First Day Abroad

Customs and duty-free allowances in United Arab Emirates

Part of the United Arab Emirates arrival guide.

This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by

Bringing things into United Arab Emirates

Leave at home

  • Codeine and tramadol without paperwork
  • CBD oil
  • Poppy seeds
  • Drones without a permit
Duty-free allowance
  • 400 cigarettes
  • 4 L of spirits
Cash to declare
AED 60,000 or more

The threshold covers cash and equivalents carried by one traveller. Not declaring it is what causes the money to be seized, not the amount itself.

Codeine, tramadol and CBD are controlled substances in the UAE, and a prescription is the difference between a medicine and an arrest.

  • Common painkillers are controlled drugs here. Codeine, tramadol and anything containing CBD need a prescription and a doctor's letter; travellers have been detained at Dubai airport over a blister pack from home.
  • Poppy seeds are prohibited, which catches people carrying bread or baking ingredients rather than anything sinister.
  • The allowance is 400 cigarettes and 4 litres of alcohol for non-Muslim adults arriving by air. Arriving overland from Saudi Arabia or Oman, no alcohol may be brought in at all.
  • AED 60,000 or more in cash must be declared, counting foreign currency and gold at their dirham value.
  • Drones need a permit and are confiscated without one.
  • Sharjah is dry. Alcohol may not be brought into or consumed in the emirate, which matters if your hotel is on that side of the boundary.
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Sources (1)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.