Alcohol regulations in Turkmenistan

Licences needed

State licence for the manufacture of ethyl alcohol and alcoholic products

Authority

Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan

Documents

Application, founding documents, certificate of state registration, proof of suitable manufacturing and storage facilities, technical and sanitary compliance certificates, and production equipment specifications

Fees

State duty/fee established by Cabinet of Ministers regulations (not confirmed exact amount)

Time to obtain

Statutory review period up to 30 days

Who can import

State enterprises and licensed private legal entities registered to conduct foreign economic trade in Turkmenistan

Licences or registrations

Registration of foreign trade contracts with the State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange of Turkmenistan (SCRMET); import and trade permit/licence

Authority

Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations and State Customs Service of Turkmenistan

Documents

Import contract registered with SCRMET, certificate of origin, certificate of conformity, phytosanitary and hygiene safety certificates, commercial invoice, bill of lading / CMR

Fees

0.2% customs processing fee on contract value, plus contract registration fees at SCRMET

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required

yes

Process

Mandatory conformity assessment, sanitary-epidemiological examination, and pre-clearance verification of Turkmen-language label compliance against national technical regulations prior to customs release and commercial sale

Authority

Main State Service Turkmenstandartlary (State Standards Service) and the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry

Documents and samples

Product specification, certificate of analysis/quality from country of origin, manufacturer declaration, product samples for laboratory safety testing, draft Turkmen label layout

Fees

Laboratory testing and conformity certification fee schedules set by Turkmenstandartlary (not confirmed exact amount)

Renewal

Issued per imported consignment or standard certification batch validity

Time to obtain

not confirmed

All commercial import contracts must be registered with the State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange (SCRMET). Imported spirits must have Turkmen excise stamps affixed prior to customs release (stamps are issued and monitored by the State Customs Service). Each consignment requires certificates of origin, safety/hygiene certificates, and conformity certificates. Personal duty-free importation by international travelers is strictly capped at 1 liter.

Standard customs tariff duties range between 5% and 10% ad valorem, plus a 0.2% customs clearance fee on the customs value

Import excise tax on spirits with alcohol content over 20% ABV is 168% of the customs value, but not less than 61 TMT (Turkmen manat) per liter. Beverages with alcohol content up to 20% ABV pay 168% of customs value, but not less than 39 TMT per liter. Value Added Tax (VAT) is 15%.

Permitted only by licensed retail stores and licensed on-premise catering establishments (bars, restaurants, hotel lounges). Retail store sales are prohibited on Saturdays and Sundays nationwide, as well as on all non-working public holidays and national commemorative days. Sales are forbidden within or near educational, medical, sports, and military facilities, at kiosks and temporary stalls, and aboard passenger trains, aircraft, and ferries.

banned

Labels must be printed in the Turkmen language (Russian and/or English may appear concurrently). Labels must state product name, legal address of manufacturer and importer, country of origin, alcoholic strength (% ABV), volume, ingredients, date of manufacture, shelf life/storage instructions, barcode, a mandatory health warning regarding the harm of alcohol consumption, and physical application of the official Turkmen excise tax stamp.

Completely banned. All forms of direct and indirect advertising, public promotion, and commercial sponsorship of alcoholic beverages across print media, TV, radio, digital networks/internet, and outdoor displays are strictly prohibited under the Law on Prevention of Harmful Effects of Alcohol.

Regulated under Turkmen State Standards (TDS) and applicable interstate CIS GOST standards. Distilled spirits must be manufactured from rectified ethyl alcohol produced from agricultural/food raw materials; vodka has a standard minimum strength of 40% ABV.

Nationwide weekend retail ban (Saturdays and Sundays) for off-premise sales; nationwide retail ban on official state holidays and commemorative days; complete bans within transportation vehicles (aircraft, trains, ships), sports, cultural, medical, and educational premises. Public outdoor consumption (parks, squares, streets, beaches, stations, public buildings) is illegal nationwide.

• In April 2026, the President of Turkmenistan signed amendments to Article 315 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (effective May 1, 2026), significantly strengthening penalties, doubling minimum fines for legal entities (starting at 20 base units) and officials, and introducing strict penalties (up to 50 base units, and up to 100 base units for repeat violations) with mandatory product confiscation for the unlicensed production, purchase, sale, transport, or storage of alcohol and tobacco products lacking mandatory excise stamps.
• Full implementation and strict enforcement of the nationwide retail ban on off-premise alcohol sales on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) established under the Law on the Prevention of Harmful Effects of Alcohol.

Opportunities are heavily restricted due to prohibitive excise tariffs (168% ad valorem with high specific floors), foreign exchange allocation constraints, and mandatory weekend retail sales bans. Market entry is realistically confined to ultra-premium spirits distributed through luxury international hotels, diplomatic suppliers, and high-end restaurants in Ashgabat.

• State Customs Service of Turkmenistan
• State Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange of Turkmenistan (SCRMET)
• Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan
• Main State Service Turkmenstandartlary

1. State Customs Service of Turkmenistan - Excise Rates on Imported Goods
2. Law of Turkmenistan 'On Prevention of Harmful Effects of Alcohol'
3. International Trade Administration: Turkmenistan Country Commercial Guide - Import Tariffs & Labeling
4. Business Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan Updates Rules For Sale of Alcohol and Tobacco Products (April 2026)