Alcohol regulations in Paraguay

Licences needed

Registro de Establecimiento (R.E.) for food/beverage processing from INAN; Municipal Commercial/Industrial License (Patente Comercial e Industrial); Environmental License (MADES) if applicable; Tax Registration (RUC) with DNIT.

Authority

Instituto Nacional de Alimentación y Nutrición (INAN / MSPBS), local Municipalidad, and DNIT.

Documents

Application via SIGRA system, Technical Director credential (Dirección Técnica per Decreto 7634/17), Good Manufacturing Practices (BPM) manual, establishment layout plan, property deed/lease, municipal approval, and company constitutive documents.

Fees

Regulated under Resolución S.G. N° 484/2011; generally 1,500,000 to 3,000,000 PYG depending on facility size (50% reduction for certified microenterprises).

Time to obtain

Approximately 30 to 90 business days.

Who can import

Any legally established company or sole proprietor in Paraguay registered as an importer in the customs system and holding an active tax ID (RUC).

Licences or registrations

Registro de Establecimiento (R.E.) as food/beverage importer with INAN; registration in the Ventanilla Única del Importador (VUI) of DNIT.

Authority

INAN (MSPBS) and Dirección Nacional de Ingresos Tributarios (DNIT).

Documents

RUC certificate, corporate bylaws, identification of legal representative, warehouse lease or deed, technical director appointment, and municipal patent.

Fees

INAN establishment registration tariff under Resolución S.G. N° 484/2011 plus DNIT VUI registration fee.

Time to obtain

Approximately 30 to 60 days.

Required

yes

Process

Mandatory sanitary registration of the product and label approval (Registro Sanitario de Producto Alimenticio - R.S.P.A.) under Resolución S.G. N° 252/2018. Submitted electronically via the SIGRA platform prior to import or market placement.

Authority

Instituto Nacional de Alimentación y Nutrición (INAN / MSPBS).

Documents and samples

Technical data sheet signed by technical director, qualitative-quantitative formulation, manufacturing flowchart, Certificate of Free Sale (legalized or apostilled), Certificate of Analysis, draft label in Spanish, and trademark ownership or authorization documentation (DINAPI).

Fees

Established under Resolución S.G. N° 484/2011 (approx. 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 PYG per product).

Renewal

Valid for 5 years; renewal must be filed prior to expiry.

Time to obtain

Typically 60 to 120 days.

Importer of record established in Paraguay is required. Consignments require import authorization (despacho aduanero) linked to valid R.S.P.A., commercial invoice, bill of lading, Certificate of Origin (for preferential tariff treatment), and Certificate of Free Sale. No physical tax strip stamps are applied to bottles; electronic tax control is handled via DNIT invoicing (Sistema Marangatu / SIFEN). No state import monopoly exists.

20% ad valorem (CIF) under Mercosur Common External Tariff (AEC) for HS 2208; 0% for originating Mercosur trade with compliant certificate of origin.

Impuesto Selectivo al Consumo (ISC) governed by Ley N° 6380/2019 and Decreto N° 3109/2019: 11% ad valorem on spirits >30% ABV (statutory ceiling is 12%). Value Added Tax (IVA): standard rate of 10%.

Private retail distribution through supermarkets, convenience stores, specialized liquor shops ('bodegas'), restaurants, and bars. Ley N° 1642/2000 prohibits sale or supply to persons under 20 years old and bans consumption in public streets, squares, sidewalks, or parked vehicles. Retail operating hours and nightlife curfews are set by municipal ordinances.

Allowed; e-commerce and delivery apps operate freely subject to strict age verification ensuring purchasers and recipients are at least 20 years old, alongside DNIT electronic invoicing.

Spanish language mandatory; product designation/category; commercial brand; country of origin; manufacturer and importer name and address; net volume; alcoholic strength (% vol.); batch/lot number; INAN registration numbers (R.E. and R.S.P.A.); and mandatory warning statement: 'Prohibida su venta a menores de 20 años' (Ley N° 1642/2000).

Ley N° 1642/2000 and consumer regulations prohibit alcohol advertising targeting individuals under 20 years old or depicting minors. Ads must not associate alcohol with driving, sexual prowess, health benefits, or enhanced physical performance, and must include health warnings regarding excess consumption and minor sales restrictions.

Governed by Mercosur GMC Technical Regulations (GMC Res. 77/94 and 78/94) and Paraguayan national standards: Whisky (min. 40% ABV); Rum/Ron (min. 35% ABV); Gin (min. 37.5% ABV); Vodka (min. 36% to 37.5% ABV); Brandy/Coñac (min. 36% ABV); Caña Paraguaya (national spirit protected under Ley N° 2542/2006 and Decreto N° 17462/2002, distilled from sugarcane juice or molasses, min. 40% ABV, aged in oak or native wood).

No nationwide dry jurisdictions. Consumption in public streets, avenues, parks, and sidewalks is forbidden nationwide under Ley N° 1642/2000. Alcohol sales are temporarily banned during national elections pursuant to the Código Electoral (Ley N° 834/1996), beginning 12 hours prior to voting.

• Full implementation and consolidation of the Dirección Nacional de Ingresos Tributarios (DNIT, created under Ley N° 7143/2023), integrating customs and internal tax operations for unified alcohol excise and import enforcement.
• Mandatory integration of digital processing via SIGRA for sanitary registrations (R.E. and R.S.P.A.) with INAN.
• Progressive implementation of mandatory nationwide electronic invoicing (SIFEN) for wholesale and retail beverage transactions.

Paraguay offers one of the lowest combined tax burdens in the Southern Cone (11% excise tax and 10% VAT) for distilled spirits, serving a receptive domestic market for premium imported whisky, gin, and vodka as well as established regional cross-border commerce.

• Instituto Nacional de Alimentación y Nutrición (INAN)
• Dirección Nacional de Ingresos Tributarios (DNIT)
• Dirección Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria (DINAVISA)
• Ministerio de Industria y Comercio (MIC)

1. Ley N° 1642/2000 - Prohíbe la venta de bebidas alcohólicas a menores de edad y prohíbe su consumo en la vía pública
2. Ley N° 6380/2019 - De Modernización y Simplificación del Sistema Tributario Nacional (Impuesto Selectivo al Consumo)
3. Decreto N° 3109/2019 - Reglamentación del Impuesto Selectivo al Consumo (Tasas de Bebidas)
4. INAN - Registro de Establecimiento (R.E.) y Registro Sanitario de Producto Alimenticio (R.S.P.A.)
5. Resolución S.G. N° 252/2018 - Reglamento para R.S.P.A. del Ministerio de Salud Pública y Bienestar Social