Distillers Alcohol regulations in Saint Pierre and Miquelon
How to import or export liquor and spirits to Saint Pierre and Miquelon, how to register products and labels, the import duty and taxes, and how to get a licence to make alcohol there. Researched August 2026.
Research guide, not legal advice. Compiled in August 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 Spotted something out of date?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
- Legal
- Legal drinking age
- 18
- Legal purchase age
- 18
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Licence to make spirits (distillery and bottling)
- Licences needed
- Distillation authorization, excise warehousekeeper licence (statut d'entrepositaire agréé), environmental installation declaration/permit (ICPE) if distillation volumes exceed industrial thresholds
- Authority
- Service des Douanes de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon / Préfecture de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
- Documents
- Commercial registration (Kbis/CACIMA), proof of identity, technical plant blueprints, still registration and measuring device calibration certificates, financial guarantee for excise liabilities
- Fees
- Administrative filing is free; financial caution/guarantee is required
- Time to obtain
- not confirmed
Import licence and registration
- Who can import
- Any registered commercial entity or licensed customs broker registered in Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Licences or registrations
- Account registration in the local Sydonia World customs clearance system; filing of a Single Administrative Document (DAU)
- Authority
- Service des Douanes de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
- Documents
- Commercial invoice, bill of lading or airway bill, packing list, DAU customs declaration, and EUR.1 or certificate of origin for preferential duty treatment
- Fees
- Sydonia account registration is free; standard customs processing fees apply
- Time to obtain
- 1 to 5 business days for account registration; 24 to 48 hours for customs declaration processing
Product and label registration
Required: no Process: No pre-market brand or label registration is required; spirits must comply with French and EU standards (Regulation (EU) 2019/787 and EU 1169/2011) and are inspected at customs clearance or through…
Import rules
Commercial imports must be declared via Sydonia World with a DAU; goods of EU origin require movement certificate (EUR.1 or invoice declaration) to claim 0% customs duty; no state import monopoly; commercial shipments do not…
Import duty on spirits (HS 2208)
Spirits (HS 2208) originating in the European Union or associated Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT/PTOM) enter at 0% customs duty (droit de douane); non-EU imports are subject to MFN customs duties under the Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon Customs Tariff (SH 2022), plus landing tax (droit de débarquement) of 2% ad valorem
Excise and taxes
Value Added Tax (TVA) does not apply in Saint Pierre and Miquelon; spirits are subject to a territorial consumption duty (droit de consommation) established by the Territorial Council (e.g., 55% ad valorem on whiskies, 60.5% on…
Retail and distribution
Private sector retailers (wine shops, supermarkets, grocers) and hospitality establishments (bars, restaurants, nightclubs); sellers must hold a municipal licence (Licence de débit de boissons à consommer sur place or à emporter)…
Online sale and delivery
allowed; sellers must hold an off-premise licence (licence à emporter), must not sell or deliver to minors under 18, and must hold a night alcohol sales training permit (permis de vente de boissons alcooliques la nuit) if…
Labelling
French language mandatory (Loi Toubon); legal product denomination, net volume, alcoholic strength by volume (% vol), lot number, producer/importer address, allergen declarations (e.g., sulfites), and mandatory pregnancy health…
Advertising
Strictly restricted under the French Loi Évin (Code de la santé publique Art. L. 3323-2 et seq.); advertising allowed only in specialized print, adult radio during specific hours, and non-youth-focused digital media; all ads must…
Legal definitions of spirits
Governed by Regulation (EU) 2019/787: minimum ABV of 40% for whisky, 37.5% for vodka, gin, and rum, and 36% to 37.5% for brandies/fruit spirits
Dry or restricted areas
No dry zones across the archipelago; protected perimeter bans (zones protégées) apply around schools, sports centres, and healthcare facilities where opening new on-premise drinking establishments is prohibited
Recent changes
Continued enforcement of the revised local customs tariff incorporating WCO HS 2022 nomenclature under Délibération n° 301-2022 Application of consolidated municipal and prefectural policing frameworks (Arrêté préfectoral n° 374)…
Opportunities for exporters
The archipelago is entirely reliant on imported spirits, offering steady niche demand for European, French, and North American brands. European Union producers benefit from 0% customs duty under PTOM association status, though…
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Sign in to read the full guideSources
- Douanes SPM - Tarif des douanes 2022 et Délibération n° 301-2022
- IEDOM - Rapport annuel et fiscalité applicable à Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
- Journal Officiel de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon - Délibérations relatives au droit de consommation du chapitre 22
- Mairie de Saint-Pierre - Réglementation des débits de boissons et Arrêté préfectoral n° 374
- Service Public France - Transport et franchise d'alcools vers et depuis l'Outre-mer
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