Homemade wine in Montenegro may be sold only after a quality assessment and a Ministry of Agriculture permit to place it on the market. Only those entered in the vineyard register may produce grapes and wine for the market, and registration is compulsory for vineyards larger than 0.1 ha and for anyone whose grapes or wine are intended for the market. Wine is sold in original packaging, and in bulk only by a registered producer who submits the required declarations, on their own premises or in a specialised shop. Wine with a protected designation of origin or geographical indication may not be sold in bulk. An individual selling wine without a permit faces a fine of 500 to 1,000 euros.
This guide brings together the Wine Law's rules for small producers and buyers in one place.
Who registers in the vineyard register?
| Who | Obligation |
| producer with a vineyard over 0.1 ha | registration |
| any producer whose grapes or wine are intended for the market | registration regardless of volume |
| producer with under 0.1 ha who does not sell grapes | no annual harvest declaration |
| winery producing under 10 hl of wine not placed on the market | no production declaration |
- The application contains the applicant's details, the location and area of the plots and the vine characteristics; changes are reported within ten days.
- The register is kept by the Ministry, which checks the data every five years.
- Anyone using grapes and wine for business keeps records of inputs and outputs and closes the annual balance on 31 July.
How is a wine sales permit obtained?
- Before sale the wine must be assessed: physico-chemical analysis, organoleptic assessment and determination of origin.
- The authorised laboratory sends its report to the Ministry within seven days of sampling.
- The Ministry issues the permit within eight days of the report; if it does not decide in time, sale is deemed allowed.
- Wine with a permit may not be altered, and a permit for bulk wine is valid for six months.
Where and how may wine be sold?
| Sales method | Rule |
| original packaging | the basic way of selling grape products |
| bulk on own premises or in a specialised shop | only a registered producer who submits the required declarations |
| bulk in a restaurant | with documents on the wine's origin |
| wine with a protected designation of origin or geographical indication | may not be sold in bulk |
| transport for sale | the wine travels with a delivery note giving sender, recipient, transport and quantity |
- Offering wine in hospitality venues, at events, in wineries and on wine routes also counts as placing it on the market.
- A delivery note is not needed, for example, when producers carry their own grapes or must in containers over 60 litres from their vineyard to a winery up to 40 km away.
What must the label show?
Under the 2025 amendments to the Wine Law the label contains:
- the product category, with "dealcoholised" or "partially dealcoholised" where applicable;
- for protected wines, the words "protected designation of origin" or "protected geographical indication" and its name;
- the actual alcoholic strength in % vol and the country of origin;
- the name of the bottler, and for imported wines the importer;
- the nutrition declaration and the list of ingredients.
- Wine produced and labelled under the earlier rules may be sold until stocks run out.
- Official checks of harvest, origin and records are carried out by the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs.
How high are the fines?
| Who | Fine for selling without a permit and other Article 60 offences |
| individual | 500 to 1,000 euros |
| sole trader | 500 to 5,000 euros |
| company | 10,000 to 20,000 euros |
| responsible person in a company | 500 to 2,000 euros |
The rules for olive oil are in the guide to selling olive oil, and for cheese and kajmak in the guide to homemade cheese and kajmak. How to register a farm is explained in the guide to the farm register, and where to sell in Podgorica in the guide to markets.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell homemade wine without a permit? No. Wine is placed on the market only after a quality assessment and a Ministry permit; selling before the permit is fined 500 to 1,000 euros for an individual.
Do I have to register in the vineyard register? Yes, if the vineyard is larger than 0.1 ha or if the grapes or wine are intended for the market, regardless of volume.
Can I sell wine by the litre from the barrel? Only if you are registered and submit the required declarations, on your own premises or in a specialised shop. Wine with a protected designation of origin may not be sold in bulk.
How much wine can I make for the household without a production declaration? A winery producing under 10 hl of wine that will not be placed on the market does not submit a production declaration.
What must be on a wine label? The product category, alcoholic strength, country of origin, the bottler, the nutrition declaration and the list of ingredients, plus the name of the designation for protected wines.
How long is a bulk wine permit valid? Six months from the date of issue.
Sources
The rules are set by the Wine Law (Official Gazette 41/2016), Articles 30 to 33, 40 to 42, 49 to 52 and 60, as amended in 2025 (89/2025, new Article 46 on labelling and Article 64a on stocks). Information checked on 29 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; this text is not legal advice.