Alcohol regulations in Aruba

Licences needed

Vestigingsvergunning (business operating licence), Hindervergunning (nuisance licence), and customs distillery registration/excise bond licence

Authority

Directie Wetgeving en Juridische Zaken (DWJZ) and Departamento di Aduana

Documents

Chamber of Commerce (KvK) extract, site and zoning floor plans, facility layout, environmental impact details, and proof of legal residency/corporate establishment

Fees

Statutory application and recurring licence fees pursuant to the Landsbesluit vergunningsrechten

Time to obtain

Up to 12 weeks

Who can import

Businesses registered with the Aruba Chamber of Commerce (KvK) that possess an economic establishment licence (Vestigingsvergunning) and are registered as importers with Customs (ASYCUDA World)

Licences or registrations

Business licence (Vestigingsvergunning) and wholesale liquor licence (Grossiersvergunning) under the Vergunningsverordening; ASYCUDA importer profile registration

Authority

Departamento di Asuntonan Economico, Comercio y Industria (DEACI) and Departamento di Aduana

Documents

KvK trade register extract, tax ID number, and customs declaration onboarding documents

Fees

Standard commercial registry and customs processing charges; specific licence duty under Landsbesluit vergunningsrechten

Time to obtain

Customs ASYCUDA registration takes days once commercial business licensing is secured

Required

no

Process

Aruba does not operate a pre-market product registration or mandatory brand/label approval system (e.g., no local equivalent of US COLA). Foreign products in compliance with country-of-origin standards enter via regular customs clearance.

No state import monopoly. Commercial imports must be filed by a registered customs broker or importer of record via ASYCUDA World. Shipments require commercial invoices, bills of lading, and standard customs declaration. Spirits do not require national physical excise strip stamps or banderols. Shipments may clear into commercial inventory or enter a bonded warehouse (particulier entrepot).

Specific import duties and customs tariffs classified under HS Heading 2208 pursuant to the Landsverordening tarief van invoerrechten; spirits are primarily taxed via specific excise duties at import rather than standard ad valorem tariff rates.

Subject to specific excise duty on distilled spirits (Accijns op gedistilleerd) administered by customs upon importation or release from bonded warehouse. Imports are also subject to BBO/BAVP/BAZV turnover tax (levied at import and retail points, totaling 7%).

Private retail and on-premise sales under licensing from the Vergunningsverordening. Off-premise retail (slijterij, supermarkets) and on-premise venues (hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs) require distinct licence classes (e.g., slijtvergunning, restaurantvergunning, bierhuis/koffiehuisvergunning). Operating and retail hours are regulated by the Landsverordening winkelsluiting and individual licence conditions.

Restricted; allowed through licensed merchants with age verification at delivery to ensure buyers and recipients are at least 18 years old.

No dedicated national spirit labelling legislation. Labels conforming to US, EU, or standard international norms are accepted. Dutch, English, Spanish, or Papiamento text is commonly used. No mandatory national health warning statements or tax stamps required.

Permitted with general commercial restrictions. Alcohol advertising is subject to decency standards, protection of minors, and municipal billboard/signage permitting rules.

Not confirmed; Aruba adopts the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) Chapter 22 definitions without separate standalone technical identity regulations for spirits.

None

• Implementation and full enforcement of the BBO/BAVP turnover tax collection mechanism at import clearance at the customs border.
• Customs passenger exemption guidelines updated, maintaining the duty-free entry cap of 1 litre of spirits for travellers 16 and older while general personal goods exemptions were raised.

Driven by a tourist-heavy hospitality economy and minimal domestic spirit distillation, Aruba offers high per-capita demand for imported rum, whisky, tequila, and vodka. The lack of onerous pre-market brand or label registration makes product introduction fast and straightforward for international exporters.

• Departamento di Aduana (Aruba Customs)
• Gobierno di Aruba - Directie Wetgeving en Juridische Zaken (DWJZ)
• Departamento di Asuntonan Economico, Comercio y Industria (DEACI)
• Departamento di Impuesto (DIMP)

1. Departamento di Aduana - Tarief invoerrechten en accijnzen
2. Gobierno di Aruba - Horeca-, drank- en hindervergunningen (DWJZ)
3. USDA FAS - Aruba Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards
4. Gemeenschappelijk Hof van Justitie - Invoerrechten en Accijnzen Aruba