Distillers Alcohol regulations in Western Sahara
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Western Sahara, 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 Spotted something out of date?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
- Legal drinking age
- 18 in Moroccan-administered territory; prohibited in SADR-controlled areas
- Legal purchase age
- 18 in Moroccan-administered territory; prohibited in SADR-controlled areas
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Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- Industrial production licence and sanitary authorization (under Moroccan law)
- Authority
- Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA) / Ministry of Agriculture (Morocco)
- Documents
- Technical distillery dossier, sanitary approval, commercial registry (not confirmed for Western Sahara due to absence of local producers)
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Moroccan-registered commercial entities holding wholesale alcohol commercialization permits and registered on the PortNet customs portal
- Licences or registrations
- Special commercialization licence (Arrêté 3-177-66, Art. 52 Code des Douanes), PortNet single window registration (Engagement d'Importation), ONSSA sanitary registration
- Authority
- Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII) and ONSSA (Morocco)
- Documents
- Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, sanitary/analysis certificate, PortNet import declaration
- Fees
- Standard PortNet and customs filing fees (not confirmed)
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Product and label registration
Required: yes Process: Sanitary import control and label conformity validation at customs border posts prior to clearance Authority: Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA) Documents and samples:…
Import rules
Imports into the Moroccan-administered zone are cleared through Moroccan customs checkpoints (e.g. Laâyoune, Dakhla); all spirit containers exceeding 25 cl require a mandatory fiscal control stamp (vignette fiscale) affixed to…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
40% ad valorem (basic rate for HS 2208, with some subheadings up to 49%) under the Moroccan Customs Tariff, plus 0.25% Parafiscal Import Tax (TPI).
Excise and taxes
Domestic Consumption Tax (TIC / excise): 25,500 MAD per hectolitre of pure alcohol (255 MAD per litre of pure alcohol) under Moroccan Finance Law 2024; VAT (TVA): 20% applied to the duty- and excise-inclusive CIF value.
Retail and distribution
Only authorized establishments holding a provincial liquor licence (tourist hotels, specialized bars/restaurants, and designated enclosed sections of supermarkets in Laâyoune and Dakhla) may sell alcohol; Arrêté No. 3-177-66…
Online sale and delivery
banned
Labelling
Labels must be in French and/or Arabic; mandatory details include product name, alcoholic strength by volume (% ABV), net contents, lot code, name and address of producer and Moroccan importer/distributor, country of origin,…
Advertising
Banned on broadcast television and radio under Moroccan Law No. 77-03 on Audiovisual Communication; commercial advertising, sponsorship, and public promotion of alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited or severely curtailed…
Legal definitions of spirits
Governed by Moroccan standards enforced by ONSSA: distilled spirits (HS 2208) adhere to minimum ABV standards aligning with international/EU norms (generally 40% for whisky, 37.5% for rum, gin, and vodka).
Dry or restricted areas
All SADR / Polisario-controlled territory east of the Berm and refugee camps are dry; in Moroccan-administered Western Sahara, all public spaces, streets, beaches, religious areas, and unlicensed establishments are dry; sales are…
Recent changes
Under the Moroccan Finance Act 2024 (enacted January 1, 2024), the domestic consumption tax (TIC) on pure ethyl alcohol used in distilled spirits was increased from 18,000 MAD to 25,500 MAD per hectolitre of pure alcohol (255…
Opportunities for exporters
Western Sahara is an extremely small, highly restrictive market limited to high-end hospitality venues and kitesurfing resort camps in Dakhla catering to foreign tourists, expatriates, and UN (MINURSO) personnel. High Moroccan…
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- Moroccan Ministry of Economy and Finance - Dispositions de la Loi de Finances 2024
- Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects (ADII) - Guide Douanier et Tarif Intégré
- Secrétariat Général du Gouvernement (Morocco) - Arrêté du Directeur Général du Cabinet Royal n° 3-177-66 réglementant le commerce des boissons alcooliques
- US TTB - Morocco General Import Requirements & Regulations for Alcoholic Beverages
- Human Rights Watch - Off the Radar: Human Rights in the Tindouf Refugee Camps
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