Distillers Alcohol regulations in Mauritania
Licensing, import, labelling and tax rules for spirits. Researched March 2026.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in March 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 Spotted something out of date?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
- Full prohibition
- Legal drinking age
- None (prohibited)
- Legal purchase age
- None (prohibited)
Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- none available (production is prohibited)
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Commercial importation is completely prohibited; only accredited diplomatic missions and select multinational enterprises granted exceptional discretionary government authorizations for expatriate staff may import alcohol
- Licences or registrations
- Special ministerial import permit / duty exemption letter
- Authority
- Direction Générale des Douanes (Ministry of Finance) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Documents
- Exemption letter from Ministry of Finance or Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic credentials or company expatriate authorization, shipping documents (bill of lading / air waybill, commercial invoice)
- Fees
- not confirmed
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Product and label registration
- Required
- no
- Process
- None; commercial registration mechanisms do not exist due to nationwide prohibition
Import rules
Alcohol (HS 2208) is legally classified as prohibited goods under Mauritanian customs rules. Personal carriage (including passenger duty-free purchases) is prohibited and subject to airport confiscation, fines, or detention; unauthorized commercial shipments face seizure and criminal prosecution.
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
Commercial imports are prohibited (HS 2208 banned; not applicable for commercial tariffs)
Excise and taxes
Commercial market is banned; while the Mauritanian General Tax Code (Code Général des Impôts) lists an internal consumption tax (taxe de consommation) applicable to authorized institutional or transit regimes, standard commercial sales and domestic excise systems do not operate.
Retail and distribution
Banned; no retail liquor stores, commercial off-licences, or public bars operate legally
Online sale and delivery
banned
Labelling
Commercial sale is prohibited; standard commercial alcohol labelling regulations do not exist
Advertising
Completely banned across all media and sponsorship
Legal definitions of spirits
None
Dry or restricted areas
The entire national territory of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania is dry.
Recent changes
- Customs classifications reaffirmed the absolute ban on HS 2208 for commercial cross-border logistics.
- Judicial and police operations throughout 2024–2026 continue strict enforcement and prosecution of unauthorized cross-border trafficking and domestic possession of alcohol under the Penal Code.
Opportunities for exporters
There are no commercial market opportunities for foreign alcohol exporters in Mauritania due to total legal prohibition. Demand is virtually confined to exceptional, non-commercial diplomatic consignments.
Regulators
Sources
Selling into Mauritania or buying from it?