Distillers Alcohol regulations in Syrian Arab Republic
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Syrian Arab Republic, 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 Spotted something out of date?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
- 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
- Industrial operating licence, environmental/sanitary approvals, SASMO conformity certification, and municipal commercial registration
- Authority
- Ministry of Industry, SASMO, Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection
- Documents
- Commercial register, facility blueprint, technical production process files, sanitary and laboratory compliance certificates
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Commercial importation of alcoholic beverages is barred under the customs prohibited list
- Licences or registrations
- Commercial import permits are currently blocked / not issued for alcohol
- Authority
- General Authority for Land and Sea Ports and Customs, Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade
- Documents
- not confirmed
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Product and label registration
Required: yes Process: Conformity verification with SASMO standards and registration with the Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection prior to distribution Authority: Syrian Arab Organization for Standardization and…
Import rules
Under Decree No. 109 of May 2026 (New Customs Law) and the subsequent tariff classifications issued by customs authorities, alcoholic beverages are classified on the 'negative list' (prohibited imports). Additionally, customs and…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
Import prohibited (categorised under the customs negative list for HS 2208); commercial tariffs are not applicable due to the import ban.
Excise and taxes
Domestically manufactured beverages are subject to consumption tax (رسم إنفاق), advance tax (سلفة), and municipal surcharges; commercial imported spirits are prohibited.
Retail and distribution
Severely restricted. In Damascus, a March 2026 decree banned on-premise service of alcohol in bars, restaurants, and nightclubs (exempting select international hotels under Ministry of Tourism oversight). Off-premise retail is…
Online sale and delivery
banned
Labelling
Must comply with SASMO mandatory beverage standards: Arabic language, product identity, alcoholic strength (% ABV), manufacturer details, lot/batch number, net volume, and country of origin; non-compliant products are subject to…
Advertising
Banned across broadcast, print, and public outdoor media under public morality and media advertising regulations.
Legal definitions of spirits
SASMO maintains national standards for alcoholic beverages and spirits (notably traditional grape-and-aniseed Arak, traditionally distilled to 40%–53% ABV); specific statutory minimum ABV schedules for all imported categories are…
Dry or restricted areas
Muslim-majority neighbourhoods and various conservative provinces enforce informal or de facto dry conditions. In Damascus, on-premise alcohol consumption is prohibited across all standard restaurants and bars, and retail sales…
Recent changes
December 2024: Following the fall of the Assad regime, the transitional government under Ahmad al-Sharaa took control, leading to tighter social restrictions and the suspension of liquor license renewals. Late 2025: Customs…
Opportunities for exporters
There are virtually no legal commercial opportunities for foreign spirits exporters at present, as alcoholic beverages have been placed on Syria's customs prohibited import list. The domestic market is severely contracting and…
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Sign in to read the full guideSources
- Syria's Winemakers Press on Under New Alcohol Rules - New Lines Magazine
- Prohibition by regulation: Syria's new customs rules - Al Majalla
- Syria's Damascus bans alcohol sales - The Drinks Business
- Syrian authorities' new limits on alcohol sales in Damascus spark backlash - Associated Press / Courthouse News
- Alcohol Unofficially Forbidden to Bring In or Out of Syria - Syrian Guides
- European Union Agency for Asylum - Country Guidance: Syria (2026)
Selling into Syrian Arab Republic or buying from it?