Acquisition of licensed alcoholic beverages

Spirits or tax-exempt alcoholic beverages, i.e. industrial and kitchen alcohol, may be purchased from wholesalers or manufacturers who have been granted a wholesale and production licence for alcoholic beverages by the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). You can also import spirits and tax-exempt alcoholic beverages yourself.

Purchasing alcoholic beverages from a wholesaler or manufacturer

Place the alcohol order directly with the wholesaler or manufacturer. Orders cannot be placed through Valvira. You must provide the licence number when placing the order. The wholesaler or manufacturer is obliged to check the validity and scope of the licence in connection with the order.

The validity of licences can be verified in the licence register section of the e-service of the alcohol trade register (Allu).

Licence holder’s right to import

The holder of a licence to use kitchen alcohol has the right to import the alcohol types defined in the licence for the purpose defined in the licence. An import notification must be submitted before starting the import measures by submitting an application for an amendment of the licence. The processing time varies on a case-by-case basis, but as a rule, applications will be processed within two weeks of the date of receipt. The fee payable is determined in accordance with a Decree of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. For applications received by 31 December 2025, it is EUR 70.

Alcoholic beverages imported under licence must usually be reported to Valvira once a year.