What happens if I do not declare alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol in Netherlands?

If you declare the excess yourself, the normal duty becomes payable on the excess. Under Algemene douanewet, Artikel 10:1, eerste lid, if the goods are found without being declared: an administrative fine is imposed. Under Algemene douanewet, Artikel 10:1, tweede lid, if it is treated as smuggling: it carries between 0 and 4 years of imprisonment; an administrative fine is imposed.

Do duty-free purchases count toward the Netherlands allowance for alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol?

Yes. What you buy in an arrival duty-free shop comes out of the same allowance, so the shop does not add to what you may already be carrying.

Can I post or ship alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol to Netherlands instead of carrying it?

Not under this allowance. It covers goods a traveller carries; a parcel is an import and is assessed under the postal rules instead. Baggage sent before or after you travels under the same allowance.

Where does this rule come from?

Douane Nederland (Dutch Customs Administration) states it in Wet op de omzetbelasting 1968. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19.

How does Netherlands compare with other countries on alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol?

Of the 21 countries covered here, 1 prohibit alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol, 12 limit it and 8 let it through. Netherlands is among the ones that set a limit.

How much Alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol can I bring into Netherlands?

Allowed

You can bring Alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol into Netherlands without a special limit.

Extra conditions apply

Carried Allowed

Declaration Not required

Limit 2 liter

What you need to know

2 liter (67.63 US fl oz)
Channels: Carried with the traveler
Extra conditions apply

On the plane

Airline differences

Airline	Difference from the baseline
Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA)	Stricter than the standard rule

Important

This allowance applies per person, not per family or group.

Official sources

Last verified 2026-09-19

Wet op de omzetbelasting 1968 wetten.nl (Government of the Netherlands)

Questions about Alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol in Netherlands

How much alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol can I bring into Netherlands?: Netherlands allows 2 liters of alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol per traveller without duty. The allowance is per traveller and cannot be pooled between people.
Do I have to declare alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol at Netherlands customs?: No — within the allowance it passes without a declaration.
What happens if I do not declare alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol in Netherlands?: If you declare the excess yourself, the normal duty becomes payable on the excess. Under Algemene douanewet, Artikel 10:1, eerste lid, if the goods are found without being declared: an administrative fine is imposed. Under Algemene douanewet, Artikel 10:1, tweede lid, if it is treated as smuggling: it carries between 0 and 4 years of imprisonment; an administrative fine is imposed.
Do duty-free purchases count toward the Netherlands allowance for alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol?: Yes. What you buy in an arrival duty-free shop comes out of the same allowance, so the shop does not add to what you may already be carrying.
Can I post or ship alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol to Netherlands instead of carrying it?: Not under this allowance. It covers goods a traveller carries; a parcel is an import and is assessed under the postal rules instead. Baggage sent before or after you travels under the same allowance.
Is there a minimum age for the alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol allowance in Netherlands?: Yes — 17 years. A traveller under that age gets no allowance for alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol at all, not a smaller one.
Can I take alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol out of Netherlands?: Netherlands publishes no separate rule for taking alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol out; the destination's rules are what will apply.
Does the Netherlands limit for alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol apply per person or per family?: Per person. Each traveller carries their own allowance and it cannot be pooled with anyone else's.
Where does this rule come from?: Douane Nederland (Dutch Customs Administration) states it in Wet op de omzetbelasting 1968. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19.
How does Netherlands compare with other countries on alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol?: Of the 21 countries covered here, 1 prohibit alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol, 12 limit it and 8 let it through. Netherlands is among the ones that set a limit.

Related items

Accompanied cash Accompanying goods, non-commercial (flat-rate band) Agricultural/forestry/fishery/livestock products (general sub-cap) Alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over)

Related countries

Australia Canada China France

Other items in this group

Alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) Alcoholic beverages (all types) Alcoholic beverages (combined volume and value cap) Alcoholic beverages (standard 760 ml bottle) Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV Alcoholic beverages above 22% ABV