Dubai Customs & Quarantine Prohibited Items

Dubai Customs prohibit the entry of the following items from entering Dubai. They will be seized upon entry and you may face a fine or penalties if you attempt to bring these items.

• Firearms and Weapons

  All firearms, ammunition, explosives, weapons or items that could be used as weapons such as knives, swords, or self-defence sprays are strictly prohibited from entering Dubai.

• Non-Halal Meat & Pork

  Meats that were not cut using Halal practices, including certain exotic meats or wild game, are strictly prohibited from entering Dubai. Pork and pork-derived products are also banned and can only be imported by businesses that sell the products in certain areas to non-muslims.

• Gambling Tools and Machines

  As gambling is illegal in the UAE, all gambling machines and tools are strictly banned. This includes playing cards, poker chips, roulette wheels, dice etc.

• Narcotics

  All types of narcotics are strictly banned from entering Dubai including hashish, cocaine, heroin, poppy seeds and hallucination pills.

• Betel Leaves

  Betel leaves and any product that contains them are considered a controlled substance and strictly banned from being brought into Dubai. Due to their stimulant properties and health risks, they are prohibited items throughout the UAE.

• Counterfeit Items

  There are strict counterfeit laws in Dubai that prohibit any counterfeit items from entering the country. This includes fake designer bags, clothes, shoes, accessories as well as electronics and cosmetics. These items will be seized and you may face a fine if you attempt to bring these items.

• Certain Animals

  You cannot bring endangered species and wildlife into Dubai. Bringing pets or birds is also heavily regulated and requires a special permit from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

These items are allowed to be brought with you to Dubai without having to declare them.

• Personal Items

  You can bring your personal items such as clothing, shoes, and toiletries along with electronics including laptops, chargers, mobile phones etc if they are a reasonable quantity. This also includes books, magazines and items classed as personal care that are not for commercial reasons.

• Tobacco

  Up to 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 500 grams of loose tobacco is allowed before you have to declare it. It must be for personal use.

• Food and Drink

  You can typically bring a small amount of non-perishable food and drink provided it's for personal use and doesn’t include pork or any restricted meats.

• Alcohol

  To comply with alcohol laws in Dubai, non-Muslim adults can bring up to 4 litres of alcohol or 48 cans of beer without having to declare it. Any amount over this must be declared and if you’re unsure of the limit, always declare it to be safe.

• Cssh

  You can bring up to AED 60,000 (£13,000) in cash or the equivalent in another currency without having to declare it. If you exceed the limit, you will need to declare it and further inspection may be required depending on the amount.

• Gifts

  You are allowed to bring gifts without declaring them if they are below the value of AED 3,000 and are for personal use.