The new license for alcohol and tobacco? Here’s what you need to know

You need the Liquor and Tobacco License if you are conducting business in Belgium involving:

• Alcohol products (such as ethyl alcohol or alcoholic beverages) that have already had excise duties paid, for example if you:
  

  • are a retail or wholesale trader

  • sell alcohol via a webshop

  • sell alcohol via mobile trade (e.g. at markets)

  • organize take-away or home delivery (even if you are a hospitality business)

• Tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, rolling tobacco, water pipe tobacco, e-liquids or cannabis-based products that have already had excise duties paid and bear a fiscal label, for example if you:
  • sell tobacco in a shop or via wholesale

  • operate a shisha bar

• Raw tobacco i.e. tobacco that has not yet been processed

Exceptions:
Do you run a hotel, restaurant, or café where alcohol is only served for on-site consumption? Then you are exempt from this licensing requirement.
Anyone who already holds another customs authorization, such as an authorized warehouse keeper or registered consignor, does not need to apply for an additional license for those activities.