EU Duty-Free Allowance 2026: How Much Can You Bring?
Exactly how much alcohol, tobacco and goods you can bring into the EU and UK duty-free — with the current limits per traveller.
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Duty-free allowances limit how much you can bring across a border without paying tax or duty. The limits depend on where you're arriving, not where you bought the goods. Below are the current per-traveller allowances for the EU and UK. Always confirm with the destination's customs authority before you travel — rules change.
EU duty-free allowance (arriving from outside the EU)
Per traveller aged 17 or over:
Alcohol
- 1 litre of spirits over 22% ABV (e.g. whisky, vodka, gin), or
- 2 litres of fortified or sparkling wine under 22% ABV,
- plus 4 litres of still wine,
- plus 16 litres of beer.
Tobacco
- 200 cigarettes, or
- 100 cigarillos, or
- 50 cigars, or
- 250g of smoking tobacco.
Other goods
Up to €430 for air and sea travellers (€300 by other means, €150 for under-15s) in other goods such as perfume, electronics and gifts.
UK duty-free allowance (arriving into the UK)
Per traveller aged 17 or over:
Alcohol
- 42 litres of beer,
- 18 litres of still wine,
- plus 4 litres of spirits, or 9 litres of sparkling/fortified wine.
Tobacco
- 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250g tobacco.
Other goods
Up to £390 in other goods (£270 if arriving by private plane or boat).
Quick reference
| Allowance | EU (arriving) | UK (arriving) |
|---|---|---|
| Spirits (>22%) | 1 L | 4 L |
| Sparkling/fortified | 2 L | 9 L |
| Still wine | 4 L | 18 L |
| Beer | 16 L | 42 L |
| Cigarettes | 200 | 200 |
| Tobacco | 250 g | 250 g |
| Other goods | €430 | £390 |
Things to watch out for
- Allowances are per person — a family can pool nothing except by each carrying their own.
- You cannot combine the spirits and sparkling-wine options beyond the stated limits.
- Some EU land borders apply reduced tobacco limits (as low as 40 cigarettes).
- Buying within the EU (EU-to-EU) is not duty-free, but generous personal-use limits apply.
Now that you know your limits, find the cheapest place to buy: compare spirits prices, tobacco, or compare two airports.
This guide is general information, not legal or customs advice. Verify current allowances with the relevant customs authority before travelling.