Customs Rules
A guide to customs rules across several countries
What are customs rules?
Customs Rules are regulations imposed on a passenger's goods when they're travelling across international borders.
Custom rules may differ between countries. Therefore, it's essential to research the rules of your departure and arrival destinations.
Customs rules exist to:
- Prevent the spread of diseases.
- Prevent drug trafficking.
- Prevent dangerous goods from getting into a country.
- Prevent harm to the environment.
- Monitor goods being brought into a country.
You will usually pass through Customs after collecting your baggage, but before entering the public arrivals area.
How does customs work?
Once you've collected your luggage, you'll proceed through customs.
This is a quick and easy process, especially if all the items you've brought are allowed into the country. However, if you have specific items that aren't usually permitted or require special documents to be allowed in, then you'll have to declare them. This can apply to items like meat and alcohol.
Sometimes, you may need to pay a tax to bring declared items into a country.
General customs advice
- Never take anything into the country for someone else.
- Never bring banned items into the country.
- Research your duty- and tax-free entitlements, and if you can't find the information online, call the airport.
- If you're connecting between international flights, you won't need to clear Customs.
- If you travel internationally but then connect with a domestic flight, you will need to clear Customs.
- If you're connecting from an international flight to your own country, you must clear Customs.
This page will mention the specific customs rules for the following locations:
- The United States
- The United Kingdom
- The EU
- Canada
- Australia
- China
If you're looking for information about another country's rules and can't find it online, we recommend contacting the airport you'll be arriving at or our customer service team, who are always happy to help.
Customs rules in the United States
- Products cannot enter the United States if they could harm community health, public safety, American workers, children, plant and animal life or the general interest of the United States of America.
- Prohibited items cannot pass customs under any circumstances. Some examples of prohibited items include dangerous toys, bush meat and certain alcohol like absinthe.
- Restricted items may be allowed into the United States, but only with the correct permit, which you must first apply for. Some examples of restricted items include firearms, specific fruits and vegetables and certain animals.
For further information, please visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.
Customs rules in the United Kingdom
Banned items cannot be brought into the UK. They include:
- Illegal drugs and certain medications.
- Items that could be used as a weapon (eg large scissors).
- Pepper spray.
- Endangered animal and plant species.
- Indecent and abusive material (media that is considered depraved and corrupt, featuring extreme violence and sexual situations).
- Meat and dairy from most non-EU countries.
Restricted items require a special license. They include:
- Food and plant produce that contains pests and diseases, is for someone else, or wasn't grown in the EU.
- Firearms.
- Ammunition.
- Items protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Customs rules in the EU
While customs rules vary slightly between EU countries, the policies are mostly the same.
Rules for if you're an EU citizen:
- You can bring fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products with you if they're for your own personal consumption.
- You can bring alcohol and tobacco as long as they're for your personal use; they cannot be resold. The amount you can bring varies between countries.
Rules for if you're not an EU citizen:
- You are not permitted to bring any meat or dairy products.
- You can bring a limited amount of fruit and vegetables as well as eggs, fish and honey.
- You may need a permit for carrying endangered animals or plants.
- If you want to enter or leave the EU with more than € 10,000 in cash, it must be declared.
For further details on EU customs rules, visit the European Commission, an official EU website.
Customs rules in Canada
Prohibited goods:
- Cannabis.
- Food, plants and animals that could endanger Canadians (eg carrying diseases).
- Endangered species and items that include parts of an endangered species (eg certain shark teeth).
Items that may require a permit:
- Certain health products and prescription drugs.
- Items with significant cultural importance to their country of origin.
- Explosives, fireworks and specific ammo.
Customs rules in Australia
Prohibited items:
- Any knife that could be used as a weapon.
- Certain dog breeds cannot be brought into Australia (eg American pit bull terrier).
- Fireworks.
- Illegal pornography.
- Fake designer goods.
Items that will have to be declared or might need specific permits:
- Alcohol.
- Cats and dogs.
Learn more about what you can and can't bring at the Australian Border Force.
Customs rules in China
Prohibited items:
- Firearms and ammunition.
- Over 20,000 yuan RMB in cash (equivalent of £2073.62).
- Media that could damage China's culture, ethics and politics (including films and photos).
- Diseased animals and plants.
- Certain drugs (morphine, heroin).
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Customs FAQs
Do you go through customs before or after your flight?
As a general rule, you will go through customs upon arrival at your international destination, so after your flight.
Do connecting flights go through customs?
This depends. If you're connecting between international flights, then you won't usually need to clear customs. However, if you're connecting between domestic destinations, you must clear customs.
What do you declare at customs?
This depends on the country you're flying to, as different countries have differing rules on what is and isn't prohibited.
Some items that often surprise travellers and frequently require declaration are monetary instruments, such as traveller's cheques, banknotes, gold coins, promissory notes, money orders, negotiable cheques, and securities or stocks.
What happens if you don't declare customs?
If you don't declare prohibited goods at customs or provide false information, you risk facing legal consequences. Depending on the country, your goods and any vehicle used to transport them may be seized or fined, and the item(s) will be confiscated. In extreme cases, you may be liable to prison time.