Am I allowed to shop from abroad without customs in Denmark?
Within the EU you can shop freely for personal use, but from outside the EU there are limits. On EU travel there are guideline quantities for personal use, such as 800 cigarettes, 10 litres of spirits and 110 litres of beer. From countries outside the EU there is a duty-free value limit of 3,250 kr by plane or ship and only 2,250 kr by car, plus quantity limits of 200 cigarettes and 1 litre of spirits. Online shopping from outside the EU carries 25% VAT from the first krone, and duty if the item costs over about 1,150 kr — plus the carrier's fee. A gift from a private person is duty-free up to 360 kr. The trap is geography: the Faroes, Greenland and the Canaries count as outside the EU.
📋 The rules
- Within the EU: freely for personal use (800 cigarettes, 10 L spirits)
- Outside the EU: duty-free limit 3,250 kr plane, 2,250 kr car
- Quantities outside the EU: 200 cigarettes, 1 litre spirits
- Online outside the EU: 25% VAT from the first krone
- Gift from a private person: duty-free up to 360 kr
🔓 Exceptions
- The goods must be for your own or household use, not for resale
- The Faroe Islands, Greenland and the Canaries count as outside the EU
- Customs duty on online shopping applies when the item costs over about 1,150 kr
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Exceed the limits without declaring and you pay three things: the duty, the VAT and a fine on top. The fine is typically double the amount for tobacco and spirits and single for other goods — so a carton of cigarettes over the limit costs far more than the duty you saved. With online shopping it is the fee people do not see coming: the carrier charges its own fee for clearing the parcel. And the goods must be for your own or household use — buy for resale and the duty-free limits do not apply.
📎 Official sources
- Customs Agency · Travel outside the EU →
- Customs Agency · Travel within the EU →
- Customs Agency · Online shopping outside the EU →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I shop from abroad without customs?
Within the EU freely for personal use. From outside the EU there is a duty-free value limit of 3,250 kr by plane or ship, but only 2,250 kr if you arrive by car — the mode of travel sets the limit.
What is the limit for EU goods?
Guideline quantities for personal use, such as 800 cigarettes, 10 litres of spirits and 110 litres of beer. The goods must be for you or your household — not for resale, or the free quantities do not apply.
What does online shopping outside the EU cost?
25% VAT from the first krone, and customs duty if the item costs over about 1,150 kr. On top comes a fee from the carrier for clearing the parcel, and that fee is rarely shown in the price on the website.
How much can I receive as a gift?
A gift from a private person outside the EU is duty-free up to 360 kr per consignment. Remember that the Faroe Islands, Greenland and the Canaries count as countries outside the EU in this context.
What is the penalty for exceeding the limits?
A fine plus the duty and the VAT. The fine is typically double the amount for tobacco and spirits and single for other goods, so it ends up costing more than simply declaring the goods on arrival.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I shop from abroad customs denmark”
- “duty-free limit 3250 kr”
- “online shopping vat 25 percent”
- “customs over 1150 kr”
- “gift outside eu 360 kr”
- “eu quantities personal use”