Alcohol regulations in Lebanon

Licences needed

Industrial Establishment and Operating Permit (Class 1 or 2 industrial classification depending on scale), Environmental Clearance, Food Safety/Hygiene Approval

Authority

Ministry of Industry (Directorate General of Industry)

Documents

Title deed or commercial lease contract, cadastral registration certificate, architectural and machinery layout plans, industrial process flow description, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or clearance from Ministry of Environment, Commercial Register extract

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Commercially registered companies and entities in Lebanon with authorized import/trade activities registered with the Ministry of Economy and Trade and Lebanese Customs

Licences or registrations

Commercial Registration (Commercial Court Register), tax registration number, and customs importer registration via the ASYCUDA system

Authority

Lebanese Customs Administration (Higher Council of Customs) and Ministry of Economy and Trade

Documents

Commercial invoice, bill of lading / airway bill, packing list, certificate of origin, certificate of analysis/health certificate from country of origin, commercial register extract

Fees

Standard customs transaction and administrative fees

Time to obtain

A few days for customs processing upon document clearance

Required

no

Process

Lebanon does not enforce a formal prior brand or label pre-approval system (such as US TTB COLA). Compliance with mandatory national standards (LIBNOR) and labeling laws is verified at customs clearance via document check and random batch laboratory sampling.

Authority

Lebanese Standards Institution (LIBNOR) and Ministry of Economy and Trade (Consumer Protection Directorate)

Documents and samples

Certificate of analysis from manufacturer/accredited laboratory, representative product samples for port border testing (tested by IRI or LARI)

Fees

Testing fees assessed per consignment when samples are drawn for analysis

Renewal

None (applied on a per-shipment clearance basis)

Time to obtain

Consignment inspection and laboratory clearance typically takes 3 to 10 days

Commercial imports must be cleared through a licensed Lebanese Importer of Record. Consignments require a Certificate of Origin, Certificate of Analysis, and standard shipping documentation. Border consignments may be referred to the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) or the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) for laboratory testing. Lebanon has no state import monopoly on alcohol. Individual excise tax strip stamps are not systematically applied to spirit bottles, but customs duty payment proofs and clearance seals apply.

Spirits (HS heading 2208) are subject to a base customs tariff of 5% ad valorem, plus an additional 3% customs fee on VAT-liable goods, with luxury or domestic-substitute surcharges of up to 10% applicable on designated classifications.

Specific excise duty on spirits/whiskey of 1,200 LBP per litre (under fiscal law and Budget Law provisions), plus standard Value-Added Tax (VAT) of 11% applied to the CIF customs value plus customs duties and excise.

Private retail distribution. Spirits are sold freely in supermarkets, specialized liquor stores, and grocery shops. On-premise sales (bars, pubs, clubs, hotels, restaurants) operate under commercial and tourism hospitality licences issued by the Ministry of Tourism and local municipalities. There is no state retail monopoly, but operating hours and zoning can be regulated by local municipal bylaws.

allowed

Labels must indicate product name/type, brand name, alcoholic strength by volume (% ABV), net volume (metric units), country of origin, manufacturer/bottler name and address, lot/batch number, and allergen disclosures. Mandatory information must appear in Arabic, French, or English; supplemental stickers with Arabic text are permitted.

Permitted with specific restrictions. Alcohol advertising is legal across print, billboards, digital, and broadcast media under Decree No. 8861/1996 and Law No. 382/1994, governed by the Consumer Protection Law. Ads must not mislead, make health claims, target minors, or portray alcohol in conjunction with operating vehicles or dangerous activities.

LIBNOR defines mandatory standards (NL standards) for alcoholic beverages. Arak must be produced from distilled grape alcohol and aniseed (typically minimum 50% ABV or strictly 45%-53% ABV). Distilled spirits such as whisky, vodka, gin, and brandy must satisfy standard international identity profiles and minimum ABV limits (generally 40% ABV).

Certain predominantly Muslim or conservative municipalities and districts (such as Tripoli, Sidon/Saida, Nabatieh, and parts of the southern suburbs of Beirut) enact municipal bans or do not issue permits for retail alcohol sales or public on-premise alcohol consumption.

• Article 43 of the 2024 Budget Law introduced domestic alcohol excise duties to narrow the fiscal disparity with imported alcoholic beverages, maintained through 2025 and 2026.
• Extension of temporary additional customs duty surcharges (including the 3% general fee on VAT-liable imports) under recent national budget laws.
• Strengthened enforcement campaigns by the Ministry of Tourism and Internal Security Forces targeting venues admitting minors or serving alcoholic beverages to individuals under 18.

Lebanon has a strong dining and nightlife culture with robust consumer demand for premium imported spirits, notably Scotch whisky, vodka, gin, and tequila. Exporters should focus on working with established local distribution networks that can navigate ongoing monetary fluctuations and customs clearance processes.

• Lebanese Standards Institution (LIBNOR)
• Lebanese Customs Administration
• Ministry of Economy and Trade (MoET)
• Ministry of Industry
• Ministry of Tourism

1. European Commission DG TRADE - Duties on Imported Alcoholic Beverages in Lebanon
2. PwC Lebanon Corporate - Other Taxes
3. Decree No. 12222 of 1963 and Lebanese Penal Code Articles 625-626 on Minor Protection
4. SADER & Associates - Lebanon Advertising Law and Media Regulation