Alcohol regulations in Botswana

Licences needed

Industrial Manufacturing Licence (distillery/bottling) and BURS Excise Manufacturing Warehouse Licence

Authority

Industrial Licensing Authority (Ministry of Trade and Industry) and Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS)

Documents

Company registration, proof of premises ownership or lease, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval, physical planning and zoning clearance, and local health inspection certificate

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Registered corporate entities holding a valid wholesale or distributor liquor licence

Licences or registrations

Distributor Liquor Licence or Wholesale Liquor Licence, combined with BURS Customs Importer Registration / Tax Identification Number (TIN)

Authority

Liquor Control Authorities (Local Councils) and Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS)

Documents

Certificate of incorporation, valid Wholesale/Distributor Liquor Licence, BURS tax clearance certificate, identity documentation of directors

Fees

not confirmed

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required

no

Process

There is no pre-market brand/label registration or COLA-type approval system; shipments are subject to standards compliance verification at port of entry under the Standards (Import Inspection) Regulations (SIIR).

Authority

Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS)

Documents and samples

Certificate of Analysis / certificate of conformity and sample testing upon request by customs or inspection officers

Fees

not confirmed

Renewal

not applicable

Time to obtain

not applicable

Imports must be cleared through an authorized importer of record registered on BURS ASYCUDA; no state import monopoly; commercial invoice, bill of lading/consignment note, and Certificate of Origin required (to claim SACU/SADC duty exemption); shipments are subject to BOBS import inspection; physical tax strip stamps on individual spirits bottles are not mandatory.

0% for goods originating within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU); imports from outside SACU are subject to the SACU Common External Tariff on HS 2208 (generally free to low ad valorem baseline customs rates, alongside specific excise equivalent duties).

Specific excise duty aligned with SACU tariff schedules based on alcohol strength per litre of absolute alcohol (LAA); national Alcohol Levy of 30% to 35% ad valorem under the Control of Goods (Intoxicating Liquor Levy) Regulations; standard Value Added Tax (VAT) of 14% applied on the duty-paid value.

Private licensed channels only; no state retail monopoly. Retail licences (bottle stores, bars, clubs, depots) are strictly reserved for citizens of Botswana or 100% citizen-owned entities. Bottle stores operate Monday–Saturday 10:00–19:00 (closed Sundays and public holidays); bars operate Monday–Thursday 14:00–22:00, Friday–Saturday 12:00–23:00, Sundays/public holidays 15:00–22:00.

restricted; not explicitly authorized under the existing Liquor Act framework, which ties all sales to fixed physical licensed premises, though online liquor licensing provisions were drafted in the 2025 Liquor Amendment Bill.

Labels must be in English; must state brand name, product description, net volume in metric units, alcohol content (% ABV), country of origin, and name and address of producer or importer; health warnings and advisory notices (e.g., against underage drinking and drinking during pregnancy) are applied.

Restricted; alcohol promotion to minors is prohibited; broadcast advertising faces watershed scheduling restrictions, and point-of-sale outdoor advertising is banned in vicinity of sensitive areas such as schools and religious institutions.

Enforced through the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS), aligned with SACU and regional harmonized beverage standards requiring minimum 43% ABV for whisky, brandy, rum, and gin, and minimum 37.5%–40% ABV for vodka and neutral spirits.

No nationwide dry jurisdictions exist, but premises selling liquor must strictly maintain a minimum buffer distance of 500 meters from any school, church, highway, or major road.

• Drafting and public consultations on the Liquor Amendment Bill of 2025 proposing formal online liquor licensing, soundproofing mandates, potential reduction of the 500-meter school/church buffer distance to 250 meters, and reconsideration of rigid trading hours.
• Ongoing implementation of updated BURS indirect tax mechanisms, digital invoicing/electronic fiscal devices, and continued administration of the national alcohol levy.

Exporters of premium spirits and whiskies benefit from growing demand in urban centers and safari tourism enclaves. Success requires establishing commercial partnerships with locally licensed, citizen-owned distributors due to statutory reservations limiting liquor retailing and distribution to local operators.

• Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS)
• Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS)
• Ministry of Trade and Industry / Local Liquor Control Authorities

1. Government of Botswana - Application for Liquor Licence
2. Botswana Laws - Liquor Act (Cap. 43:11)
3. PwC - Botswana Tax Summaries: Customs, Excise and VAT
4. U.S. International Trade Administration - Botswana Labeling and Marking Requirements