Imports & Customs — Germany
What travelers need to know about imports & customs in Germany. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Imports & Customs in Germany: prohibited — what is legal at home can be a serious crime here.
Arriving in Germany from outside the EU, goods other than alcohol and tobacco are duty-free only up to 300 euros by land, 430 euros by air or sea, or 175 euros if you are under 15. If one single item is worth more than your allowance, duty is charged on its FULL value, not just the amount over.
Goods over the allowance must be declared to customs and import duties paid. Allowances cannot be added together between travellers, and can be used only once per journey - crossing the border repeatedly to reuse the allowance does not work.
§ German Customs Administration (Zoll) - Travellers allowancesIt is illegal to bring into or take out of Germany any literature, music, or items that glorify fascism, the Nazi past, or the "Third Reich" - including souvenirs and memorabilia that are legally sold in the US.
§ U.S. Department of State - Germany Country Information