Goods Across Borders · Customs rule card
Pocket Knife → Ireland
Purpose: Traveling · Verified: 2026-07-25
Pocket Knife is generally prohibited for travelers entering Ireland.
Details
Pocket Knife is prohibited for travelers entering Ireland. Office of the Revenue Commissioners — Customs Division screens baggage at all ports of entry; the item is seized regardless of quantity, and depending on item class (narcotic / weapon / counterfeit / cultural-heritage), the traveler may face administrative or criminal penalty under the destination's controlled-substances / customs act. EU customs harmonisation and EU Regulation 608/2013 IPR enforcement apply alongside national rules. Personal-import permit pathways exist for medication categories (see Office of the Revenue Commissioners — Customs Division guidance) but do not apply to most prohibited items.
Leaving with this item
Pocket knives may be exported from Ireland in checked baggage; carry laws at the destination govern what you may do with them on arrival.
Practical advice
Do not carry Pocket Knife into Ireland. If you arrive with the item by accident, surrender at the Red Channel for seizure-only treatment rather than walking the Green Channel — the latter is treated as deliberate smuggling. Contact Office of the Revenue Commissioners — Customs Division via https://www.revenue.ie/ for current personal-import policy if your situation is exceptional (medical / diplomatic).
Customs authority
Office of the Revenue Commissioners — Customs Division · https://www.revenue.ie/