CBD oil is accepted in many countries across the world, but can you take it in your hand luggage when flying?
While flying with CBD from the UK is often straightforward, laws vary widely around the world. Some countries welcome it; others could seize it, or worse. To find out more, we've spoken with airlines and UK airports and have also researched the latest legal updates in the top British travel destinations.
This guide for 2025 explains where CBD is allowed, where it's not, and how to stay safe when flying. Always do your own research.
Currently, CBD is legal in the UK; however, it must meet the following requirements:
Each container must hold no more than 1mg of a controlled cannabinoid such as THC or CBN.
It must be labelled as a 'food supplement'. This is a requirement for all CBD products currently sold in the UK that don't have a medicinal product licence.
If you have prescribed medication containing CBD, it will fall under the UK guidelines regarding medicines in your hand luggage. You will also need to carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from the prescribing medical professional.
It should be in a form in which restricted cannabinoids THC or CBN can't be easily separated from the oil. Most full-spectrum oils contain traces of THC in a form that is impossible to extract without complex, specialised processes and equipment.
Following the 31st March 2021, only products that have applied and receive novel food authorisation from the FSA are legally allowed for sale and consumption in the UK legal for sale and consumption in the UK. This ensures the products are safe, properly labelled, and contain only trace levels of THC (less than 1mg per container), and ideally supported by lab reports.
If you arrive in the UK with a CBD product that meets these requirements, it can be legally accepted. To comply with airport restrictions, it should be in a container holding less than 100ml and be presented to security in a separate, transparent plastic bag measuring no more than 20cm x 20cm.
Because CBD is still new to some people, it is essential to contact your destination airport directly before you travel. Some airlines and airports don't fully understand the difference between CBD as a legal food supplement and assume that it must be a prescribed medicine.
For example, when I contacted Jet2, they responded:
"You're able to carry CBD oil on board providing you have evidence of the prescription for ease of passing through the airport to avoid having it confiscated at any point."
However, Gatwick Airport gave reassurance by saying that CBD oils were allowed as long as they followed the rules for liquids in hand luggage:
"[Y]ou can take oils through, please place this into one of the clear bags provided[.]"
When boarding a plane from a UK airport, you can take CBD oil in your carry-on. Each airport or airline may have a different approach, but legally, it is fine to take it through security and on to your flight.
British Airways were very clear that CBD is fine in your carry-on:
"You can take CBD oil on board as long as it’s under 100ml."
While it may be ok to take on board, a large part of the legality of taking CBD with you depends on where you are going. Heathrow told us that you should check with both the airline and your destination airport to ensure a trouble-free journey:
"We would advise contacting the airline directly, and we would advise contacting the airport you will be flying to."
When planning your journey, it is essential to bear in mind the different organisations and governments involved in your complete voyage. Because CBD is still relatively new, many people still strongly associate it with the illegal drug cannabis. Even in the UK, you may come across people willing to assume that it is illegal or not allowed on a plane.
When you leave the UK, you will also find that different countries have different approaches and even in areas where it is legal, it could be subject to confiscation. To address any concerns, plan ahead and research each stage of your journey.
Currently, the UK and EU follow the same broad regulations relating to CBD. While most countries accept the use of CBD as a legal food supplement, there are some significant differences. Some countries still consider it illegal, and others may detain or question you despite its current legal status:
Spain: You can legally travel with CBD into Spain for personal use if it contains less than 0.2% THC and is labelled as a supplement.
France: CBD with less than 0.3% THC is legal. You can travel with it if it’s clearly labelled and not sold as a medicine.
Germany: Over-the-counter CBD is widely available, but German customs may treat CBD as a medicine if it has health claims. A doctor’s note may help.
Italy: Legal to carry CBD for personal use if under 0.2% THC. Products must comply with EU novel food regulations.
Netherlands: CBD is allowed if it contains less than 0.05% THC. Stronger oils may be treated as controlled substances.
Portugal: Non-medicinal CBD is permitted for personal use. CBD with health claims is considered medicinal and requires a prescription.
Poland: Travelling with CBD is legal if the THC content is below 0.2% and the product is clearly labelled (Cannabis Health News).
Greece: CBD is legal but only from approved sources. Full-spectrum CBD with any THC may cause problems at customs.
Croatia: CBD products under 0.2% THC are allowed for personal use. Labels must make it clear the product is not a medicine.
Cyprus: CBD is only allowed from licensed pharmacies. Travelling with CBD oil bought elsewhere may result in confiscation.
Sweden: CBD must be 0% THC. Oils with trace THC are considered narcotics and may be seized.
Finland: All ingestible CBD is considered a medicine. A prescription is required to carry CBD legally.
Norway: Not in the EU. CBD is treated as a narcotic unless you have a prescription. Carry documentation.
Denmark: CBD is classified as a medicine. Products require a prescription if THC is present or health claims are made.
Malta: CBD was formerly prescription-only. It’s now more widely available, but travellers should carry proof it’s for personal use.
Slovakia: Legalised CBD in 2021. Travel with UK-legal CBD is now allowed.
In summary, check the specific country’s stance on CBD before flying. Many popular European destinations (Spain, France, Italy, etc.) are CBD-friendly in theory, but always double-check current local laws.
Some non-EU European countries have much stricter rules, and travelling with CBD can lead to fines or confiscation.
Norway: CBD is classed as a narcotic. You’ll need a prescription and proof of use.
Iceland and Monaco: CBD is considered a cannabis product in Iceland and Monaco. Travellers should avoid bringing it. In Monaco, possession of cannabis-related products can result in severe penalties, including up to one year in jail and fines up to €1,680.
Albania, Belarus, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina: CBD is illegal and treated like cannabis. Do not carry it.
Turkey: Very strict laws. CBD is not clearly legal and may be treated as a controlled drug.
When travelling to the US with CBD ensure that it contains less THC than the US federal limit of 0.3% and check the situation with the airport you are going to. Even if you know that CBD is legal in the state you are heading to you could still fall foul of local regulations, so always check first.
At a federal level, CBD derived from hemp is legal, but it mustn't be marketed with any medical claims or be added to food. CBD products extracted from cannabis strains are not permitted and could get you in trouble on the plane or at customs. If you do bring CBD into the US, ensure that is clearly labelled as derived from hemp.
However, at a state level, there are still cases of CBD products being seized and even drivers delivering products across state lines are being arrested for drug trafficking. Even though CBD derived from hemp is considered to be legal by the state, there are many areas where there are confusing and contradictory restrictions.
To stay safe:
Unless you know for sure that your specific destination explicitly allows CBD, it’s safer to assume CBD is banned.
Countries like Jamaica, Antigua, and St. Vincent (with medical cannabis programmes) might be less strict, but others like Barbados, St. Lucia, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands likely will confiscate CBD and could penalise you.
It might not result in jail for a first-time offence (more likely a fine), but that’s not how you want to spend your honeymoon! A recent cautionary tale: In 2023, a Texas woman embarking on a Caribbean cruise was detained and banned for life from the cruise line after security found CBD gummies in her luggage.
Rum and cigars, on the other hand, will be okay in all of these countries.
Australia classifies CBD as a Schedule 4 prescription-only medicine (unless it has extremely low doses). This means that to bring CBD into Australia legally, you would need a prescription, and you must declare it to customs, falling under the traveller’s exemption for medicines.
If you don’t have a prescription, the Australian Border Force (ABF) will likely seize the CBD at the border. In fact, ABF has issued warnings that they are actively confiscating any undeclared CBD or cannabis products entering Australia.
The penalties can be steep: at least confiscation and possible fines. In theory, bringing in an undeclared CBD product could even be prosecuted as importing a controlled substance. The Australian authorities have little sense of humor about drugs; even a small bottle of CBD could be seen as “cannabis extract”.
One report noted that if you’re caught with CBD oil at an Australian airport without the proper approval, it could be treated on par with drug trafficking, with potential penalties as high as life imprisonment and multi-million dollar fines (though that would likely apply to large quantities, not personal use).
Still, that underscores how serious Australia is. Unless you have a doctor’s letter and ideally have pre-registered your medication import, it’s not worth trying to bring CBD to Australia. (If you need CBD for a medical condition, consider sourcing it through Australia’s prescription scheme once there.)
New Zealand similarly treats CBD as prescription-only. NZ has a medical cannabis programme, and tourists can, in theory, bring up to 3 months’ supply of a prescribed CBD product with them. But you would need documentation. If you show up in Auckland with a random CBD oil and no paperwork, customs can seize it. New Zealand, like Australia, is very strict at the border (they’ll even fine you for a stray piece of fruit in your bag, let alone a suspected drug).
Tip: For trips to Australia or NZ, it may be better not to bring any CBD and instead see if you can obtain it via local pharmacies or clinics. In theory, Australia in 2021 downscheduled low-dose CBD (under 150mg/day) to over-the-counter, but no products are approved yet for OTC sale. So, practically, it’s all prescription. New Zealand is the same. Leave your CBD at home when heading Down Under unless you have gone through the proper medical import process.
In the United Arab Emirates CBD is considered to be the same as cannabis and carries the same penalties. The UK Foreign Office state that: "If you're entering the country with medication that the UAE classes as narcotic, psychotropic, controlled or semi-controlled, approval is needed from the UAE authorities."
In their advice to travellers, the UAE list all controlled medications; cannabis and related products are clearly prohibited with no documentation that would allow it to be treated legally.
In recent years, hundreds of tourists were arrested in Dubai for possessing CBD products. A British football coach was sentenced to 10 years in Dubai for CBD vapes.
Several of those detained had attempted to keep the CBD hidden in unlabeled vape cartridges. Whatever the situation, taking CBD into any part of the UAE is strongly discouraged. If caught, the minimum sentence for possession is two years.
In short, avoid bringing CBD to the UAE, Qatar, or Saudi Arabia. These countries treat CBD the same as cannabis.
Here are some of the areas that, when visiting, you may need to leave the CBD at home. Some countries don’t make their approach to CBD known but these ones have given a strong indication that it isn’t welcome:
Africa – Apart from South Africa, there is little distinction of CBD as separate from cannabis in any African country. There may be a small market for it, but small amounts of marijuana can result in hefty penalties, so it is best not to risk taking CBD to African countries.
South Africa – Recent law changes have legalised the use of some CBD. Still, the rules only allow for preparations that contain a maximum daily dose of 20 milligrams of CBD, products that don't refer to specific diseases and those that contain no more than 0.001% of THC and not more than 0.0075% total CBD.
China – China has recently begun mass production of hemp for export to supply the growing global demand for CBD products. Domestically, hemp is only legal for industrial use and is not permitted for use as a food supplement. The situation may change soon, but currently, you should not bring any CBD product on a flight to China.
However, in Hong Kong CBD is viewed as legal. You may be able to fly here with products with low levels of THC. Don’t bring CBD here unless you’ve spoken directly to your destination airport.
Russia - Hemp is illegal to cultivate and sell here. Some people do try and sell CBD products, but it is considered illegal.
Singapore - Currently, CBD still falls under their zero-tolerance policy for illegal drugs, but they are exploring the possibilities of CBD, so this may change.
South Korea - Here, CBD is only legal for medical purposes from a shortlist of approved drugs.
Taiwan – Hemp in some forms is legal here, but the situation is confusing. As a result, it is best not to bring any CBD products. If you do, you risk being prosecuted for cannabis possession.
To ensure that your flight goes without a hitch, here are our top tips for travelling with CBD:
The recent growth in the popularity of CBD all over the world has occurred quicker than policymakers, regulations, and authorities can keep up with. The result is that any travel by air can be hard to predict without detailed research. To reduce any risks, when carrying CBD on a flight, follow our tips and make sure that you have spoken to the relevant airlines and authorities.
While flying with CBD requires extra preparation and research, it is still worth doing. Not only will you be able to access your favourite CBD oil on your journey, but you will also be raising awareness of the difficulties faced by CBD consumers globally. The more people you speak to about CBD, the more companies, airports and airlines will see the need to update their policies.
It is worth remembering that not all EU countries will manufacture CBD to the same legal standards as those in the UK. If you are returning with CBD oil purchased in another country, it is essential to ensure it contains less than 1mg THC or CBN per container.
Notice: for the Ageless is a UK-based CBD store and we do not ship or sell CBD products to countries where CBD is illegal. The information above is for educational purposes. Always double-check the legislation of your destination country before travelling with any CBD or hemp products.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Tracked & signed
Orders over £35
Orders over £199
Soil Association certified
Chat, email or call
Tom Russell
Author
Tom Russell writes extensively about CBD oil and other groundbreaking food supplements. He and his wife share their home with two daughters and a lifetime’s collection of books.