You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

March 20, 2026

Myanmar Tightens Alcohol Control and Licensing

Subscribe to Updates

Myanmar has introduced a comprehensive new regulatory framework for alcoholic beverages that will impose stricter controls on production, distribution, advertising, and sales. On March 7, 2026, the National Defence and Security Council issued a new Excise Law (NDSC Law No. 13/2026), repealing the Excise Act of 1917. The law, which has not yet entered into force, will take effect on a date to be specified in a separate notification—likely within this year.

The new Excise Law establishes clearer definitions, introduces multiple categories of excise licenses and permits, and significantly expands prohibitions and compliance obligations for businesses operating in the alcohol sector. Many operational details will be clarified through implementing rules and notifications.

Scope and Definitions

The new law defines “excise” to cover alcoholic liquor and excisable articles. Alcoholic liquor is broadly defined as any liquid containing more than 0.5% ethyl alcohol, including beer, wine, toddy sap, fermented liquor, and any other liquid declared as alcohol by notification of the relevant ministry, excluding denatured alcohol. Alcoholic liquor is further categorized into country liquor, foreign liquor, and international‑standard domestically produced liquor.

Excise Licensing

The law also introduces a more detailed licensing regime. The following types of liquor excise licenses are available:

  • Production
  • Production of value-added products
  • Bottling
  • Distribution
  • Sales
  • Other excise‑related businesses designated by General Administrative Department (GAD) notification

The GAD will prescribe the licensing fees, requirements, and conditions for each category through notifications issued with the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The GAD may also, with the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs, prescribe quantities and volumes of alcoholic beverages that may be possessed without a liquor license. No such prescribed quantities have yet been issued.

Holders of excise licenses for manufacturing, production of value-added products, or bottling must obtain approval from the relevant government department or organization certifying that the alcoholic beverage is suitable for consumption.

Excise License Eligibility

The following entities may apply for licenses:

  • Myanmar citizens, associate citizens, or naturalized citizens under the Myanmar Citizenship Law.
  • Companies registered in Myanmar under the Myanmar Companies Law, including Myanmar-owned companies, foreign companies with foreign shareholding of up to 49%, wholly Myanmar-owned entities, business organizations formed by Myanmar citizens, or joint venture organizations.

Regardless of the date of issuance, all excise licenses are valid only until the end of the Myanmar government’s financial year (March 31) and require annual renewal.

Additional Permits and Operational Requirements

In addition to excise licenses, the law introduces several permit requirements.

  • Factory permits are required for factories manufacturing alcoholic liquor, beer, or wine.
  • Transportation permits are required when license holders wish to transport alcoholic beverages to another licensed distributor or retailer.
  • Storage permits are required if alcoholic beverages are stored at premises other than those approved under the excise license.
  • Export rights are available to holders of manufacturing, production as value-added products, or distribution licenses, subject to compliance with applicable laws.
  • Import rights are limited to distribution license holders.

Key Prohibitions

The law imposes extensive restrictions:

  • Alcoholic beverages must not be sold or given to religious personnel, persons of unsound mind, or persons under the age of 18.
  • Selling alcoholic beverages online or through automatic vending machines is prohibited.
  • Advertising alcoholic beverages by any means—including signboards, flyers, displays, or similar methods—is prohibited.
  • Promotional activities for alcoholic beverages such as discounts, free samples, lucky draws, or gifts are prohibited.
  • Possession of alcoholic beverages in excess of prescribed quantities without a license is prohibited.
  • Retail excise license holders must not employ or allow female employees to work at a place where alcoholic beverages are sold.

Practical Implications

Although the new Excise Law is not yet effective, it signals a move toward stricter regulation of alcoholic beverages in Myanmar. Businesses involved in the alcohol sector should review their operations and compliance arrangements in preparation for implementing rules and notifications, particularly in relation to license categories, import and distribution controls, advertising and promotion restrictions, employment-related prohibitions, and annual license renewals. Further guidance is expected through subordinate legislation.

Related Professionals

Industries

Consumer Products

Practices

Regulatory Affairs

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

September 2, 2025
Thailand’s Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) has initiated a sweeping regulatory review of licensed direct sale and direct marketing businesses in Thailand and is in the process of notifying business operators to submit their annual business report and financial statement to the OCPB as part of their postlicensing obligations. This move marks a significant escalation in the government’s efforts to enforce compliance and transparency in the sector, which has faced growing scrutiny in recent years. Key Regulatory Considerations All businesses holding a direct sales or direct marketing license are required to submit their audited financial statement along with their business operation report to the OCPB within 60 days from the end of their fiscal year (extendable for up to 30 days by request, if necessary). The OCPB is currently conducting license audits as part of its enforcement duties. The office aims to complete audits for at least 90% of the 2,983 registered businesses that have obtained their license since 2022. This includes a review of the business conduct of the license holder. New license applications are also under scrutiny. Applicants are currently being subjected to background checks, and the OCPB has signaled a more rigorous vetting process moving forward. Impact of Noncompliance Failure to comply with these reporting obligations may result in escalating enforcement actions, including: Official notice to rectify noncompliance within a specified timeframe. Revocation of business registration, if the operator fails to respond. Revocation of business registration could result in a five-year prohibition on reapplying for a direct sales or direct marketing license following the revocation. The OCPB has already initiated outreach efforts, including SMS and email notifications, and has hosted seminars to raise awareness of these obligations. These measures are part of a broader initiative to enhance transparency and consumer trust in the sector. Businesses operating in the direct selling and
Read More
August 25, 2025
Indonesia’s current regulations on franchises, as stipulated under Government Regulation No. 35/2024 on Franchising and its implementing regulation, Ministry of Trade (MOT) Regulation No. 71/2019 regarding Implementation of Franchising, highlight fundamental changes in franchise registration. These changes have introduced additional complexities and challenges in the franchise registration procedure, making it more difficult for franchise owners to navigate the process. New procedure Franchise applications are still submitted through the Online Single Submission (OSS) portal of the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM). However, the new procedure requires each applicant, including foreign franchisors, to have an OSS account and a business registration number (NIB) issued by BKPM. An application for franchise registration must be submitted under the applicant’s own account—submissions can no longer be made through the account of a consultant. Once a franchise application is submitted, the authority will distribute the submission to the MOT—the authorized ministry for franchise registration. Any notification or decision upon the registration made by the MOT will be available in the OSS system. Applicants should regularly monitor the status of the franchise application because no notifications will be sent to applicants to alert them of any deficiency. Here is the summary of the new procedure for franchisors: Notable Requirements The disclosure document, or prospectus, is the key focus for the MOT in examining a franchise registration for a franchisor. This document is subject to thorough scrutiny by the MOT to ensure that all mandatory information meets the requirements set in the franchise regulations. The current regulations specifically require that the mandatory clause “business system” in the prospectus cover operational standards and procedures, which should include human resource management, administration, operational management, standard operating methods, business location selection, business premises design, employee requirements, and marketing strategies. Other clauses that are equally important to pay attention to are:
Read More
August 15, 2025
More than a decade after the issuance of Decree No. 52/2013/ND-CP (as amended by Decree No. 85/2021/ND-CP; collectively, “Decree 52”), Vietnam’s legal framework for e-commerce is under growing pressure to keep pace with the evolving digital economy. While Decree 52 has provided a foundational framework, it has shown certain limitations in keeping up with issues such as counterfeit goods, intellectual property enforcement, unqualified products, and emerging models like livestream selling and affiliate marketing. To address these regulatory gaps, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) has released the 2025 Draft E-Commerce Law (“Draft Law”) for public consultation. The Draft Law is intended to supersede the current framework under Decree 52 and establish a more detailed and comprehensive legal foundation for the regulations of e-commerce activities in Vietnam. It is currently expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for review and potential adoption during its 10th session in October 2025. In this article, we discuss the Draft Law’s most significant updates and legal developments in comparison to existing regulations, and assess the practical challenges that businesses may face in preparing for implementation in the near future. Platform Classification: Toward a More Nuanced Framework Unlike Decree 52’s simpler structure, which broadly categorized platforms into either (i) websites selling goods and services or (ii) websites providing e-commerce services, the Draft Law introduces a more detailed framework that aims to classify platforms based on their technical functions and business models. Specifically, the Draft Law introduces a four-tier classification system for e-commerce platforms, consisting of: (i) Direct Business Platforms, (ii) Intermediary Platforms, (iii) Social Networks with E-Commerce Functions, and (iv) Multi-Service Integrated Platforms. This approach reflects an effort to more accurately capture the complexity of today’s e-commerce landscape, including hybrid platforms such as TikTok Shop. While this approach reflects the growing complexity of
Read More
July 9, 2025
On June 16, 2025, the National Assembly of Vietnam adopted Law No. 75/2025/QH15 amending and supplementing a number of articles of the 2012 Advertising Law, with an effective date of January 1, 2026. The amended Advertising Law was enacted to further refine the legal framework for advertising activities in the modern era. Online Advertising Under the amended Advertising Law, “online advertising” is defined to encompass not only advertising on electronic newspapers and electronic information pages (as provided under the 2012 Advertising Law) but also advertising on other electronic venues, including social media, online applications, and digital platforms with internet connection. The amended Advertising Law also imposes new requirements for online advertising, including: Identification signs: Advertisements must have clear identifiable signs in numbers, letters, symbols, images, or sounds to distinguish them from non-advertising content. Control features: For advertisements not in fixed areas, there must be easily recognizable features and icons that allow recipients to turn off the advertisement, notify the service provider of violating advertising content, and refuse to view inappropriate advertising content. Linked content: Content in the links embedded in advertisements must comply with the law. Advertising service providers and publishers must have measures to check and monitor the linked content. Advertising on social media: Organizations and enterprises providing social media services must offer users features to distinguish advertising content from other content. Signage for sponsored content: When advertising, users of social media services must use signs to differentiate advertising or sponsored content from other content they provide. In response to the above requirements for online advertising, the amended Advertising Law sets out obligations of advertisers, advertising service providers, advertising publishers, and advertising conveyors in relation to online advertising. Among these, it is notably the responsibility of individuals and organizations engaging in online advertising to prevent and remove violating
Read More