Alcohol regulations in Dominica

Licences needed

Excise Tax Registration / Manufacturer Licence under the Excise Tax Act, plus a Wholesale Liquor Licence (to sell >2 gallons)

Authority

Inland Revenue Division (Ministry of Finance) and Dominica Customs and Excise Division

Documents

Application form, business registration documents, premises description; for wholesale liquor licensing, a Magistrate's certificate, notice to the Commissioner of Police, newspaper publication, and notices affixed to the premises door on two consecutive Sundays

Fees

Wholesale Liquor Licence is EC$1,000.00 per annum; specific distillery registration fee is not confirmed

Time to obtain

At least 28 days for the Liquor Licence due to mandatory public notice periods prior to the Magistrate hearing

Who can import

Any registered business or individual via a registered customs broker/Tariff Clerk for commercial consignments; anyone selling wholesale or retail must hold the corresponding Liquor Licence under the Liquor Licences Act Cap. 70:03

Licences or registrations

Wholesale Liquor Licence (for commercial distribution); spirits and wine under List C of the CARICOM Common External Tariff (CET) do not require a special quantitative import licence prior to importation

Authority

Dominica Customs and Excise Division, Inland Revenue Division, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade and Energy

Documents

Commercial invoice, bill of lading/airway bill, ASYCUDA customs declaration, and CARICOM Certificate of Origin (if claiming CARICOM duty-free preference)

Fees

Wholesale Liquor Licence: EC$1,000.00 per annum; Dominica Bureau of Standards port compliance/inspection fees: EC$25.00 licence fee and EC$50.00 inspection fee where applicable

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required: yes Process: Label Evaluation and Approval by the Dominica Bureau of Standards (DBOS) to verify compliance with Compulsory Dominica National Standards for Labelling Authority: Dominica Bureau of Standards (Inspection…

There is no state import monopoly. Alcoholic beverages are strictly excluded from the EC$150.00 CIF de minimis duty-free threshold for courier and small package imports. Commercial shipments require clearance through ASYCUDA via…

Governed by the CARICOM Common External Tariff (CET) (List C exceptions apply to HS 2208) on CIF value. Goods of certified CARICOM origin enter at 0% customs duty. In addition to CET customs duty, all imports attract a Customs Service Charge of 3% to 6% on CIF value and an Environmental Surcharge of 1.5% on goods in glass, plastic, metal, paperboard, or wood containers.

Under the Excise Tax Act 2005 (as amended), specific excise taxes on spirits are levied per litre: Whiskey (HS 2208.30): EC$12.60/litre; Brandy, Gin, and Vodka: EC$8.50/litre; Rum and Taffia (HS 2208.40): EC$2.60/litre; Liqueurs…

Private sector licensing under the Liquor Licences Act (Chapter 70:03) with no state monopoly. Main licence categories, hours, and annual fees: (1) Wholesale Licence (>2 gallons, off-premise only): 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.,…

not confirmed (no specific e-commerce alcohol statute; any seller must hold a valid Liquor Licence and prohibited from selling to persons under 16)

Subject to compulsory Dominica National Standards (Specification for Labelling of Commodities / Pre-packaged Foods) enforced by the Dominica Bureau of Standards, alongside CARICOM / WIRSPA regional labelling standards. Labels…

not confirmed

Follows CARICOM regional standards and Dominica Bureau of Standards specifications for rum and spirituous beverages; exact statutory minimum ABV figures per spirit category are not confirmed.

None (no dry regions exist; sales are restricted by licensed premise hours and bank holiday rules under the Liquor Licences Act)

In the 2026/2027 National Budget (presented 4 August 2026), the Government of Dominica abolished border tax compounding effective 1 October 2026; import VAT (15%) and excise taxes are now calculated solely on the CIF value of…

CARICOM-origin spirits enjoy duty-free entry into Dominica, while the October 2026 elimination of border tax compounding lowers the overall landed tax burden for all imported spirits. Growing tourism and hospitality sectors…

1. Inland Revenue Division Dominica - Liquor License (Liquor Licences Act Chapter 70:03)
2. Inland Revenue Division Dominica - Provisions for Granting a Liquor Licence
3. Inland Revenue Division Dominica - Excise Tax (Excise Tax Act 2005)
4. Dominica Customs and Excise Division - Duties & Taxes Collected & CET
5. Dominica Bureau of Standards - Inspection Unit & Label Evaluation Services
6. VATupdate - Dominica Ends Border Tax Compounding and Extends VAT Relief from October 2026
7. Liquor Licences Act Chapter 70:03 Section 15 - Minimum Age Summary