Bringing Back Booze

jArgHA

Apologies in advance if this has been asked before. I will be taking a ferry to France in a week or so and was hoping to bring back some wine & cider on the return trip. I was wondering if anyone knows whether there is a legal limit to the quantity that you can bring back before you would need to declare it to customs, or can you simply fill the boot and hope for the best?

faigs

Was wondering the same. Hope for the best I guess, there is a legal limit or course. Last time I came off a ferry at Dublin Port from Holyhead cutoms pulled us over and had a look but saw all the filming gear and let us go. Going to France in a couple of weeks and hope to fill the car with wine though!

lynchie

No legal limit per se, but once you bring back an amount that can be considered for personal use only and doesn't give suspicion to customs that you intend to sell them then its fine.

olaola

More or less as much as you want. Or as much as you can fit in. Every car coming back will be dragging their suspension along the ground, you'll be the odd one out if your tyres aren't rubbing along your wheel arches!

Davidth88

When I lived in England we used to shop in Calais two/three times a year

The suggested limits are

http://www.dover-to-calais.com/hm_customs_excise.htm

However if you can prove/convince the customs its for your own use then the car is the only limit

Enjoy .... I LOVE that real cidre !!!!!

faigs

Awesome! I thought there would be legal limits!

olaola

I mean, unless you're taking the pi$$ with an articulated truck, you should be grand.

Ponster

faigs wrote: »

Awesome! I thought there would be legal limits!

There are, but the limits refer to what you intend to do with the drink and not directly to how much you are actually transporting.

jArgHA

Thanks to all for the replies this is great news My suspension isn't the best as I drive a pretty old car so I'd say the quantity will be only be around 30 bottles. Looking forward to the Breton cider :pac:

faigs

Ponster wrote: »

There are, but the limits refer to what you intend to do with the drink and not directly to how much you are actually transporting.

I only have a Golf so I won't be bringing that much - good to know there's no need to worry about a few cases though.

P. Breathnach

jArgHA wrote: »

Thanks to all for the replies this is great news My suspension isn't the best as I drive a pretty old car so I'd say the quantity will be only be around 30 bottles. Looking forward to the Breton cider :pac:

The bottles weigh more than the wine. Consider boxes if you are interested in table wine. Much of the box wine is fairly reasonable quality, and very good value for money.

Customs & Excise will accept 90 litres per person without argument. For two people that's about 180 kg of wine and possibly 240 kg of glass.

babaduck

The Customs lads get a great laugh out of us every year... they move the vacumn-pack bags holding the clothes to see all the boxes of booze & food beneath (saves space dontcha know :P) Once you're in a regular car with just booze & not loads of cigarettes, you'll be fine. If you are loading up a van or transit for a wedding, it helps to bring proof of the event - this saved us when we did the wine run for our own wedding as otherwise Customs would have been checking us into John of Gods on the spot with 60 cases of vino!

It's amazing how much you can fit into a Kia Ceed when you remove the boot lid