What happens if I do not declare portable electronic devices with installed battery in United Kingdom?

Under Travellers' Allowances Order 1994, if you declare the excess yourself: a flat-rate charge is applied to the excess. The normal duty becomes payable on the excess. Under Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, section 167, if it is treated as smuggling: it is prosecuted as a criminal offence; the goods are confiscated.

Can I post or ship portable electronic devices with installed battery to United Kingdom 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.

Can I carry portable electronic devices with installed battery in the cabin or in checked baggage?

In the cabin: Allowed with conditions. In checked baggage: Allowed with conditions. The carriage limit is 0.3000 g lithium / 2.7000 Wh. This comes from International baseline, and an individual airline may be stricter. Customs and aviation are separate rulebooks: what an airline lets you carry is not what a border lets you bring in.

Where does this rule come from?

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) / Border Force states it in Items that are allowed in baggage. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19. The sentence it rests on reads: “Batteries up to 100 Wh rating (lithium ion) or 2 g lithium content (lithium metal) are allowed without operator approval”

How does United Kingdom compare with other countries on portable electronic devices with installed battery?

Of the 20 countries covered here, 0 prohibit portable electronic devices with installed battery, 3 limit it and 17 let it through. United Kingdom is among the more permissive.

How much Portable electronic devices with installed battery can I bring into United Kingdom?

Restricted

You can bring Portable electronic devices with installed battery into United Kingdom only within the stated limits.

Cabin baggage Allowed with conditions Source: International baseline

Checked baggage Allowed with conditions Source: International baseline

Declaration Above allowance

Limit No stated quantity

What you need to know

No stated quantity
Channels: Carried with the traveler

On the plane

International baseline

On person Not stated

Cabin baggage Allowed with conditions

Checked baggage Allowed with conditions

Only if the device is completely switched off (not sleep or hibernation mode) when its battery exceeds the checked-baggage micro-threshold.

Airline differences

Airline	Difference from the baseline
Air France	Stricter than the standard rule
British Airways	Stricter than the standard rule
easyJet	Stricter than the standard rule
Emirates	Stricter than the standard rule
Lufthansa	Stricter than the standard rule
Qatar Airways	Stricter than the standard rule
Turkish Airlines	Stricter than the standard rule

Important

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

Official sources

Last verified 2026-09-19

Items that are allowed in baggage UK Civil Aviation Authority

Questions about Portable electronic devices with installed battery in United Kingdom

Do I have to declare portable electronic devices with installed battery at United Kingdom customs?: Yes — it has to be declared to United Kingdom customs on arrival.
What happens if I do not declare portable electronic devices with installed battery in United Kingdom?: Under Travellers' Allowances Order 1994, if you declare the excess yourself: a flat-rate charge is applied to the excess. The normal duty becomes payable on the excess. Under Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, section 167, if it is treated as smuggling: it is prosecuted as a criminal offence; the goods are confiscated.
Can I post or ship portable electronic devices with installed battery to United Kingdom 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.
Can I take portable electronic devices with installed battery out of United Kingdom?: United Kingdom publishes no separate rule for taking portable electronic devices with installed battery out; the destination's rules are what will apply.
Can I carry portable electronic devices with installed battery in the cabin or in checked baggage?: In the cabin: Allowed with conditions. In checked baggage: Allowed with conditions. The carriage limit is 0.3000 g lithium / 2.7000 Wh. This comes from International baseline, and an individual airline may be stricter. Customs and aviation are separate rulebooks: what an airline lets you carry is not what a border lets you bring in.
Does the United Kingdom limit for portable electronic devices with installed battery 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?: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) / Border Force states it in Items that are allowed in baggage. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19. The sentence it rests on reads: “Batteries up to 100 Wh rating (lithium ion) or 2 g lithium content (lithium metal) are allowed without operator approval”
How does United Kingdom compare with other countries on portable electronic devices with installed battery?: Of the 20 countries covered here, 0 prohibit portable electronic devices with installed battery, 3 limit it and 17 let it through. United Kingdom is among the more permissive.

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