Distillers Alcohol regulations in Iraq
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Iraq, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched February 2026.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in February 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 Spotted something out of date?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 in the Kurdistan Region; no legal drinking age in Federal Iraq (consumption and trade are prohibited under federal law)
- Legal purchase age
- 18 in the Kurdistan Region; prohibited in Federal Iraq
Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- Federal Iraq: Banned. Kurdistan Region: Industrial manufacturing licence and Ministry of Interior security approval.
- Authority
- Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Trade and Industry; banned under Federal Ministry of Industry and Minerals
- Documents
- not confirmed
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Federal Iraq: Commercial import is banned. Kurdistan Region: Registered commercial import companies licensed by KRG authorities.
- Licences or registrations
- Commercial import licence, KRG customs pre-clearance, Certificate of Conformity (CoC)
- Authority
- Federal General Customs Authority (enforces federal ban); KRG Directorate General of Customs (Kurdistan entry points)
- Documents
- Commercial registration, import permit application, Certificate of Origin, commercial invoice, bill of lading, lab analysis certificate
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Product and label registration
- Required
- yes
- Process
- Shipment-by-shipment Pre-Import Inspection and Testing leading to a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) issued by designated third-party inspection bodies (e.g., Bureau Veritas, SGS) verifying compliance with Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC) standards prior to dispatch.
- Authority
- Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control (COSQC)
- Documents and samples
- Technical data sheet, complete ingredients specification, certificate of analysis, specimen artwork/labels, representative product samples for laboratory testing
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Renewal
- Per consignment / shipment basis
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import rules
Commercial importation into Federal Iraq is banned pursuant to Article 14 of Law No. 19 of 2016 (Municipal Revenues Law), upheld by the Federal Supreme Court in August 2023. Imports entering via the Kurdistan Region require pre-shipment inspection, a Certificate of Conformity (CoC), Certificate of Origin, and commercial invoices. Transporting alcohol across internal checkpoints from the Kurdistan Region into Federal Iraq is treated as illicit contraband subject to seizure and penal fines.
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
Spirits (HS 2208) entering via autonomous KRG customs posts face tariff duties and surcharges historically set between 20% and 80%, alongside a 200% federal import surcharge introduced prior to total enforcement; nationwide tariff schedules are subject to Cabinet Decision No. 957 (2025/2026).
Excise and taxes
300% sales tax on alcohol and tobacco under Iraqi tax law (General Commission for Taxes); 15% import value-added / sales tax where assessed.
Retail and distribution
Federal Iraq: Completely banned. Standalone liquor shops, bars, restaurants, and (as of November 2024) private social clubs and tourist hotels are forbidden from selling or serving alcohol. Kurdistan Region: Privately owned licensed liquor shops, hotels, bars, and restaurants operate legally, primarily in non-Muslim/Christian districts (such as Ankawa in Erbil) and Sulaymaniyah.
Online sale and delivery
banned
Labelling
Mandatory Arabic (and English under updated COSQC requirements) labelling directly printed or indelibly marked on packages; must include product name, net volume, alcohol by volume (% ABV), country of origin, producer name and address, lot/batch number, and production/expiration dates.
Advertising
Banned across broadcast television, radio, print, and online/digital media under Communications and Media Commission (CMC) digital content regulations and Iraqi public decency statutes.
Legal definitions of spirits
Governed by Iraqi Standard (IQS) specifications established by COSQC for alcoholic beverages and distilled spirits (defining physical/chemical properties, maximum methanol and heavy metal thresholds); specific minimum ABV thresholds by individual spirit category are not confirmed.
Dry or restricted areas
All of Federal Iraq (including Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, and strictly in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala) is under legal prohibition with minor carve-outs limited to duty-free zones (e.g., Baghdad International Airport). The semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region (Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok) is not dry and allows lawful sale and consumption.
Recent changes
- March 2023: Article 14 of the Municipal Revenues Law (Law No. 19 of 2016) was published in the Official Gazette (Al-Waqa'i Al-Iraqiya), enacting a formal federal ban on the import, manufacture, and sale of alcoholic beverages, with fines of 10 million to 25 million IQD.
- August 2023: The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court dismissed all constitutional challenges filed by minority parliamentarians and affirmed that the prohibition in Article 14 is constitutional and binding on all state authorities.
- November 2024: The Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Interior eliminated remaining venue exemptions in Federal Iraq, ordering social clubs (such as Al-Alwiyah Club and the Iraqi Hunting Club) and tourist hotels to permanently halt the sale and serving of alcohol.
- 2024–2026: The Kurdistan Regional Government continued its official refusal to enforce the federal alcohol ban, maintaining autonomous border clearance and domestic distribution within the Kurdistan Region.
- Late 2025 / Early 2026: Federal Iraq initiated enforcement of Cabinet Decision No. 957 revising tariff collection and implementing the ASYCUDA automated customs system, while security forces ramped up border and inter-provincial checkpoint seizures of alcohol smuggled from Kurdistan.
Opportunities for exporters
Commercial spirits exporters face an effective total prohibition across Federal Iraq. Viable commercial opportunities are restricted exclusively to the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where imported spirits continue to be cleared and sold through licensed regional importers and hospitality venues.
Regulators
Sources
- Iraqi Federal Supreme Court Ruling on Article 14 of Municipal Revenues Law
- PwC Iraq Tax Summary - Sales Tax and Customs Duties
- Shafaq News - One Year After Iraq Moved to Shut Down Alcohol Shops
- Shafaq News - Iraq Enforces Cabinet Decision No. 957 on Customs Tariffs
- The Washington Post - Iraq Bans Booze at Social Clubs and Hotels
- L'Orient Today - Baghdad Tightens Restrictions on Alcohol Sales
- US International Trade Administration - Iraq Labeling and Marking Requirements
Selling into Iraq or buying from it?