Businesses engaged in tobacco trade given three months to obtain license

Health Ministry has granted a three-month period for businesses engaged in the trade of tobacco-related products to obtain their license.

The Ministry has opened applications for five types of licenses. They include:

• License to sell tobacco products separately or in bulk
• License to important tobacco products
• License to re-export tobacco products
• License to register a new tobacco product
• License to establish a smoking room or a smoking area

The Ministry will be issuing the license for a period of five years upon the payment of the fee. License holders must file to renew their license 60 days before it is set to expire.

Businesses can submit applications for the license to Health Protection Agency (HPA) via OneGov portal. If they are facing any difficulties submitting the application via the portal, they can contact 1500 or email [email protected].

The fees for the licenses are as follows:

MVR 5,000 to get and renew the license to sell tobacco products separately or in bulk

MVR 10,000 to get and renew all other licenses

The current administration launched a campaign against smoking last year, introducing a ban vapes and cigarettes, and doubling import duty and taxes on cigarettes – a move that more than doubled the price of common cigarette brands. In this regard, cigarettes pack previously sold for MVR 110 are now priced at MVR 250.

The cabinet has also recently resolved to introduce a generational smoking ban in the Maldives, which will apply to all individuals born on or after 2007.