Distillers Alcohol regulations in Tuvalu
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Tuvalu, 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 Spotted something out of date?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
- Dry areas exist
- Legal drinking age
- 18
- Legal purchase age
- 18
Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- not confirmed
- Authority
- not confirmed
- Documents
- not confirmed
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Registered businesses holding valid general trading/business licences issued by the local Kaupule and cleared through Customs.
- Licences or registrations
- Commercial business license; customs registration with Tuvalu Customs and Revenue Department.
- Authority
- Tuvalu Customs and Revenue Department (Ministry of Finance)
- Documents
- Commercial invoice, bill of lading or airway bill, packing list, customs import declaration.
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Product and label registration
- Required
- no
- Process
- No separate prior brand or label registration system (such as TTB COLA or excise label approval) exists in Tuvalu; compliance is verified at customs clearance.
Import rules
Imports must be cleared by a licensed importer or customs broker through Tuvalu Customs; commercial imports must be accompanied by standard transport and commercial documentation; personal duty-free concessions for incoming passengers typically permit up to 1 litre of spirits.
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
not confirmed
Excise and taxes
Imports are subject to standard Tuvalu Consumption Tax (TCT) and applicable customs/excise duties levied under the Customs Tariff Act.
Retail and distribution
Regulated under the Alcoholic Drink Act by the Licensing Committee; licences cover hotels/publicans, bars, restaurants, clubs, and storekeeper/retail off-licences. The Alcoholic Drinks (Amendment) Act restricts off-premise sales in unopened containers to designated hours (11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.) and mandates immediate removal from the premises.
Online sale and delivery
not confirmed
Labelling
Standard international English-language commercial packaging rules apply (declaration of product identity, net volume, country of origin, and alcohol by volume % ABV); no domestic strip stamps, tax banderols, or Tuvalu-specific health warnings are mandated.
Advertising
Advertising of alcoholic drinks is severely constrained by general broadcast standards and community norms, with no widespread domestic commercial alcohol advertising channels.
Legal definitions of spirits
Tuvalu does not maintain separate domestic statutory standards of identity for whisky, rum, gin, or vodka; imported products rely on exporting-country definitions and Codex Alimentarius standards.
Dry or restricted areas
Local island councils (Kaupule) hold authority under local bylaws to restrict or ban alcohol on outer islands. Under Section 118(1) of the Alcoholic Drink Act, statutory prohibition orders have declared specific areas alcohol-free (e.g. the islets of Papaelise and Funafala under the Motu o Funafuti Prohibition Order).
Recent changes
No major amendments to primary alcohol control legislation reported between 2024 and 2026.
Opportunities for exporters
The market is extremely small with demand concentrated on the main atoll of Funafuti for hospitality and expatriate consumption. Commercial opportunities are confined to small-volume shipments of established international spirit brands via regional Pacific distributors.
Regulators
Sources
Selling into Tuvalu or buying from it?