Alcohol, tobacco and products containing coffee
Travel within the EU
As a private individual you may, in principle, bring goods such as cigarettes or alcoholic beverages, which are subject to excise duty, from any EU member state - with the exception of special tax and customs territories - to Germany duty-free and without customs formalities, provided that
- such goods had been released for free circulation in the member state where you acquired them,
- you are transporting the goods by yourself, and
- the goods are for your personal use.
You automatically comply with the requirement "released for free circulation" when you buy goods already tax-paid, as usual, at an ordinary retail shop. "Transporting the goods by yourself" means that you are bringing them with you when crossing the border. "For personal use" implies that the goods are intended for the personal use or consumption of the traveller(s). This does not include any gifts for other people or goods that you have with you for commercial purposes.
Sometimes, though, the quantities being imported are so great that a purely personal use must be seen as improbable.
This is why the following allowances for goods such as tobacco products and alcoholic beverages have been laid down; the consumption of these quantities can be assumed to be for private purposes. If the allowances are exceeded, you must be able to show that the consumption is private.
| Tobacco products/substitutes for tobacco products | Allowances within the EU |
|---|
| Cigarettes | 800 pieces |
| Cigarillos | 400 pieces |
| Cigars | 200 pieces |
| Smoking tobacco (fine cut, water pipe tobacco and pipe tobacco) | 1 kilogramme |
| Heated tobacco products | 800 pieces (smoke portions) |
| Substitutes for tobacco products | 1 litre,
up to a maximum of 10 retail packages |
| Alcoholic beverages | Allowances within the EU |
|---|
Spirits (for example brandy, whisky, rum, vodka)
| 10 litres |
| Sweetened beverages with alcohol (alcopops) | 10 litres |
| Fortified wines (for example sherry, port, marsala) |
20 litres |
| Sparkling wine | 60 litres |
| Beer | 110 litres |
| Other goods subject to excise duty | Allowances within the EU |
|---|
| Coffee or products containing coffee | 10 kilogrammes |
An allowance for wine from other EU member states has not been determined in Germany. As far as excise duty is concerned, there is no limit on the quantity of wine that may be imported for private purposes. This applies without prejudice to the provisions of wine legislation relating to the transport of wine.
Information about specific provisions for tobacco products and substitutes for tobacco products
Transiting non-EU states while travelling within the EU
Where you transit a non-EU state (Switzerland, for example) on travels within the EU, please bear in mind that smaller allowances and/or other national arrangements may be in force in that non-EU state.
When entering Germany you may import alcohol and tobacco in the quantities allowed on condition that you are able to show that the goods are from free circulation in the EU. This will be easier if you can show invoices/receipts.
Information about entry into Germany
Contact and assistance
The Central Information Unit of the German customs administration (Zentrale Auskunft Zoll) is there to help you and will answer your questions by telephone, post, or e-mail.
Central Information Unit
