Alcohol regulations in Ras Al Khaimah

Licences needed

Industrial/commercial operating license from RAKEZ or RAK DED, alongside an alcoholic beverage manufacturing permit issued by RAKTDA, plus Civil Defence and environmental clearances.

Authority

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) in coordination with Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) / RAK Department of Economic Development

Documents

not confirmed

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Only licensed distribution companies holding a valid RAKTDA-issued Import & Distribution Licence and registered with RAK Customs.

Licences or registrations

Commercial Trade Licence with authorized alcohol activity, RAKTDA Import & Distribution Licence, and RAK Customs Importer Code.

Authority

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) and Ras Al Khaimah Customs Department

Documents

not confirmed

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required

no

Process

Imported alcoholic beverages do not undergo a dedicated federal or emirate-level brand/label pre-approval process (such as US TTB COLA); clearance is handled per shipment through licensed distributors verifying compliance with standard UAE customs and origin documentation.

Authority

RAKTDA, RAK Customs, and Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)

Documents and samples

Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, and bill of lading; samples are subject to ad hoc customs inspection rather than a mandatory pre-market registration database.

Fees

not confirmed

Renewal

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Imports must be consigned to a licensed importer of record holding a RAKTDA permit. Standard shipping documents (Certificate of Origin, Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice) are required. No physical strip stamps or excise stamps are mandated for spirits in the UAE.

50% ad valorem based on CIF (Cost, Insurance, Freight) value under the GCC Unified Customs Tariff (HS heading 2208).

Customs duty is 50% CIF. Federal excise tax (Federal Decree-Law No. 7 of 2017) does not apply to alcoholic beverages. Ras Al Khaimah does not levy a municipal alcohol retail surcharge (unlike historical taxes in Dubai). A 5% federal Value Added Tax (VAT) applies to the duty-inclusive price.

Sold through authorized private retail stores (e.g., Centaurus International, JMK Cellars, Supercellar, Al Hamra Cellar) and licensed on-premise venues (hotels, resorts, licensed restaurants, beach clubs). Neither tourists nor residents require a personal liquor license to purchase or possess alcohol for private use. Retailers typically operate daytime/evening hours (approx. 09:00 to 22:00). Venues and retail shops cannot be located near places of worship or educational institutions.

allowed

Under UAE import practices for authorized distributors, alcoholic beverages are exempt from mandatory Arabic translation if standard country-of-origin packaging contains English declarations of product type, brand name, net volume, country of origin, and alcohol by volume (ABV). Physical tax or excise stamps are not required.

Alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and public promotional marketing are prohibited under UAE federal media laws and local guidelines. Marketing is confined to point-of-sale displays inside licensed premises or age-gated commercial B2B/digital platforms.

Law No. 4 of 2021 defines an alcoholic beverage in Ras Al Khaimah as any beverage containing at least 0.05% alcohol. Specific category definitions and minimum ABV thresholds follow regional GSO parameters and recognized international/EU standards (requiring agricultural origin ethyl alcohol and absence of toxic alcohols such as methanol).

Drinking or carrying open containers in public places (streets, public beaches, public parks, vehicles) is strictly prohibited. Under Article 3 of Law No. 4 of 2021, no alcohol activity may be licensed in proximity to places of worship or schools.

• In January 2026, RAKTDA issued Circular No. 01/2026 lowering the minimum legal age for alcohol sales, service, and consumption in Ras Al Khaimah from 21 to 18 years, aligning with federal amendments to the UAE Civil Transactions Law regarding legal adulthood.
• Ongoing regulatory and commercial expansion of licensed hospitality, beach clubs, and retail delivery infrastructure in anticipation of major integrated resort and gaming developments on Al Marjan Island.

Ras Al Khaimah offers high-volume distribution channels due to its thriving destination resort sector and hypermarket-format retail outlets that attract consumers across emirates thanks to zero local municipal retail surcharges. Distillers and exporters of premium spirits will find growing demand among high-end resorts, international tourist venues, and expanding licensed delivery platforms.

• Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA)
• Ras Al Khaimah Customs Department
• Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)

1. Ras Al Khaimah Lowers Legal Drinking Age to 18 - Hotelier Middle East
2. Law No. 4 of 2021 Regulating Trading Alcoholic Beverages In Ras Al-Khaimah - Caterer Middle East
3. Alcohol Licensing in the UAE: Ras Al Khaimah's Evolving Regulatory Landscape
4. Customs & Security Information - Visit Ras Al Khaimah
5. USDA Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards - UAE (GAIN Report)