Alcohol regulations in Fujairah

Licences needed

Industrial Manufacturing Licence, Environmental and Public Health Clearance, Civil Defence Approval, and Ministry of Interior Security NOC

Authority

Fujairah Municipality / Fujairah Free Zone Authority (FFZA) and Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)

Documents

Feasibility study, facility layout and equipment technical specs, Environmental Impact Assessment, civil defence compliance certificates, trade name reservation

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Corporate entities holding a commercial trade licence specifically authorizing liquor trading/importation (Type A licence)

Licences or registrations

Type A Liquor Import Licence, Commercial Trading Licence, Fujairah Customs Importer Code

Authority

Fujairah Customs, Fujairah Free Zone Authority (FFZA) / Fujairah Municipality, and Ministry of Interior / Fujairah Police

Documents

Valid commercial licence, chamber of commerce registration, designated bonded warehouse lease agreement, passport/Emirates ID of owners and managers, Ministry of Interior NOC

Fees

Approx. AED 110,000 to AED 180,000 for free zone import/re-export setup (including an approx. AED 50,000 refundable security deposit)

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required

yes

Process

Conformity assessment and product registration via the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) portal, verifying compliance with Gulf Standardization Organization (GSO) and UAE food and beverage standards

Authority

Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and Fujairah Municipality Food Control Department

Documents and samples

Certificate of Analysis (CoA), original product labels, certificate of origin, lab test report confirming agricultural ethanol origin and absence of toxic alcohols/methanol

Fees

not confirmed

Renewal

Annual

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Importer of record must hold a Type A liquor licence; every consignment requires prior import clearance/permits from local police/Ministry of Interior and Fujairah Customs; shipments must include a bill of lading, commercial invoice, certificate of origin, packing list, and certificate of analysis; transit or storage must be inside licensed bonded warehouses.

50% customs duty based on CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) value under HS Code 2208.

UAE Federal Excise Tax does not apply to alcoholic beverages (it is reserved for tobacco and sweetened/energy drinks); standard 5% UAE Value Added Tax (VAT) applies to sales; local municipality or service fees may apply to on-premise hotel/restaurant bills.

Off-premise sales are conducted via specialized licensed private retail stores (cellars, such as The Cellar Dibba and Fujairah Cellars). On-premise sales are restricted to licensed hotels, resorts, tourist clubs, and restaurants. Unlike Dubai, Fujairah does not mandate an individual personal liquor licence for consumers to buy from retail shops, but buyers must show valid official government photo ID proving age 21 or older.

restricted

Compliance with UAE.S 9:2019 / GSO standards: product name, category of spirit, brand name, alcohol by volume (ABV %), net contents, country of origin, batch number, production/bottling date, importer/distributor details, allergen warnings, and mandatory age warnings (prohibiting sale to individuals under 21 years of age). Bilingual (Arabic/English) or sticker translations required.

Strictly prohibited across all mass media, print, billboards, radio, television, and digital/social media platforms under the UAE Media Regulatory Office Content Resolution (Resolution No. 26 of 2017). Alcohol marketing, public displays, and sponsorships are prohibited; marketing is confined to discreet inside-establishment menus and point-of-sale materials within licensed venues.

Regulated under UAE/GSO standard frameworks (UAE.S/GSO 1694 and related spirits specifications): ethanol must be purely of agricultural origin; distilled spirits must be free from synthetic alcohols, methanol, and harmful levels of heavy metals (arsenic, lead max 0.2 mg/L; cadmium max 0.01 mg/L); minimum alcoholic strength for alcoholic beverages is 0.5% ABV.

Public streets, public beaches, parks, religious sites, educational facilities, and general commercial areas are dry; consumption and possession are strictly limited to private residences and licensed hospitality establishments.

• Continued enforcement of Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 (Crimes and Penalties Law), confirming minimum drinking and purchasing age of 21 and leaving local retail/consumption licensing administration to individual emirate discretion.
• Reaffirmation of no individual consumer alcohol licence requirement in Fujairah retail shops, requiring only valid ID verification showing age 21 or older.
• Corporate legal structure updates under amended Commercial Companies Law enabling free zone trading and re-export entities to access broader regional commercial pathways.

Fujairah's strategic coastal location outside the Strait of Hormuz and its established Free Zone make it an attractive, cost-effective re-export and bonded storage hub for international spirits brands. In addition, exporters can supply premium and luxury distilled spirits to Fujairah's expanding coastal resort and luxury hotel hospitality sector via licensed regional distributors.

• Fujairah Municipality
• Fujairah Customs
• Fujairah Free Zone Authority (FFZA)
• Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)
• UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA)

1. UAE Federal Portal: Excise Tax and Indirect Taxes
2. Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 on Crimes and Penalties
3. Altus Citadel: Alcohol Trading and Import Licensing in the UAE and Fujairah
4. JSB UAE: Guide to Commercial Alcohol Import and Wholesale Licensing
5. Gulf News: Emirate-by-Emirate Alcohol Regulations and Licence Rules
6. Al Tamimi & Company: Advertising and Marketing of Alcoholic Beverages in the UAE
7. Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism: Regulatory Standards for Alcoholic Beverages and Food Safety