Items Prohibited by Post to 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Items sent by post valued over £135 require a customs declaration. Royal Mail and courier services handle customs clearance for postal imports. Certain items are prohibited from being sent internationally via post (batteries alone, aerosols, etc.).
Restricted Items
Power Bank Lithium
Royal Mail restricts standalone lithium batteries
Limit: Max 100Wh, contained in equipment
Cbd Oil
Legal if THC under 1mg per container
Limit: No specific limit
Perfume Fragrance
Flammable liquid — surface mail only
Limit: Up to 150ml surface mail only
Meat Products
POAO rules apply post-Brexit; most non-EU meat restricted
Limit: 2kg personal use from approved countries
Codeine Medication
Controlled drug; special postal procedures required
Limit: Personal prescription quantities
Watches Commercial
Duty and VAT apply; IP enforcement on luxury brands
Limit: No specific limit
Drone Batteries
Postal restrictions apply for drone batteries (lipo)
Limit: Royal Mail prohibits lithium batteries; couriers: ≤100 Wh with UN3481 declaration; 101-160 Wh requires CAA DG authorisation
Wine
Postal restrictions apply for wine
Beer
Postal restrictions apply for beer
Laptops
Postal restrictions apply for laptops
Coral Seashells
Postal restrictions apply for coral & seashells
Taxidermy
Postal restrictions apply for taxidermy
Baby Formula
Postal restrictions apply for baby formula
Protein Powder
Postal restrictions apply for protein powder
Energy Drinks
Postal restrictions apply for energy drinks
Insulin
Postal restrictions apply for insulin
Melatonin
Postal restrictions apply for melatonin
Tramadol Medication
Postal restrictions apply for tramadol (medication)
Limit: Schedule 3 CD (Controlled Drug); mailing internationally prohibited under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 §3
Adderall Medication
Postal restrictions apply for adderall (medication)
Limit: Schedule 2 CD; international postal import prohibited under Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
Gold Jewellery
Postal restrictions apply for gold jewellery
Limit: No weight limit for posting; items over GBP 135 (non-commercial) require customs declaration; commercial shipments must comply with UK Global Tariff Chapter 71
Tobacco Cigarettes
Postal restrictions apply for tobacco cigarettes
Limit: Royal Mail prohibited article; couriers may carry up to 800 cigarettes duty-paid per addressee; commercial import requires HMRC tobacco duty registration
Alcohol Spirits
Postal restrictions apply for alcohol / spirits
Limit: Royal Mail allows spirits with appropriate duty; commercial: HMRC excise duty applies; up to 16 litres spirits per postal consignment with duty payment
Vape E Cigarette
Postal restrictions apply for vape / e-cigarette
Electronic Cigarette Liquid
Postal restrictions apply for e-cigarette liquid (vape juice)
Unverified entries — pending source check
These entries exist in our dataset but have not yet been checked against a primary source; treat them as provisional.
Carrier-Level Restrictions
These carriers have additional prohibited items specific to United Kingdom.
DPD (Deutscher Paket Dienst)
Full carrier profile →- ✗Counterfeit branded goods (EU Reg 608/2013)
- ✗Asbestos-containing products
- ✗CITES Appendix I species + products
GLS (General Logistics Systems)
Full carrier profile →- ✗Counterfeit branded goods (EU Reg 608/2013)
- ✗Asbestos-containing products
- ✗CITES Appendix I species + products
La Poste / Colissimo
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
- ✗Counterfeit branded goods (EU Reg 608/2013)
- ✗Asbestos-containing products
- ✗CITES Appendix I species + products
Deutsche Post / DHL Paket
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
- ✗Counterfeit branded goods (EU Reg 608/2013)
- ✗Asbestos-containing products
- ✗CITES Appendix I species + products
China Post (EMS)
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
Japan Post (Yu-Pack)
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
Korea Post (EMS Korea)
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
India Post (Speed Post)
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
Australia Post
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
Canada Post
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
Asendia
Full carrier profile →- ✗Counterfeit branded goods (EU Reg 608/2013)
- ✗Asbestos-containing products
- ✗CITES Appendix I species + products
Evri (formerly Hermes UK)
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
- ✗Counterfeit branded goods (EU Reg 608/2013)
- ✗Asbestos-containing products
- ✗CITES Appendix I species + products
- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
- ✗Counterfeit branded goods (EU Reg 608/2013)
- ✗Asbestos-containing products
- ✗CITES Appendix I species + products
Pos Malaysia (Pos Laju)
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)
SingPost (Singapore Post)
Full carrier profile →- ✗Alcohol (postal regulations)