Can I distill my own slivovice at home in Czechia?
Not at home — but through a grower's distillery, yes. Owning and running a still without a customs permit is illegal, and distilling at home is against the law in any quantity; "it is only a few litres for myself" is no defence. The legal route is pěstitelské pálení: from your own fruit (or fruit from a rented orchard) a registered distillery makes you up to 30 litres of pure ethanol — that is 60 litres of 50 % spirit — per household per production season (1 July to 30 June) at a reduced excise rate. You ferment the mash at home; the distillery does the distilling. The spirit is for own consumption only: selling it is banned. An illegal still is a tax offence with fines reaching millions.
📋 The rules
- Home distilling = illegal in any amount (Spirits Act 61/1997)
- Grower's distilling: max 30 l ethanol / 60 l of 50 % spirit per household per season
- Production season: 1 July – 30 June
- Only from your own fruit (or fruit from a rented orchard)
- The spirit is for own consumption — selling it is banned
🔓 Exceptions
- Stills may only be owned/operated with a Customs Administration permit
- You may legally ferment the fruit mash at home — only the distilling must happen at the distillery
- Fruit from a rented orchard counts as your own; bought-in fruit does not qualify for grower's distilling
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Illegal spirit production is a tax offence: fines run from tens of thousands of crowns up to millions for larger volumes, and the unpaid excise duty is assessed on top. In serious cases the Criminal Code steps in with the offence of unlawful alcohol production. Sanctions do not target only distilling: operating a still without a customs permit is unlawful in itself. Exceed the 30-litre ethanol limit per household and season and you pay the full excise rate instead of the reduced one on the excess; concealing the quantity is again a tax offence.
📎 Official sources
- Czech Customs · Notice on grower's distilling (CS) →
- Advokátní deník · Legal aspects of grower's distilling (CS) →
- Právo pro všechny · Home alcohol production rules (CS) →
❓ Frequently asked
How much can I have distilled?
30 litres of ethanol per household per production season — in practice about 60 litres of 50 % slivovice — at the reduced excise rate. Anything above the limit is charged at the full rate. You ferment the mash at home.
Can I buy a small still?
They are sold freely, but you may only operate one with a Customs Administration permit and registration. Without it, it is an illegal distillery — even if you never distil anything and it just sits in the garage.
Can I sell my slivovice?
No, grower-distilled spirit is strictly for your household's own consumption and selling it is banned, even to neighbours. The reduced tax rate exists precisely because the drink never reaches the market.
What if I exceed the limit?
Above 30 litres of ethanol you pay the full excise rate on the excess instead of the reduced one. Concealing the quantity is a tax offence, and for larger volumes the fines climb into the hundreds of thousands.
Is home brewing beer or wine also banned?
No, beer and wine for your own consumption are legal at home — up to 2,000 litres of beer a year per household, tax-free. The ban targets distillation only, meaning the production of spirits without a permit.
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