Germany customs regulations

Duty-free allowance

When travelling within EU

There are no limits on the amount of alcohol and tobacco a traveller can bring in within the EU. The goods must be for personal use or as a gift and they must have had duty and tax paid in the EU country where they were acquired. Customs officials may require proof of intent if more than all of the following is imported:

Tobacco limit

• Restricted to travellers 17 years and over;
• 800 cigarettes;
• 400 cigarillos (maximum 3g each);
• 200 cigars;
• and 1kg smoking tobacco.

Bringing alcohol

• Restricted to travellers 17 years and over;
• 10 litres of spirits;
• 10 litres of sweetened beverages with alcohol;
• 20 litres of alcoholic beverages, other than either wine or beer, less than 22% alcohol volume;
• 90 litres of wine (of which maximum 60 litres of sparkling wine);
• and 110 litres of beer.

Other Excisable Goods

• 10kg coffee.

When travelling from outside the EU

If you enter the EU from outside, you can bring with you goods free of VAT and excise duties for personal use within the limits set out below. The same applies if you come from the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar or other territories where EU rules on VAT do not apply.

Tobacco limit

Restricted to travellers 17 years and over. One of the following:

• 200 cigarettes;
• 100 cigarillos;
• 50 cigars;
• 250g of smoking tobacco;
• A proportional combination of these goods.

Bringing alcohol

Restricted to travellers 17 years and over. One of the following:

• 1 litre of alcohol exceeding 22% volume of alcohol,
• 2 litre of fortified sparkling wine;
• A proportional combination of these goods.

In addition, both of the following:

• 4 litres of still wine;
• 16 litres of beer.

Limited duty-free

For certain groups, limited duty-free allowances apply. These groups are:

• Residents of municipalities close to the border of a third country if their journey to the border is less than 15 kilometres as the crow flies.
• People who cross the border for their everyday professional activity.
• People working professionally on means of transport used for commercial purpose, such as truck drivers or travel party escorts.

The limited duty free allowance is the following:

Tobacco limit

• Restricted to travellers 17 years and over;
• 40 cigarettes;
• 20 cigarillos;
• 10 cigars;
• 50kg smoking tobacco;
• Or a proportionate amount of each.

Cash limit

• There are no restrictions on the importation of currency into the EU.
• Funds of more than €10,000 must be declared to the customs authorities.

Other Goods free from duty

• Medication for personal use. For further information, please visit Medicinal products and narcotics.
• Personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to €430 when travelling by air or sea.
• Personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to €300 when travelling by land.
• Personal items of non-commercial nature worth up to €200 for travellers under 15 years of age.

Prohibited items

The following are goods which cannot be brought into the country.

• Publication or media likely to harm minors. This includes publications with content that tends to deprave or brutalise, or that incites to violence, criminality, or racial hatred.
• Literature with unconstitutional content, such as extreme right material inciting racial hatred or any call for violence.
• Counterfeit and pirated products.
• Torture instruments.
• The following breeds of dogs are prohibited: Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Pit Bull Terriers, and Bull Terriers.
• Potatoes, vines, wine leaves, and soil or plant substrate may never be imported into Germany from a non-EU country.
• Certain medications such as counterfeit medication and doping substances are banned.

Restricted items

These goods are strictly regulated, and in most cases require a permit to be obtained prior to arrival.

• Weapons, firearms, and ammunition are strictly controlled and import is only allowed with appropriate authorisation. For further information, please visit Competent authorities in terms of weapons legislation.
• Any cultural assets require an export licence from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. For further information, please visit Cultural assets.
• Fireworks are placed in 4 categories, according to their level of hazard. Category 1 fireworks may be imported throughout the year by travellers 13 years and over. Category 2 fireworks may be imported throughout the year by travellers 19 and over. Category 3 and 4 fireworks require a specific licence. For further information, please visit Fireworks.
• Rough diamonds are subject to certain restrictions. For further information, please visit Entering Germany with rough diamonds.
• The import of certain textiles from some non-EU states may require an import permit. For further information, please visit Textiles.
• Endangered animals, plants, and their derivative products protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) may require protected species permits. For further information, please visit How does species protection concern me as a traveller?
• Cat, dog, and seal fur is subject to regulation, and may be banned from import without certain permits. For further information, please visit Animal products.
• Plants from certain countries may require a phytosanitary certificate. For further information, please visit Plants and products containing vegetable substances.
• Cats, dogs, and ferrets are subject to a mandatory health inspection at the first point of entry on EU territory. They must also have a microchip or tattoo, and have been properly vaccinated against rabies. A Common Veterinary Entry Document certifying the healthy inspection must be provided with the customs declaration. Pet birds and animal based products are also subject to certain restrictions Pets travelling within the EU must have a valid pet passport.. For further information, please visit Animal health law provisions.
• Meat, milk and other dairy products for personal consumption are allowed from EU countries, Andorra, Canary Islands, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland.
• Meat and dairy products are not allowed from non EU countries except Croatia, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland, except in certain circumstances. For further information, please visit