Alcohol regulations in Sao Tome and Principe

Licences needed

Alvará Industrial (Industrial License) and commercial establishment authorization.

Authority

Direcção da Indústria / Direcção do Comércio (Ministério do Turismo e Comércio / Ministério da Economia)

Documents

Company registration, proof of business premises, environmental/sanitary clearance, tax identification

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Any natural or legal person registered commercially as an importer

Licences or registrations

Annual registration on the official Importer Registry (Registo de Importador); commercial operating license (Alvará Comercial)

Authority

Direcção do Comércio (Directorate of Commerce)

Documents

Commercial registration certificate, tax identification number (NIF), annual importer registration form

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required

no

Process

There is no mandatory pre-market label approval system or brand registration requirement specifically for alcoholic beverages before importation, though trademark protection can be filed through the national industrial property office or ARIPO.

Authority

Serviço Nacional da Propriedade Intelectual e da Qualidade (SENAPIQ-STP) for voluntary trademark/brand protection

Documents and samples

Standard commercial shipping documents and sanitary certificates upon customs declaration; not applicable for specialized label approval

Fees

not confirmed

Renewal

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Importers must clear shipments through Direcção-Geral das Alfândegas (DGA) with customs clearance documentation indicating quantity and tax stamps/settlement from the Direcção dos Impostos. Required documentation includes the commercial invoice, bill of lading, and certificate of origin. Imports of spirits containing essences deemed harmful (such as absinthe with prohibited levels of thujone, benzoic aldehyde, or salicylic ethers) are strictly prohibited under customs regulations. Personal duty-free traveler allowances are restricted to 1 liter of spirits (maximum 40% ABV) for passengers aged 18 and older.

20% ad valorem customs tariff (Category Three intermediate goods under the Common External Tariff) plus customs surcharges.

Spirits are subject to a specific excise duty (Imposto Especial sobre o Consumo - IEC, governed by Decreto-Lei n.º 27/2021) assessed at approximately $1.40 USD per liter. Value Added Tax (IVA), implemented June 1, 2023, applies at a standard rate of 15%.

Private retail system; licensed supermarkets, grocery stores, bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues may retail spirits under a municipal/commercial license (alvará). There is no state retail monopoly. Sales to minors under 16 are prohibited, and access by minors to nighttime drinking premises is banned.

allowed

Labels must be in Portuguese or include Portuguese translation for consumer information; mandatory items generally include product description, net volume, alcohol by volume (% ABV), country of origin, and manufacturer/importer identification. Mandatory health warning statements are not established in statutory labeling regulations.

Direct sales promotions to minors are prohibited. While comprehensive advertising and marketing restrictions have been drafted and proposed in collaboration with WHO, alcohol advertising in general media has historically operated with few statutory limits.

not confirmed

There are no dry geographic regions. Sales and distribution of alcoholic beverages are restricted in or around primary and secondary schools and within healthcare facilities.

• In April 2025, the Council of Ministers mandated multisectoral enforcement teams to strictly inspect venues and penalize vendors selling alcohol to minors under Lei n.º 3/2012.
• Implementation of the national Value Added Tax (IVA) system at a standard 15% rate took full operational effect, replacing previous turnover and consumption taxes on commercial goods including beverages.

São Tomé and Principe relies almost entirely on imports for premium distilled spirits such as whisky, rum, and gin to supply its growing hospitality, eco-tourism, and urban retail markets. Exporters face minimal non-tariff product registration hurdles, though high cumulative import tariffs, per-liter excise fees, and 15% VAT keep the formal premium market volume modest.

• Direcção-Geral das Alfândegas (DGA)
• Direcção dos Impostos (DGI)
• Ministério do Turismo e Comércio / Direcção do Comércio
• Serviço Nacional da Propriedade Intelectual e da Qualidade (SENAPIQ-STP)
• Ministério da Saúde

1. ITA Trade.gov - Sao Tome and Principe Import Tariffs and Market Entry
2. STP-Press - Autoridades proíbem menores a actividades nocturnas, bebidas e tabaco
3. Téla Nón - Governo proíbe acesso de menores as actividades nocturnas e ao convívio com o álcool
4. Diário da República de São Tomé e Príncipe - Lei n.º 3/2012
5. Diário da República de São Tomé e Príncipe - Decreto Lei n.º 27/2021 (Código do Imposto Especial sobre Consumo - IEC)
6. WHO - Development of alcohol control law, Sao Tome and Principe
7. Inventa - Intellectual Property Overview in São Tomé and Príncipe