President ratifies new import duty rates for heated tobacco products

President ratifies amendment cutting import duty on heated tobacco products

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the 20th amendment to the Maldives Export-Import Act. The amendment sets import duty on cigarettes, bidis, and heated tobacco consumables at MVR 4 flat plus 30 percent ad valorem duty.

Sham'aan Shakir

02 July 2026, 18:46

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu ratified the 20th amendment to the Export-Import Act, Law Number 79/31, on July 2, 2026. The President's Office confirmed the ratification in a statement.

The bill sets import duty on cigarettes, bidis, heated tobacco products, and other tobacco consumables designed to be heated without burning at MVR 4 flat, plus an ad valorem duty of 30 percent.

The bill also exempts nicotine gum, nicotine patches, and similar smoking cessation products from import duty.

The People's Majlis passed the bill on July 1, 2026, a Wednesday, during the 9th sitting of its second session of 2026.

The amendment took effect immediately after the President ratified it and it was published in the Government Gazette, according to the President's Office.

The gazette notice for the amendment is published under reference number 7528 on the Maldives Government Gazette website.

The President's Office statement did not specify the duty rates that applied before this amendment. MBR could not independently verify the scale of the change from the two official sources reviewed.

President ratifies amendment cutting import duty on heated tobacco products

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