Customs and borders

Customs

Customs operate blue, green and red channels at most ports and airports on the island of Ireland.

Travelling from the EU or Great Britain

If you’re visiting from Great Britain or any EU country, use the blue channel after you reclaim your baggage. Customs officers monitor this area and may operate checks. If you have something to declare to Customs, you should go to the red point.

Travelling from outside the EU or Great Britain

If you're arriving in Ireland from outside the EU or Great Britain, you'll need to clear customs. Use the green channel if you have nothing to declare. This means that you are not carrying more than the entitled allowances.

Use the red channel if you need to declare goods above the duty and tax-free allowance. If in doubt, always use the red channel!

Restricted or prohibited goods

You can import animal products from EU countries onto the island of Ireland, as long as the goods are produced in accordance with EU rules and are for your own consumption. This generally includes goods that are on sale to the public in an EU member state, and that bear the EU health mark and correct packaging.

Importing meat and milk products from almost all non-EU countries is prohibited, although you can bring limited quantities of certain animal products onto the island, for your own consumption under certain restrictions.

Duty and tax-free allowances

Goods obtained within the EU

You don’t have to pay duty on goods you bring into Ireland if you bought them in another EU country. However, if you exceed certain quantities, you may be asked by customs officials to show that the goods are for your personal use only.

Goods obtained outside the EU

You are entitled to a duty-free allowance if you arrive in Ireland directly from a non-EU country or the Canary Islands. This allowance means you can bring in goods (including gifts, souvenirs, perfume and clothing) free of duty, providing the combined value is not more than:

• €430/£312 in the case of an individual aged 15 years or over (approximately 466 US dollars*)
• €215/£157 in the case of an individual aged under 15 years (approximately 233 US dollars*)

*Subject to currency fluctuations

These allowances don’t apply to any individual item worth more that these values. So, if you bring in something worth more than €430/£312 or €215/£157, you must pay import charges on the full value.

Remember: if you bring back any duty-free goods you bought when you travelled out from Ireland, these count as part of your allowance.

Duty-free limits

In addition to your duty-free allowance for general goods, you have allowances for alcohol and tobacco products

Tobacco products

• 200 cigarettes
• 100 cigarillos
• 50 cigars
• or
• 250g smoking tobacco.

Alcohol products

• 1 litre of spirits (whiskey, gin, vodka, and so on)

or

• 2 litres of other alcoholic drinks with no more than 22% alcohol (for example, port, sherry, sparkling wine and some liqueurs).

Wine and beer

• 4 litres of wine (still)
• 16 litres of beer.

Customs duty, excise duty and value-added tax (VAT), where applicable, are charged on goods in excess of the duty-free allowances.

Sales Tax (VAT) refunds

Republic of Ireland

Under the Retail Export Scheme, if you live outside of the EU, you can claim back a portion of the VAT on purchases made during your stay in the Republic of Ireland. Most retailers participate in this VAT refund scheme and you can ask for a VAT refund form in the store once you've made your purchases.

How to claim your refund

There are three refund points in Dublin where you can reclaim your tax. You can also find refund points in Dublin and Shannon airports.

Make sure you fill in the form correctly and include a credit card number to facilitate the refund. The goods you bought must be exported outside of the EU within three months following the month of purchase and it will take between four to six weeks to receive your refund from the refund agent.

If you live in Great Britain, you can avail of tax-free shopping and can reclaim VAT on purchases of goods that come within the definition of “travellers qualifying goods” (This includes private use and exported in personal luggage).

You will also need to provide evidence that the goods have been imported into Great Britain and that the import taxes and duties have been paid there where appropriate. Find out more.

Northern Ireland

You can also claim tax back on goods bought in Northern Ireland. Slightly different rules apply depending on whether you travel directly from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, or indirectly through an EU member state, such as Ireland. Find out more.

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