Feathers & Plumage → 🇩🇪 Germany

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Feathers & Plumage restricted; documentation or permits may apply. Documentation: Check destination requirements. Enforcement in Germany carries fines from EUR 250 to EUR 5,000 under Abgabenordnung § 378; Zollverwaltungsgesetz (ordinary personal cases are handled as civil infringements). Restricted status means compliant carriage is achievable with the right paperwork and quantities; the practical risks are seizure, duty, and delay rather than criminal liability for a good-faith traveller. Arrival checks are carried out by Zollkriminalamt / Zoll (German Customs — Federal Customs Administration); when in doubt use the declare (red) channel — declared goods at worst attract duty or surrender, while undeclared goods attract penalties. Leaving Germany with feathers & plumage is a separate question: restricted — Feather export from Germany depends on the species — most wild-bird feathers are protected under CITES or national bird laws; farmed and craft feathers move freely.

Leaving Germany with feathers & plumage

Feathers of CITES-listed birds (all raptors, parrots, birds-of-paradise, and many others) require CITES export documentation from Germany, and many countries additionally protect all native wild birds — in the US, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes possessing most wild-bird feathers unlawful regardless of how they were obtained. Farmed poultry, ostrich, and peacock feathers sold as craft materials move freely at personal quantities. Destination biosecurity rules may require declaration of any feather material on arrival.

OFFICIAL SOURCES · VERIFIED 2026-08-22