Bringing food, animals or plants into the UK

1. Pets and other animals

Dogs, cats, ferrets and horses

You can bring your dog, cat or ferret into the UK without quarantine as long as they meet the rules of the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS).
There’s a similar scheme for horses.

Other animals

Other animals that are brought into the UK must have an import licence. They must also stay in quarantine for 6 months after arriving in the UK. You must pay the cost of this.

Non-native animals

There are rules you must follow when importing animals that aren’t native to the UK.

2. Plants

You can bring in any plant material from countries within the European Union (EU) if it is:

• grown in an EU country
• free from pests and diseases
• for your own use

If you’re travelling from a country outside the EU, many products have weight and quantity restrictions or are banned completely unless you have a ‘phytosanitary’ (plant health) certificate.

You can get the certificate from the plant health authorities in the country you’re leaving. It proves your plants have been inspected, are free from dangerous pests and diseases, and are suitable to enter the UK.
The leaflet ‘Bringing fruit, vegetable and plant products into the UK’ has more information on which plant material you can bring in, and how much of each item is allowed.

If you have specific questions, contact the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera).

3. Food

What you can bring into the UK depends on whether you’re travelling from within or outside the European Union.

The EU also includes Andorra, Canary Islands, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland in this context.

Within the EU

You can bring any fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy or other animal products (eg fish, eggs and honey) into the UK if you’re travelling from a country within the EU.

Outside the EU

You can’t bring meat, meat products, milk, dairy products or potatoes into the UK from most countries outside the EU.

You can bring up to 2 kilograms (kg) of fruit and vegetables (except potatoes) into the UK as long as they are:

• in personal baggage
• for you and your family or friends (ie you can’t sell them)
• free from signs of pests and diseases

You can also bring:

• egg products, eggs and honey (up to 2kg in total)
• fish (up to 20kg in total or 1 fish, whichever is the heaviest)

Any fish you bring in must be fresh and gutted, cooked, cured, dried or smoked.

Penalties and appeals

If you’re coming back to the UK from outside the EU and you don’t declare food that’s not allowed, it will be taken away. You could face severe delays and face possible charge and prosecution.
You can appeal for compensation if you think your products shouldn’t have been taken away.