Duty-free allowances
How much you can bring in without paying tax or duty, from the official pages, 22 October 2026.
Arriving in Great Britain (from outside the UK)
| Item | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Beer and cider | 42 litres |
| Wine (still or sparkling) | 18 litres |
| Spirits and other alcohol over 22% ABV | 4 litres (or 9 litres of alcohol up to 22% ABV, such as port or sherry; you can split this allowance) |
| Tobacco (one of) | 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, 250g tobacco or 200 sticks for heated tobacco devices (can be split) |
| Vaping liquid | 50 ml |
| Other goods | Up to £390 (£270 if you arrive by private plane or boat) |
Go over an allowance and you pay tax and duty on everything in that category, not just the extra. There are no alcohol, tobacco or vaping allowances if you’re under 17. Different rules apply in Northern Ireland.
Sources: GOV.UK, checked 22 October 2026.
Arriving in the EU (from a non-EU country)
| Item | Allowance |
|---|---|
| Wine and beer | 4 litres of still wine and 16 litres of beer |
| Plus one of | 1 litre of spirits over 22%, or 2 litres of fortified or sparkling wine (can be split) |
| Tobacco (higher limit) | 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g tobacco |
| Tobacco (lower limit, some countries) | 40 cigarettes or 20 cigarillos or 10 cigars or 50 g tobacco |
| Other goods, including perfume | €430 for air and sea travellers (€300 otherwise); some countries apply €150 for under-15s |
Under 17s get no alcohol or tobacco allowance. Some EU countries apply the lower tobacco limit; check the customs authority of the country you’re arriving in.
Sources: Your Europe (European Union), checked 22 October 2026.
Returning to the US (US residents)
CBP: an $800 duty-free personal exemption every 31 days, if you’ve been outside the US for at least 48 hours. It includes not more than 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars; the tobacco exemption is for adults 21 or over. Other conditions apply to some territories and countries.
Sources: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, checked 22 October 2026.
Guidance only. Security staff and airlines make the final decision, and rules can differ by airport, airline and route.
More airport and airline checks
Power banks · Liquids at security · Cabin bag sizes · Vapes and e-cigarettes · Medicines and medical equipment · Lithium batteries · ETA, ESTA and ETIAS · Passport validity · Travel advice by country