

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Any natural or legal person registered commercially as an importer

Licences or registrations

Annual registration on the official Importer Registry (Registo de Importador); commercial operating license (Alvará Comercial)

Authority

Direcção do Comércio (Directorate of Commerce)

Documents

Commercial registration certificate, tax identification number (NIF), annual importer registration form

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required: no Process: There is no mandatory pre-market label approval system or brand registration requirement specifically for alcoholic beverages before importation, though trademark protection can be filed through the national…

Importers must clear shipments through Direcção-Geral das Alfândegas (DGA) with customs clearance documentation indicating quantity and tax stamps/settlement from the Direcção dos Impostos. Required documentation includes the…

20% ad valorem customs tariff (Category Three intermediate goods under the Common External Tariff) plus customs surcharges.

Spirits are subject to a specific excise duty (Imposto Especial sobre o Consumo - IEC, governed by Decreto-Lei n.º 27/2021) assessed at approximately $1.40 USD per liter. Value Added Tax (IVA), implemented June 1, 2023, applies…

Private retail system; licensed supermarkets, grocery stores, bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues may retail spirits under a municipal/commercial license (alvará). There is no state retail monopoly. Sales to minors under…

allowed

Labels must be in Portuguese or include Portuguese translation for consumer information; mandatory items generally include product description, net volume, alcohol by volume (% ABV), country of origin, and manufacturer/importer…

Direct sales promotions to minors are prohibited. While comprehensive advertising and marketing restrictions have been drafted and proposed in collaboration with WHO, alcohol advertising in general media has historically operated…

not confirmed

There are no dry geographic regions. Sales and distribution of alcoholic beverages are restricted in or around primary and secondary schools and within healthcare facilities.

In April 2025, the Council of Ministers mandated multisectoral enforcement teams to strictly inspect venues and penalize vendors selling alcohol to minors under Lei n.º 3/2012. Implementation of the national Value Added Tax (IVA)…

São Tomé and Principe relies almost entirely on imports for premium distilled spirits such as whisky, rum, and gin to supply its growing hospitality, eco-tourism, and urban retail markets. Exporters face minimal non-tariff…

1. ITA Trade.gov - Sao Tome and Principe Import Tariffs and Market Entry
2. STP-Press - Autoridades proíbem menores a actividades nocturnas, bebidas e tabaco
3. Téla Nón - Governo proíbe acesso de menores as actividades nocturnas e ao convívio com o álcool
4. Diário da República de São Tomé e Príncipe - Lei n.º 3/2012
5. Diário da República de São Tomé e Príncipe - Decreto Lei n.º 27/2021 (Código do Imposto Especial sobre Consumo - IEC)
6. WHO - Development of alcohol control law, Sao Tome and Principe
7. Inventa - Intellectual Property Overview in São Tomé and Príncipe