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GOODS ACROSS BORDERS

ITEM RULE · TRAVELING

RESTRICTED

Codeine (Medication) 🇱🇦 Laos

VERIFIED · 2026-07-23LOW CONFIDENCE

Codeine (Medication) is restricted for travelers entering Laos; declare above the personal allowance.

ANSWER

Can I bring Codeine (Medication) into Laos?

RESTRICTEDVERIFIED · 2026-07-23LOW CONFIDENCE

Codeine (Medication) is restricted for travelers entering Laos; declare above the personal allowance.

DECLARATION

Required at the destination customs authority

SOURCE

laocustoms.laopdr.gov.la
Verify against the official customs authority before acting on this answer.Report a correction

Full details

Codeine (Medication) requires declaration at customs (and in some cases an import permit) when carried by travelers into Laos. Lao Customs Department applies a personal-allowance threshold per item category; quantities above attract duty + the destination's VAT/GST rate (7%) plus, for select categories, an additional excise tax. ASEAN AFTA / RCEP preferential treatment for member-state goods. Cultural-property export rules vary sharply by destination. Travelers should consult Lao Customs Department for the current quantity threshold + documentation requirement before departure.

PENALTIES

  • Fine: 100000–50000000 LAK
  • Civil penalty only

Leaving Laos with codeine (medication)

RESTRICTEDCodeine is a controlled opioid analgesic subject to personal-export limits when leaving Laos.

Codeine-containing medications are controlled substances under the Penal Code Art. 146; Law on Drugs framework. Personal-use quantities accompanied by the prescription and pharmacist dispensing label are generally permitted for export. Codeine-combination cough and cold products may be over-the-counter in some jurisdictions but still controlled for cross-border movement above threshold quantities. Personal export above the standard personal-use limit requires a Ministry of Health (Laos) authorisation.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

Carry Codeine (Medication) in carry-on where applicable (medication / lithium battery / valuables). On arrival, walk the Red Channel and declare on the customs form. Lao Customs Department computes duty + VAT at the published rate. Have the purchase receipt + (for medication) the original prescription available.

OFFICIAL SOURCES · VERIFIED 2026-07-23

AIR TRAVEL IS SEPARATE

This page covers destination customs rules in Laos. Whether you can carry codeine (medication) through security, in carry-on, or in checked baggage depends on airline and screening rules — see air travel rules.

Codeine (Medication) rules in other countries

RULES5,339COUNTRIES85ITEMS111CARRIERS28GUIDES46UNIQUE SOURCES645LATEST VERIFICATION2026-07-26MethodologyChangelog