Alcohol regulations in Mongolia

Licences needed

Special permit for the production of alcoholic beverages

Authority

Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MOFALI)

Documents

Legal entity state registration certificate; factory technical specifications and equipment layout; metered line input/output certification; environmental and sanitary inspectorate conclusions; tax compliance reference

Fees

Determined via competitive auction for production quota plus statutory state stamp duty fees

Time to obtain

Not confirmed (permits are issued for 10 years, renewable for 10-year terms)

Who can import

Legally registered commercial entities in Mongolia holding an alcohol import special permit

Licences or registrations

Special permit for importing alcoholic beverages

Authority

Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MOFALI)

Documents

Application; legal entity state registration; certificate of origin from the exporting country; product compliance documents; customs laboratory analysis/testing conclusions on pre-imported samples; sanitary/food safety conclusions; tax clearance certificate from General Department of Taxation; customs compliance reference from General Customs Office

Fees

Not confirmed

Time to obtain

Not confirmed (issued for a 5-year term, renewable for up to 5 years)

Required

yes

Process

Importers must submit pre-shipment sample bottles through border customs to the Central Customs Laboratory / competent inspection authority for physical and chemical testing. Products must obtain a Certificate of Conformity with Mongolian standards/technical regulations, and label artwork must be reviewed and approved for statutory compliance before full commercial release.

Authority

Mongolian Agency for Standardization and Metrology (MASM) / General Customs Administration / MOFALI

Documents and samples

Commercial product samples; manufacturer certificates of analysis; certificate of origin; label specimen/artwork showing mandatory markings and Mongolian health warnings; technical specifications

Fees

Laboratory test and conformity assessment fees apply (not confirmed exact schedule)

Renewal

Tested per batch/product type; conformity certificates generally aligned with import permit or validity of standards

Time to obtain

Not confirmed

All imported spirits must be affixed with official Mongolian excise tax stamps/banderols prior to customs release and sale (except for export/customs-guaranteed zones); imports require a certificate of origin and laboratory conformity testing; all sales must be recorded electronically in the national tax and customs tracking system; undenatured spirits with ethanol strength exceeding 75% ABV are prohibited from import as beverages.

15% Most Favoured Nation (MFN) ad valorem duty on spirits under HS 2208 (30% General rate; 0% preferential rate under the Japan-Mongolia EPA), calculated on CIF customs value.

Excise tax on distilled spirits is specific (levied in Mongolian Tugrik per litre) and scaled by alcohol strength (ABV bracket). Under the Excise Tax Law, rates for distilled spirits and white alcohol range from approximately MNT 3,700 to over MNT 31,300 per litre depending on ethanol concentration, with progressive rate revisions across 2024–2027. Value Added Tax (VAT) is 10%, applied to the combined total of CIF value + customs duty + excise tax.

Licensed private shops, supermarkets, restaurants, and bars holding local retail/service licenses issued by aimag or capital district governors. Sales are banned to persons under 21 years of age and intoxicated persons. Operating hours are strictly regulated by municipal decrees (e.g., in Ulaanbaatar, retail sales are generally restricted to between 07:00 and 00:00; bars/clubs close between 00:00 and 02:00 depending on license grade).

Banned (national legislation prohibits selling, ordering, and delivering alcoholic beverages via electronic networks, online shops, or courier delivery services).

Labels must include: product name and category; serial/batch number and barcode; manufacturer and importer name and address; country of origin; net volume (litres); ingredients and food additives; alcohol strength (% ABV); date of manufacture, shelf life, and storage conditions; and standard/technical regulation designation. Mandatory health warning statements must be in Mongolian, occupy at least 30% of the label surface, and include specific statements regarding organ damage, addiction, risks during pregnancy, and explicit prohibition for individuals under 21 years of age.

Strictly restricted: advertising of hard spirits across broadcast media (television, radio), print media, and public outdoor advertising/billboards is banned or heavily curtailed; brand sponsorship of sports, cultural, and youth-oriented events by alcohol manufacturers and importers is prohibited.

Mongolian National Standards (MNS) set minimum identity and technical specifications for spirits (including vodka, brandy, and whisky). Products must meet chemical purity thresholds (methanol, higher alcohols, aldehyde limits). Alcoholic beverages containing more than 75% ABV are legally banned from circulation.

Nationwide prohibition on all alcohol sales and service is enforced on election voting days, including the day before and the day after polling. Local governors (in Ulaanbaatar and various aimags) maintain the legal authority to declare periodic dry days (such as the historical 1st day of every month dry ban) and temporary bans during festivals, protests, or emergencies.

• December 2024: MOFALI released a regulatory draft tightening quality and safety management for imported and exported alcoholic beverages, formalizing mandatory five-year import permit conditions, annual surveillance testing, and certificate of origin standards.
• June 2025: MOFALI introduced updated draft labeling rules requiring mandatory Mongolian health warnings covering a minimum of 30% of container label area, with specific wording on organ harm, addiction, and the under-21 ban.
• Ongoing 2024–2026: Phased statutory adjustments to specific excise duty rates per litre on spirits, increasing tax burdens progressively by ABV tier under the revised Law on Excise Tax.

Mongolia relies almost entirely on imports for premium spirits such as Scotch whisky, Cognac, bourbon, and dark rum, where domestic production is heavily focused on vodka. Exporters must partner with well-established Mongolian distributors equipped to navigate MOFALI five-year import permitting and laboratory pre-clearance testing.

• Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry (MOFALI)
• Mongolian Customs General Administration (MCGA)
• Mongolian Agency for Standardization and Metrology (MASM)
• Mongolian General Department of Taxation

1. Law of Mongolia on Control of the Circulation of Alcoholic Beverages and Combating Alcoholism
2. Mongolia Trade Information Portal - Procedure for Alcohol Import Permit & Customs Tariffs (HS 2208)
3. PwC Mongolia Tax Summary - Excise Duty, Customs Duty and VAT
4. MOFALI Proposal on Quality and Safety Management of Imported and Exported Alcoholic Beverages
5. Mongolia Proposed Labeling Requirements for Alcoholic Beverages