Alcohol

---

Purchase of alcoholic beverages in Svalbard is regulated by quotas in accordance with the Regulations of 11 December 1998 no. 1300 on the alcohol arrangement for Svalbard. Persons entered in the Population Register for Svalbard and who are over 18 or 20 years of age can purchase the following monthly quota:

• up to 2 bottles of spirits (or up to 4 bottles of strong wine)
• up to 0.5 bottle of fortified wine (alternatively one bottle every two months)
• up to 24 cans or half bottles of beer
• light wine for reasonable consumption.

If a person can document residence and age in accordance with Section 2-3 of the Regulations, there is a right to purchase a monthly quota and no further permission is required from the Governor of Svalbard. 

Other specified groups may, pursuant to Section 2-4 of the Regulations, apply to the Governor of Svalbard for a special permit to purchase the quota. This group includes students, seasonal workers and other persons of a certain duration for their stay in Svalbard.

The Regulations do not apply to passengers and crew on passenger vessels, fishing and hunting vessels, research vessels and naval vessels.

Travelers who arrive in Svalbard by scheduled flights and intend to stay there for more than 24 hours and less than 30 days, may purchase a monthly quota pursuant to Section 2-3 of the Regulations upon presentation and stamping of the flight ticket. With a single flight ticket from Svalbard, a normal duty-free quota can be purchased.

Please note that this only applies to scheduled flights. Charter flights are not covered by the Regulations.

Purchasing alcohol for permanent residents

As a permanent resident, you no longer need to apply for permission from the Governor of Svalbard to buy alcohol - the former alcohol card. Permanente residents are people who have been entered in the Population Register for Svalbard. When purchasing alcohol, you must show a proof of residence as well as identification. Nordpolet AS is responsible for checking that the monthly quota is met.

The residence confirmation can be ordered digitally at skatteetaten.no:
Confirmation of residence in Svalbard - The Norwegian Tax Administration

Persons with a d-number can order confirmation from the Population Register electronically either by using "Bank-ID", "Buypass ID" or by being issued "MinID" by the Norwegian Digitalisation Agency.  For more information on how to obtain an electronic ID on skatteetaten.no:

An electronic ID gives you online access to public services - The Norwegian Tax Administration

You can also contact the Svalbard tax office directly: svalbard@skatteetaten.no

Special permit to purchase

The Governor of Svalbard may grant persons who stay in Svalbard for more than 30 days and who are not entered in the Population Register a special permit to purchase alcohol. If the application is granted, the applicant will be issued a purchase permit with a monthly quota based on the length of stay.

A link to the application form can be found here:
https://skjema.no/sysselmesteren/saerskilt_alkohol

Those who are not affected by the Regulations or who are not granted a permit, may bring alcohol for reasonable consumption upon entry into Svalbard, cf. Section 1-9 of the Regulations, or purchase upon presentation of a flight ticket, etc., cf. Section 2-4, second paragraph.

If you have already been issued an alcohol card for 2024 or permit by letter, it can be used until the end of 2024.

Purchase permit in excess of ordinary quota

Applications can be made to purchase alcohol in excess of the ordinary alcohol quota for individual events, both for companies and for private individuals.

The processing time is up to 4 weeks.

Liquor licences, import and purchase licences

Where a liquor license exists, this also gives permission for the purchase and import of the alcohol to be served. There is therefore no need to apply for an import or purchase permit where a liquor license is available.

An application for a liquor license that applies within the Longyearbyen spatial plan area is processed by the Longyearbyen local council.

Application for a liquor license outside the Longyearbyen spatial plan area, including vessels, cabins/camps, settlements, etc. is processed by the Governor.

An application can be made for the import of alcohol as part of commercial activities, manufacture, wholesale, sale and serving of alcoholic beverages.

The processing time is up to 4 weeks.

Liquor license for ships sailing in Svalbard waters

Ships sailing in Svalbard waters must have a liquor license issued by the Governor in order to serve alcoholic beverages.

For passenger vessels calling at Svalbard, alcohol can be served to persons accompanying the vessel when there is a license to serve alcohol from the vessel's home country.

The processing time is up to 4 weeks.

Import/export of alcohol

Svalbard is a duty- and tax-free area. This means that goods brought from Svalbard to the mainland are processed by customs on arrival on the mainland as if they had entered from abroad. If you have stayed on Svalbard for at least 24 hours, you can bring alcoholic beverages with you according to the current rules. See information from the Norwegian Customs.

Private individuals residing in Svalbard must purchase their alcohol quota in Svalbard and do not have the opportunity to import alcohol duty-free from the mainland into Svalbard.

Private individuals with a short stay in Svalbard have the right to bring alcoholic beverages for reasonable consumption upon entry.

Sales and import and export of alcohol are regulated by Regulations on the alcohol scheme for Svalbard.

On the Norwegian Customs' website, you can read more about customs clearance of larger quantities of alcohol than the quota.