Italy customs
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Free import
• From another EU country: goods bought for your own use can be brought in without customs formalities. Above these per-person guide levels, tobacco and alcohol may be treated as commercial and must then travel with excise documents: 800 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos (max. 3 g each), 200 cigars, 1 kg of smoking tobacco, 10 L of drinks over 22% alcohol, 20 L of drinks up to 22% alcohol, 90 L of wine (of which no more than 60 L of sparkling wine) and 110 L of beer.
• From a non-EU country, for travelers aged 17 or older: 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos (max. 3 g each) or 50 cigars or 250 g of smoking tobacco (or a proportional mix).
• From a non-EU country, for travelers aged 17 or older: 1 L of drinks over 22% alcohol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol of 80% or more) or 2 L of drinks up to 22% alcohol (or a proportional mix), plus 4 L of still wine and 16 L of beer.
• From a non-EU country: other goods for personal or family use or as gifts, brought occasionally in personal luggage, up to EUR 430 per traveler arriving by air or sea and EUR 300 per traveler arriving by land. Travelers under 15 have an allowance of EUR 150 whatever the means of transport. If the goods are worth more, duties are due on their full value.
• Medicines for personal use in a quantity that matches the length of the stay, with a medical prescription (in English at least) where one is required.
Currency
• Italy's currency is the euro (EUR).
• Cash of EUR 10,000 or more (including bearer instruments such as traveler's cheques and highly liquid assets such as gold) must be declared in writing to customs on arrival. In Italy this applies both to travel from non-EU countries and to travel from other EU countries. The declaration form is available on the ADM website.
• Failure to declare leads to seizure of part of the amount above the limit and a fine of at least EUR 900 (up to EUR 1,000,000). An incorrect or incomplete declaration is fined from EUR 500.
Prohibited
• Meat, milk and products made from them (including preparations such as stuffed pasta and pet food) from non-EU countries other than Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland, unless accompanied by a health certificate from the country of origin (limited exceptions apply, see Restricted)
• Counterfeit goods: bringing counterfeit goods into Italy is punishable under the Criminal Code or, in less serious cases, with administrative fines. Make sure the goods you carry do not infringe trademarks or copyrights
• Commercial import of species seriously threatened with extinction (CITES Appendix I), such as furs of leopards, cheetahs and ocelots; import of raw ivory is suspended
• Cultural goods that were removed from their non-EU country of origin in breach of its laws
• Illegal drugs, including cannabis
Restricted
• Firearms, edged weapons and other weapons need a permit issued by the authorities of the traveler's place of residence. Without it, the weapon can be left in customs custody until the police headquarters (Questura) issues an authorization.
• Food of animal origin allowed from non-EU countries without a certificate: up to 2 kg of powdered infant milk, infant food, special medical food or pet food needed for the pet's health (branded, in intact packaging, not needing refrigeration before opening); up to 20 kg of gutted or processed fish (or one fish, if heavier); up to 2 kg of other products such as honey, live oysters, mussels or snails; caviar up to 125 g per person. Bread, biscuits, chocolate, confectionery, pasta and noodles not filled with meat are exempt.
• Plants from non-EU countries need a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin. For plant foods exempt from this certificate, the personal limit is generally 5 kg of fresh or 2 kg of dried products.
• Endangered species of plants and animals and products made from them (CITES), such as some corals, reptile leather goods, furs and tropical timber, need CITES documents. Small souvenir quantities are exempt, for example up to 3 rainsticks, 4 dead seahorses or 3 queen conch shells per person. Violations for personal use are fined EUR 3,000 to EUR 30,000 and the goods are seized.
• Cultural goods created or discovered outside the EU must be presented to customs with the purchase invoice. Archaeological objects and other sensitive categories need an import licence from the Ministry of Culture; other listed categories need a declaration that the goods left their country of origin legally.
• Pets (dogs, cats, ferrets): up to 5 per traveler, at least 3 months old, identified by microchip and vaccinated against rabies (a first vaccination at least 21 days before travel). From an EU country they need an EU pet passport; from a non-EU country an official health certificate and, from some countries, a rabies antibody test done 3 months before travel. Pets from non-EU countries may enter only through designated travelers' points of entry.
• Pet birds (up to 5) from non-EU countries need an EU health certificate, must enter through a border control post with veterinary services, and arrival must be notified at least one working day in advance.
• From another EU country: goods bought for your own use can be brought in without customs formalities. Above these per-person guide levels, tobacco and alcohol may be treated as commercial and must then travel with excise documents: 800 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos (max. 3 g each), 200 cigars, 1 kg of smoking tobacco, 10 L of drinks over 22% alcohol, 20 L of drinks up to 22% alcohol, 90 L of wine (of which no more than 60 L of sparkling wine) and 110 L of beer.
• From a non-EU country, for travelers aged 17 or older: 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos (max. 3 g each) or 50 cigars or 250 g of smoking tobacco (or a proportional mix).
• From a non-EU country, for travelers aged 17 or older: 1 L of drinks over 22% alcohol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol of 80% or more) or 2 L of drinks up to 22% alcohol (or a proportional mix), plus 4 L of still wine and 16 L of beer.
• From a non-EU country: other goods for personal or family use or as gifts, brought occasionally in personal luggage, up to EUR 430 per traveler arriving by air or sea and EUR 300 per traveler arriving by land. Travelers under 15 have an allowance of EUR 150 whatever the means of transport. If the goods are worth more, duties are due on their full value.
• Medicines for personal use in a quantity that matches the length of the stay, with a medical prescription (in English at least) where one is required.
Currency
• Italy's currency is the euro (EUR).
• Cash of EUR 10,000 or more (including bearer instruments such as traveler's cheques and highly liquid assets such as gold) must be declared in writing to customs on arrival. In Italy this applies both to travel from non-EU countries and to travel from other EU countries. The declaration form is available on the ADM website.
• Failure to declare leads to seizure of part of the amount above the limit and a fine of at least EUR 900 (up to EUR 1,000,000). An incorrect or incomplete declaration is fined from EUR 500.
Prohibited
• Meat, milk and products made from them (including preparations such as stuffed pasta and pet food) from non-EU countries other than Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland, unless accompanied by a health certificate from the country of origin (limited exceptions apply, see Restricted)
• Counterfeit goods: bringing counterfeit goods into Italy is punishable under the Criminal Code or, in less serious cases, with administrative fines. Make sure the goods you carry do not infringe trademarks or copyrights
• Commercial import of species seriously threatened with extinction (CITES Appendix I), such as furs of leopards, cheetahs and ocelots; import of raw ivory is suspended
• Cultural goods that were removed from their non-EU country of origin in breach of its laws
• Illegal drugs, including cannabis
Restricted
• Firearms, edged weapons and other weapons need a permit issued by the authorities of the traveler's place of residence. Without it, the weapon can be left in customs custody until the police headquarters (Questura) issues an authorization.
• Food of animal origin allowed from non-EU countries without a certificate: up to 2 kg of powdered infant milk, infant food, special medical food or pet food needed for the pet's health (branded, in intact packaging, not needing refrigeration before opening); up to 20 kg of gutted or processed fish (or one fish, if heavier); up to 2 kg of other products such as honey, live oysters, mussels or snails; caviar up to 125 g per person. Bread, biscuits, chocolate, confectionery, pasta and noodles not filled with meat are exempt.
• Plants from non-EU countries need a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin. For plant foods exempt from this certificate, the personal limit is generally 5 kg of fresh or 2 kg of dried products.
• Endangered species of plants and animals and products made from them (CITES), such as some corals, reptile leather goods, furs and tropical timber, need CITES documents. Small souvenir quantities are exempt, for example up to 3 rainsticks, 4 dead seahorses or 3 queen conch shells per person. Violations for personal use are fined EUR 3,000 to EUR 30,000 and the goods are seized.
• Cultural goods created or discovered outside the EU must be presented to customs with the purchase invoice. Archaeological objects and other sensitive categories need an import licence from the Ministry of Culture; other listed categories need a declaration that the goods left their country of origin legally.
• Pets (dogs, cats, ferrets): up to 5 per traveler, at least 3 months old, identified by microchip and vaccinated against rabies (a first vaccination at least 21 days before travel). From an EU country they need an EU pet passport; from a non-EU country an official health certificate and, from some countries, a rabies antibody test done 3 months before travel. Pets from non-EU countries may enter only through designated travelers' points of entry.
• Pet birds (up to 5) from non-EU countries need an EU health certificate, must enter through a border control post with veterinary services, and arrival must be notified at least one working day in advance.