Alcohol regulations in Fiji

Licences needed

Licence to Manufacture Excisable Goods and Excise Warehouse Licence under the Excise Act 1986; Health and Food Business Licence under the Food Safety Act 2003; Local municipal council business license.

Authority

Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS); Ministry of Health and Medical Services; relevant Municipal/Town Council.

Documents

Application to the Comptroller of Customs & Excise, certified building and distillery layout schematics, equipment specifications (stills, receivers, storage tanks), environmental impact approvals, food safety compliance plan, security and measurement metering plans.

Fees

Prescribed annual licence fees set out under the Excise (Licensing) Regulations.

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Who can import

Registered corporate entities or individual sole proprietorships holding an active Tax Identification Number (TIN) registered with FRCS and access to the ASYCUDA World customs clearance platform.

Licences or registrations

TIN registration with FRCS; registration as an importer in ASYCUDA; biosecurity clearances from Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) where plant-origin packaging applies.

Authority

Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS); Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF).

Documents

Commercial invoice, bill of lading or airway bill, packing list, certificate of origin, product technical specification/sanitary declaration, customs import declaration (Single Administrative Document).

Fees

Standard ASYCUDA customs processing and document entry fees.

Time to obtain

Typically 2 to 5 working days for routine customs clearance upon arrival of goods.

Required

no

Process

Fiji does not operate a pre-market product or label registration system (such as US TTB COLA or Indian state excise approval) for imported spirits. Shipments must conform strictly to the Food Safety Act 2003 and Food Safety Regulations 2009 and are verified at border clearance or via post-market surveillance.

Authority

Ministry of Health and Medical Services (Central Board of Health / Food Safety Advisory Committee).

Documents and samples

Product specification and commercial label artwork presented upon request by customs or health inspectors.

Fees

None for product registration.

Renewal

None

Time to obtain

None required prior to import.

Importer of record must be registered with FRCS. Commercial clearance occurs through ASYCUDA. Standard spirits do not require physical strip stamps or excise banderols on bottles. Import shipments must be accompanied by full commercial shipping documents, certificates of analysis/origin where requested, and must satisfy general biosecurity and public health standards.

Spirits under HS 2208 attract customs fiscal duties under the Customs Tariff Act 1986, assessed either as specific duties (varying by spirit category from approximately FJ$68 to over FJ$110 per litre of alcohol or liquid litre) or ad valorem (up to 32%), alongside applicable import excise rates where specified.

Domestic excise duty applies under the Excise Act 1986. Standard Value Added Tax (VAT) of 15% is levied on all imported and domestic alcoholic beverages (calculated on CIF value plus fiscal and excise duties for imports).

Regulated under the Liquor Act 2006. Licences are issued by Divisional Liquor Licensing Authorities (Central, Western, Northern, Eastern Divisions). Distribution is entirely commercial private enterprise (off-premises bottle shops, supermarkets, and on-premises venues like hotels, restaurants, and bars). Permitted hours: off-premises retail sale permitted from 8:00 AM to 12:00 midnight daily; restaurants 11:00 AM to 12:00 midnight; taverns 11:00 AM to 1:00 AM; nightclubs 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM.

restricted

Under the Food Safety Regulations 2009, labels on pre-packaged spirits must be in English and specify: product trade/generic name conforming to Codex Alimentarius nomenclature, full ingredient list, net volume in metric units (mL, cL, or L), percentage of alcohol by volume (% ABV), lot or batch identification, and name and business address of the manufacturer, packager, or distributor, plus country of origin. Beverages with an ABV of 10% or more are exempt from date of minimum durability requirements. False, misleading, or therapeutic health claims are prohibited. Physical excise stamps are not required.

Regulated under the Liquor Act 2006, the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission Act 2010, and broadcast advertising standards. Advertising cannot target minors, portray underage drinking, depict excessive consumption, or suggest alcohol is essential for social or physical success. Broadcast restrictions apply during designated family viewing hours.

Part VIII of the Food Safety Regulations 2009 incorporates Codex Alimentarius standards for beverages. Standard commercial spirits (whisky, rum, vodka, gin, and brandy) are required to maintain authentic distillation characteristics from designated base materials and comply with minimum alcohol strengths, generally at or above 37% to 40% ABV, with limits on volatile congeners and toxic impurities like methanol.

No whole province or island is entirely dry by statute; however, traditional iTaukei village councils have authority under native village regulations to restrict or prohibit alcohol possession and consumption within village bounds. Consumption of alcohol in designated public places (streets, parks, beaches) is prohibited by local municipal bylaws without an approved special use permit.

• Enactment of the Liquor (Amendment) Act 2023 eliminated the 'special zones' in Suva and Nadi that previously permitted nightlife venues to sell alcohol until 5:00 AM, restricting all nightclub alcohol service to a maximum closing time of 1:00 AM.
• Standard Value Added Tax (VAT) consolidated at 15% across goods including alcoholic beverages following fiscal budget reforms.
• Passage of the Customs Tariff (Budget Amendment) Act 2024 updated fiscal schedules and introduced tailored concessions for domestic beverage manufacturers and industrial processors.

Fiji represents an attractive Pacific market for imported premium spirits due to high demand from international tourism resorts and hospitality venues, coupled with a well-developed duty-free retail channel at Nadi International Airport.

• Fiji Revenue and Customs Service (FRCS)
• Office of the Attorney-General (Liquor Licensing Authorities)
• Ministry of Health and Medical Services

1. Fiji Revenue and Customs Service - Excise Act 1986
2. Parliament of the Republic of Fiji - Liquor (Amendment) Act 2023
3. Fiji Food Safety Regulations 2009 (FAOLEX)
4. International Trade Administration - Fiji Import Tariff & Regulations