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🛃 Customs: what you may bring back

Duty-free allowances on return from non-EU countries and declaring cash of €10,000 or more.

customs duty-free allowance €430 limit tobacco alcohol cash souvenirs non-EU country

In brief

When returning from a non-EU country, duty-free allowances apply to goods for your own use.

  • Value: €300, for air and sea travel €430, under 15 years €175.
  • Tobacco (from 17): 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g tobacco.
  • Alcohol (from 17): 1 litre of spirits over 22 percent vol. or 2 litres of alcohol up to 22 percent vol.; in addition 4 litres of still wine and 16 litres of beer.

Cash of €10,000 or more must be declared on entry and exit (non-EU) without being asked, in writing or electronically. Within the EU you must give oral information on request, regardless of €10,000.

Step by step

  1. Check the quantityAdd up the value and quantities of all souvenirs.
  2. Not for resaleGoods must be for personal use.
  3. Declare cashDeclare cash of €10,000 or more on entry and exit (non-EU) without being asked.
  4. If in doubt, declareUse the red channel or the customs hotline; information at zoll.de.

Deadlines

€300 / €430 / €175
Value limits on return from a non-EU country (air/sea 430, under 15 years 175)Zoll online, Reisefreimengen
€10,000
Declaration of cash without being asked on entry and exit (non-EU); within the EU only an oral declaration on requestZoll online, Barmittel
Watch out – common mistakes
  • Allowances apply per person and may not be used several times for directly consecutive border crossings.
  • Failure to declare cash without being asked on entry and exit (non-EU); within the EU only an oral declaration on request can be punished with a fine of up to €1 million (according to a search result).
  • Different rules apply within the EU (personal use); not checked in full text.
  • Prohibitions and restrictions (species protection, medicines, food): not checked.
In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Allowances

According to Zoll online, the following applies on return from non-EU countries: tobacco products (from age 17) 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g smoking tobacco; alcohol (from age 17) 1 litre of spirits over 22 percent vol. or 2 litres of alcohol up to 22 percent vol., in addition 4 litres of still wine and 16 litres of beer; other goods up to €300, for air and sea travellers €430, for travellers under 15 years €175; fuel in the tank and 10 litres in a canister. The goods must be carried with you and be for personal use. The age limit for coffee (from age 15) comes from a search result.

Cash

According to Zoll online, cash of €10,000 or more must be declared without being asked, in writing or electronically, on entry and exit in traffic with non-EU countries. Within the EU there is an oral duty to declare on request, regardless of €10,000. Declaration is possible online via the customs portal.

Who is responsible
  • Customs (zoll.de)
  • Hauptzollamt (main customs office) at the place of travel
  • Auswärtiges Amt (country rules)
Further reading
Travelling with children and animalsCredit card, cash and roamingID card, passport, ETA, EES and ETIAS

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Customs: what you may bring back“?
Duty-free allowances on return from non-EU countries and declaring cash of €10,000 or more.
Which deadlines and figures matter?
  • €300 / €430 / €175: Value limits on return from a non-EU country (air/sea 430, under 15 years 175) (Zoll online, Reisefreimengen)
  • €10,000: Declaration of cash without being asked on entry and exit (non-EU); within the EU only an oral declaration on request (Zoll online, Barmittel)
What should I do first?
  • Check the quantity: Add up the value and quantities of all souvenirs.
  • Not for resale: Goods must be for personal use.
  • Declare cash: Declare cash of €10,000 or more on entry and exit (non-EU) without being asked.
What do I need to watch out for?
  • Allowances apply per person and may not be used several times for directly consecutive border crossings.
  • Failure to declare cash without being asked on entry and exit (non-EU); within the EU only an oral declaration on request can be punished with a fine of up to €1 million (according to a search result).
  • Different rules apply within the EU (personal use); not checked in full text.
Evidence
  • Zoll online, Reisefreimengen (Rückkehr aus einem Nicht-EU-Staat), retrieved 21 September 2026
  • Zoll online, Barmittel Anmelde- und Anzeigepflicht (search result), retrieved 21 September 2026
  • Deurag, Zollfreigrenzen und Reisefreimengen (search result for coffee age limit), retrieved 21 September 2026
As of

September 2026 · Sources and method

A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.