Non-Alcoholic Beer Rules in Taiwan
In Taiwan, a drink is an alcohol product (酒) only when its alcohol content is more than 0.5% by volume, under Article 3 of the Tobacco and Alcohol Administration Act and Article 2 of the Tobacco and Alcohol Tax Act. We found no legal term for non-alcoholic beer, and a drink at or below 0.5% is not an alcohol product under either Act.
Checked on 2 October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice: laws change, so confirm with the regulator before you rely on a rule.
The rules in Taiwan at a glance
- At what alcohol level does a drink count as alcoholic in Taiwan?
- More than 0.5% ABV is an alcohol product (酒).
- What may a label call a non-alcoholic beer in Taiwan?
- No legal term. A drink at 0.5% or below is not an alcohol product.
- Who may sell or buy non-alcoholic beer in Taiwan?
- Alcohol products may not be sold online, by mail order or by vending machine. Whether the under-18 rule reaches drinks at 0.5% or below is not verified.
The detail, with sources
In Taiwan, alcohol products may not be sold by vending machine, mail order, online shopping or any other method that cannot check the buyer's age, and alcohol advertising must say that drink-driving is prohibited. These rules are written for drinks above 0.5%. We have not verified whether the separate ban on supplying alcohol to people under 18 reaches drinks at or below 0.5%.
- Primary source: Tobacco and Alcohol Administration Act, Articles 3, 30 and 37, Laws and Regulations Database
- Primary source: Tobacco and Alcohol Tax Act, Article 2, Laws and Regulations Database
- Primary source: Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act, Article 43, Laws and Regulations Database
Elsewhere in East Asia
Japan and South Korea count a drink as liquor from 1% alcohol by volume, and Hong Kong from just above 1.2%. Taiwan draws the line at 0.5%, and mainland China's beer standard puts non-alcohol beer at 0.5% or less. Below those lines, the rules on labels and age come mostly from food regulators and industry codes rather than from alcohol law.
| Country or territory | A drink counts as alcoholic from |
|---|---|
| Japan | 1% ABV or more is liquor (酒類) under the Liquor Tax Act. |
| South Korea | 1% ABV or more is liquor (주류) under the Liquor Tax Act. |
| Mainland China | We found no single legal line. The national beer standard counts non-alcohol beer as a kind of beer. |
| Hong Kong | More than 1.2% ethyl alcohol by volume is liquor. |
Across the whole region
- All 27 countries and territories in one table
- What halal authorities have published
- What regulators say about drink-driving laws and non-alcoholic beer
- The same rows as JSON or CSV, free to reuse with credit
If a rule for Taiwan has changed, or a source no longer says what we say it does, write to getsoma.store@gmail.com and we will correct it.
Who publishes this page
SOMA is a non-alcoholic craft beer brand founded in Bangalore, India, and its beers are under 0.5% ABV. Our first deliveries will be in Bangalore, and we do not ship outside India. We keep these pages because the rules on non-alcoholic beer differ a great deal between countries, and many pages online state them without a source.
To learn how non-alcoholic beer is made and what is in it, read Non-Alcoholic Beer 101.