News | Know Before You Go | Its your duty to know the rulesIT’S YOUR DUTY TO KNOW THE RULES
APH explains the UK duty free rules and regulations
Airport Parking and Hotels (APH), the UK’s award-winning airport parking specialists, is helping holidaymakers returning to the UK avoid fines by highlighting the duty free limits when returning from the EU and beyond. The full table, available to download, can be found in the Know Before You Go section of the website www.aph.com/dutyfree.
Passengers travelling from the European Union can bring an “unlimited” amount of most goods into the UK, provided they are for personal use and transported by the passenger, however, passengers may be asked questions if they are bringing in more than 3,200 cigarettes, 110 litres of beer or 90 litres of wine.
Travellers from outside the European Union are entitled to bring in goods up to a certain limit without having to pay duty and/or tax in the UK. When bringing in alcohol to the UK, passengers can bring either one litre of spirits or strong liqueurs or two litres of fortified wine, sparking wine or any other alcoholic beverage of less than 22% volume. These allowances may be combined provided the total allowance is not exceeded. In addition, passengers may also bring back 16 litres of beer and four litres of still wine.
With regards to tobacco allowances, passengers can bring in either 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco. Like with alcohol, these allowances can be combined so long as the total amount is not exceeded. However, it is important to note that one cannot combine both alcohol and tobacco allowances.
When brining in other goods to the UK such as perfume or electrical goods, passengers can bring in up to £390 in value without paying duty and/or tax in the UK. If bringing in goods worth more than the allocated allowance, travellers must pay duty and or tax on the FULL value.
PRODUCT |
When travelling from the EU* to the UK |
When travelling from outside of the EU to the UK |
Cigarettes |
3200 |
200 |
Cigarillos |
400 |
100 |
Cigars |
200 |
50 |
Tobacco |
3kg |
250g |
Wine (Table) |
90 |
4 litres |
Spirits |
10 |
1 litre |
Liqueurs (over 22% volume) |
10 |
1 litre |
Liqueurs (under 25% volume) |
20 litres |
2 litres |
Fortified wine |
20 litres |
2 litres |
Sparkling wine |
20 litres |
2 litres |
Beer |
110 litres |
16 |
All other goods including gifts, souvenirs, perfume and electrical items. |
N/A |
£390 |
*EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland (Republic of), Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (but not the Canary Islands), Sweden, the UK (but not the Channel Islands).
APH makes every effort to ensure that the information provided is accurate at the time of collection and publishing but it is provided without any kind of warranty. APH accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of the information.
