Alcohol regulations in Guam

Licences needed

Guam ABC Class 1 Manufacturer's License, Guam General Business License, and Federal TTB Basic Permit (Distilled Spirits Plant)

Authority

Guam Alcoholic Beverage Control Board / Department of Revenue and Taxation (DRT), and U.S. TTB

Documents

ABC license application, police and court clearances, DRT tax clearance, corporate formation documents, premise lease or deed, site plans, zoning and sanitary clearances (DPW, GFD, DPHSS), and federal TTB DSP registration

Fees

$100.00 annual license fee for Class 1 Manufacturer; additional general business license fees apply

Time to obtain

2 to 4 months (subject to multi-agency clearances and ABC Board public hearing schedule)

Who can import

Licensed wholesalers or manufacturer's agents holding a valid Guam ABC license and a federal TTB Importer's Basic Permit

Licences or registrations

Class 3 Wholesale Dealer License or Class 2 Agent License; TTB Federal Importer's Basic Permit; registration with Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency (CQA) and DRT

Authority

Guam Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (DRT), Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency (CQA), and U.S. TTB

Documents

Guam ABC application, corporate documents, criminal background check, premises/bonded warehouse lease, DRT tax clearance, and TTB Form 5100.24

Fees

Class 3 Wholesale Dealer: $1,000.00/year; Class 2 Agent: $250.00/year; TTB Federal Basic Permit: $0

Time to obtain

1 to 3 months

Required

yes

Process

Spirits imported into Guam must obtain a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) from the U.S. TTB via TTBOnline prior to customs clearance. At the local level, products must be registered and invoiced through licensed Guam wholesalers with DRT, complying with 11 GCA § 3424. No separate local brand-registration fee is mandated if TTB COLA is approved.

Authority

U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation (DRT)

Documents and samples

TTB Form 5100.31 (COLA application), product label artwork/images, laboratory analysis or formula approval (if required for specific classes/blends); commercial invoices and bill of lading for DRT/Customs

Fees

$0 for TTB COLA; no specific per-label fee charged by Guam DRT

Renewal

COLA does not expire unless product specifications or labels change; local wholesale licenses renew annually by June 30

Time to obtain

1 to 3 weeks for electronic TTB COLA approval

Guam is an unincorporated territory outside the customs territory of the United States and functions as a duty-free port. Commercial shipments must be cleared through the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency (CQA) and consigned to a licensed Guam importer/wholesaler. Import entries require commercial invoices, bills of lading, and documentation of TTB COLA compliance. Certificates of age and origin are required for specific spirits (such as Cognac, Tequila, and certain whiskies) pursuant to 27 CFR Part 5. Physical excise stamps or strip stamps are not required.

0% (Guam is a duty-free port; no customs duty is levied under HS 2208, though local excise taxes and business privilege taxes apply upon entry or sale)

Guam Alcoholic Beverage Excise Tax (11 GCA § 26302) imposes $18.00 per gallon on all distilled spirits (prorated for fractional units, approximately $4.76 per liter). In addition, sales are subject to Guam's Business Privilege Tax (BPT/GRT) of 5% on gross business receipts. Federal excise tax applies if spirits are shipped into the U.S. mainland, but imports directly cleared in Guam pay the local excise tax.

Private retail system (no state monopoly). Permitted outlets include Class 4 On-Sale licensees (bars, restaurants, hotels) and Class 5 Off-Sale licensees (liquor stores, supermarkets, grocery stores). Hours of sale: On-Sale premises may sell from 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM daily (drinks must be consumed within 15 minutes and premises vacated by 3:00 AM; air terminals have extended authorizations under 11 GCA § 3415). Off-Sale premises may sell from 9:00 AM to 2:00 AM daily (11 GCA § 3417). All servers, sellers, and managers must hold an ABC Alcohol Employee License and complete mandatory alcohol server training.

Restricted. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping of distilled spirits from off-island is prohibited. Local retail delivery is tightly regulated under Guam ABC provisions requiring direct delivery to licensed premises or strict age-verification procedures; commercial delivery platforms cannot deliver distilled spirits without specific ABC approval and proof of age 21+.

Labels must comply with federal TTB standards (27 CFR Part 5) and 11 GCA § 3424, including: brand name, class and type designation, alcohol content (% ABV), net contents (metric standard sizes between 50 mL and 1 gallon), country of origin, name and address of producer/importer, and the mandatory federal Government Health Warning Statement regarding pregnancy and driving/machinery. Language must be English. Physical tax stamps are not required.

Regulated under 11 GCA § 3401 and ABC rules. Prohibits false, deceptive, or misleading claims, and any marketing targeted at minors under 21. Wholesalers and manufacturers are prohibited from providing gifts, free goods, premiums, secret rebates, or financial inducements to retailers (tied-house restrictions under 11 GCA §§ 3404-3406 and § 3430). Outdoor billboard placement near schools and churches is restricted.

Federal standards under 27 CFR Part 5 govern classifications and identity standards. Under 11 GCA § 3109, distilled spirits are defined as alcoholic beverages obtained by the distillation of fermented agricultural products (whiskey, rum, brandy, gin, and neutral spirits). Spirits must be bottled at a minimum of 40% ABV (80 proof), with specialty flavored spirits/liqueurs minimums governed by TTB regulations. Off-sale and on-sale container sizes for distilled spirits must be between 1 fluid ounce (approx. 30 mL) and 1 gallon (11 GCA §§ 3428-3429).

There are no dry villages or municipal jurisdictions on Guam. However, specific alcohol-free zones exist where consumption and possession are illegal: public and private schools (11 GCA § 3421), correctional facilities (§ 3422), designated sections of public parks and beaches, and public highways/motor vehicles (§ 3423).

• Legislative proposals (Bill 238-37) introduced to evaluate expanding on-sale cabaret and entertainment venue operating hours from 2:00 AM to 4:00 AM.
• Guam DRT and the Office of Public Accountability instituted tighter cross-agency data reconciliation between Guam Customs (CQA) import manifests and DRT Business Privilege Tax returns to combat alcohol excise tax leakage.
• Ongoing strict enforcement of the Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service requirements requiring standardized server/seller training certifications for all employees handling alcoholic beverages.

Guam's status as a duty-free port combined with a large military presence and tourism-driven hospitality sector offers strong demand for premium American whiskeys, tequila, Japanese spirits, and ready-to-drink spirits. Exporters must partner with an established, licensed Guam wholesaler capable of managing local customs clearance, DRT tax compliance, and distribution to hotels, resorts, and retailers.

• Guam Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board / Department of Revenue and Taxation
• Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency (CQA)
• U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)

1. Guam Code Annotated Title 11, Chapter 3 - Alcoholic Beverage Control
2. Guam Code Annotated Title 11, Chapter 26, Article 3 - Alcoholic Beverage Tax (§ 26302)
3. Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation - Regulatory Division
4. Guam Office of Public Accountability - Audit Report No. 23-02 (Excise Taxes on Alcoholic Beverages)
5. U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) - Requirements for Beverage Alcohol Importers