How much Motor vehicle fuel can I bring into United Kingdom?
Allowed
You can bring Motor vehicle fuel into United Kingdom without a special limit.
What you need to know
- 10 liter (338.14 US fl oz)
- Channels: Carried with the traveler
Important
This allowance applies per person, not per family or group.
Official sources
- United Kingdom Customs Tariff: Reliefs from Import Duty, version 1.8 — Section 31: Fuel and lubricants present in land motor vehicles and special containers HM Revenue & Customs (reference document for The Customs (Reliefs from a Liability to Import Duty and Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020)
Questions about Motor vehicle fuel in United Kingdom
- How much motor vehicle fuel can I bring into United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom allows 10 liters of motor vehicle fuel per traveller without duty. The allowance is per traveller and cannot be pooled between people.
- Do I have to declare motor vehicle fuel at United Kingdom customs?
- No — within the allowance it passes without a declaration.
- What happens if I do not declare motor vehicle fuel 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.
- Do duty-free purchases count toward the United Kingdom allowance for motor vehicle fuel?
- 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 motor vehicle fuel 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 motor vehicle fuel out of United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom publishes no separate rule for taking motor vehicle fuel out; the destination's rules are what will apply.
- Does the United Kingdom limit for motor vehicle fuel 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 United Kingdom Customs Tariff: Reliefs from Import Duty, version 1.8 — Section 31: Fuel and lubricants present in land motor vehicles and special containers. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19.
- How does United Kingdom compare with other countries on motor vehicle fuel?
- Of the 19 countries covered here, 5 prohibit motor vehicle fuel, 5 limit it and 9 let it through. United Kingdom is among the more permissive.
Source: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) / Border Force — United Kingdom Customs Tariff: Reliefs from Import Duty, version 1.8 — Section 31: Fuel and lubricants present in land motor vehicles and special containers · verified 2026-09-19
Source: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) / Border Force — United Kingdom Customs Tariff: Reliefs from Import Duty, version 1.8 — Section 31: Fuel and lubricants present in land motor vehicles and special containers · verified 2026-09-19
Source: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) / Border Force — The Travellers' Allowances Order 1994 · verified 2026-09-20
Source: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) / Border Force — The Travellers' Allowances Order 1994 · verified 2026-09-20
Source: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) / Border Force — The Travellers' Allowances Order 1994 · verified 2026-09-20
Source: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) / Border Force — United Kingdom Customs Tariff: Reliefs from Import Duty, version 1.8 — Section 31: Fuel and lubricants present in land motor vehicles and special containers · verified 2026-09-19
Source: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) / Border Force — United Kingdom Customs Tariff: Reliefs from Import Duty, version 1.8 — Section 31: Fuel and lubricants present in land motor vehicles and special containers · verified 2026-09-19