Guide to custom regulations in Ireland

Ireland is known as the land of Guinness and gorgeous green views. Unfortunately, it’s also known to have all four seasons interchange in just one day. So, before visiting, it would be good to learn more about the weather there. It’s probably best to come in June and July if you’re not a fan of colder climates prone to drastic changes. Researching is, however, definitely worth your time. The reason for that is you’ll see some jaw-dropping sights, from lush meadows and craggy coastlines to Cliffs of Moher. Nevertheless, if you are traveling for business or looking for places to relax, you will also need to know more about customs regulations in Ireland.

Custom regulations in Ireland for travelers

Custom officers can carry out selective checks on all travelers at any entry point in Ireland, whether traveling by air or sea. The reason for this is to ensure you don’t carry restricted goods. 

Our interlocutors from movingtransparent.com kindly shared the exact details about custom management in Ireland, as their services require them to travel there frequently.

First, let’s look at what they look like if you’re traveling to Ireland from the EU.

From the EU to Ireland

Cash control

The good news is that Ireland has no restrictions on the amount of cash you carry in or out of the country if you are traveling within the EU. So in these situations, you aren’t required to declare the money you have.

Caption: Custom regulations in Ireland have no restrictions on the cash you carry if traveling within the EU.

Alt tag: Wrapped dollar notes.

However, under the Criminal Justice Act 1994 Section 38(1), if you carry €6,348,69 in cash, the customs officer can seize and detain your money. This is because they might have reasonable grounds to believe that this amount of money is a part of criminal acts.

Duty-free and VAT

Unfortunately, if you are traveling within the EU, you cannot buy duty-free goods. This type of sale was abolished in 1999. Thus, any goods you purchase within the EU (except food, drink, and tobacco) are subject to regular excise duty and VAT rates. 

On the other hand, duty-free sales are available if traveling to destinations outside the EU.

Goods you obtained in another EU country

If the goods you got are for your personal use, you won’t be charged extra duty or VAT, as it’s already been paid. Thus, you will now see the limits on specific goods. If you exceed these quantities for some reason, you may need to demonstrate that the items are for your personal use.

1. Cigarettes – maximum quantity 800
2. Cigarillos – 400
3. Cigars – 200
4. Smoking tobacco – 1kg
5. Spirits (like vodka, whiskey) – 10l
6. Intermediate products that contain 22% of alcohol or less – 20l
7. Wine – 90l (only 60l if it is sparkling wine)
8. Beer – 110l

Caption: You can bring 200 cigars to Ireland from the EU.

Alt tag: A cigar taken out of the box surrounded by nuts

With that said, make sure you keep your receipts to prove that you’ve paid duty and VAT. It’s also worth remembering that you cannot have any tobacco or alcohol in your possession if you are under 17 years old.

Meat and dairy products

Products per EU rules (have the EU health marks and proper packaging) and are for personal use can be imported to Ireland.

From the countries outside the EU to Ireland

Custom regulations in Ireland regarding cash control

Whether you’re entering or leaving the EU and have €10,000 on you, you’ll need to declare to the customs authority of the country you are leaving or entering.

You are required to lodge the declaration at one of Ireland’s airports, land frontiers, or seaports. Also, if you come from the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, you must make a declaration.

Here is what’s meant by cash:

• Banknote and coin currency;
• Traveler cheques, regular cheques, promissory notes, or money orders without a named beneficiary;
• Gold coins with golden content of at least 90%;
• Gold nuggets, clumps, or bars with golden content of 99,5%.

Unaccompanied cash

If you receive or send €10,000 or more via post, courier, or freight, you might be required to make a cash disclosure declaration.

The limit on goods

Suppose you are traveling to Ireland from a non-EU country (including Gibraltar, the Canary Islands, and the Channel Islands). In that case, you’ll be allowed to take the following goods within limits set below.

1. Cigarettes – 200
2. Cigarillos – 100
3. Cigars – 50
4. Tobacco – 250g
5. Spirits – 1l
6. Intermediate products that contain 22% of alcohol or less – 2l
7. Still wine – 4l
8. Beer – 16l
9. Other types of goods (like souvenirs, perfumes, clothing) – €430 per adult, €215 per child younger than 15 years old

 Caption: Be sure to keep your receipts proving that you paid the duty and taxes.

Alt tag: Banknotes in euros, two calculators, and coins for someone who’s calculating taxes under custom regulations in Ireland

If you are traveling as a group of friends, you can combine your allowances to buy goods. First, however, make sure you save some money for some of the best outlets in Ireland.

Another thing worth mentioning is that the tobacco and intermediate product allowances are distributed in chunks. So, for instance, you can bring 1 liter of port plus half a liter of spirits, or 50 cigarillos and 100 cigarettes. 

Drugs

When traveling to Ireland, it’s a criminal offense to carry any type of controlled substance with you. These include cannabis, heroin, cocaine, and amphetamines. 

The customs drug detector dog units are located at airports and ferry ports. They are specially trained to find the substances we have mentioned above.

Meat and dairy products

In most cases, one cannot import meat or dairy products from a non-EU country to Ireland. However, limited quantities of certain products can be imported if the country of the product’s origin is an EU-approved country.

Final thoughts

Generally speaking, Irish customs are pretty easy to grasp. Therefore, if you plan on having a holiday here, make sure you study Irish customs management and regulations before you start packing. This way, you will ensure the Irish getaway you always dreamt of starts off smoothly.

The best way to avoid potential issues is to understand custom regulations in Ireland and act accordingly.