Last updated: October 2026
It depends on the country. A sealed, THC-free CBD oil is usually low-risk in places like France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands. But Portugal treats CBD extracts as a narcotic, Australia and New Zealand need a prescription, and you shouldn’t take CBD to the UAE, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Turkey or Indonesia.
Below: a country-by-country table for popular UK holiday and travel destinations, with the official source for each row, plus flying with CBD oil, what happens if you’re caught, and how to check anywhere not listed. Laws change often, so always check the latest FCDO travel advice before you travel.
Can you take CBD oil abroad?
Sometimes. Leaving the UK with a legal CBD product isn’t the problem. The question is the law where you land, and in any country you change planes in. In the tables below we use four labels:
- Lower risk: CBD itself isn’t treated as a drug. Take a small, sealed, THC-free product for your own use, in its original packaging.
- Take care: CBD is sold, but the rules are tight or unclear. Leaving it at home is the safest choice.
- Prescription only: CBD is a medicine. Shop-bought CBD doesn’t qualify.
- Don’t take it: CBD is illegal, or the drug laws are so strict that the risk isn’t worth it.
Where we couldn’t confirm a country’s rules from an official or reliable source, we’ve left it out rather than guess.
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View productWhat makes CBD legal or illegal?
- THC content: the biggest factor. THC is the cannabinoid that causes a high (CBD doesn’t, see does CBD get you high?), so most laws focus on it. Many countries allow CBD only if THC is absent or below a tiny limit. Some, like Hong Kong, ban CBD itself.
- How the CBD was made: some countries treat any extract of the cannabis plant as a controlled drug, whatever its THC level.
- Product type: a country may allow CBD cosmetics but not oils you swallow, or treat oral CBD as a medicine.
- Selling vs carrying: it may be legal to carry a personal amount but not to sell it, or the other way round.
A broad spectrum or isolate product with no THC, like ours, is accepted in more places than full spectrum. See full spectrum vs broad spectrum vs isolate, what is CBD isolate? and CBD vs THC. THC is also what drug tests look for, at work and at the roadside: read does CBD show up on a drug test? and CBD and driving in the UK.
Is CBD legal in the UK?
Yes, as long as the product contains no controlled cannabinoids such as THC, or meets strict Home Office “exempt product” rules, including no more than 1mg of each controlled cannabinoid in the whole container. CBD sold as food must also be linked to an application on the FSA public list. The full detail is in our guide: is CBD legal in the UK? For the latest on authorisation, see the FSA’s first CBD approvals explained.
Is CBD legal in Europe?
Each country sets its own rules, but two EU-wide points apply. In 2020 the EU’s top court ruled that CBD shouldn’t be treated as a narcotic drug, and that a member state can’t ban CBD lawfully made in another member state unless a real public health risk is shown (case C-663/18). And CBD still isn’t authorised as a food or food supplement anywhere in the EU: Spain’s food safety agency confirmed in February 2026 that selling it for food use is not permitted until the European Commission approves it.
| Country | Status | THC rules | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | Lower risk | Hemp varieties with no more than 0.3% THC | France’s highest administrative court ruled in December 2022 that CBD isn’t a narcotic. The FCDO says illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties, including in transit at airports, ports and Eurostar stations. | Conseil d’État, FCDO |
| Spain | Take care | No CBD-specific limit we could confirm | CBD can’t legally be sold as a food or supplement. The FCDO says illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties. If you take CBD, keep to a sealed, THC-free product for your own use. | AESAN, FCDO |
| Portugal | Don’t take it | CBD extracts are controlled whatever their THC level | Portugal’s medicines regulator classes CBD extracted from cannabis as a controlled narcotic and bans it in cosmetics. | Infarmed |
| Italy | Take care | Unsettled | A 2025 law banned trade in hemp flowers and their derivatives, and a ministerial decree listed oral CBD products as narcotics. Both are being fought in the courts, and by November 2025 the question had been referred to the EU Court of Justice. Safest to leave CBD at home. | Eunews |
| Germany | Lower risk | Adults may carry up to 25g of cannabis | Cannabis is legal for adults under the Cannabis Act, but importing cannabis is still an offence. Take only a sealed, THC-free product. | German Health Ministry |
| Netherlands | Lower risk | Up to 5g of cannabis tolerated | Possessing drugs is against the law, but small amounts of cannabis aren’t prosecuted under the toleration policy. | Government of the Netherlands |
| Ireland | Lower risk | Any THC in a food product makes it a controlled drug | CBD itself isn’t a controlled drug in Ireland, but it is an unauthorised novel food. | FSAI |
| Czechia | Take care | Trace THC allowed in some products | Possessing drugs, including cannabis, is illegal. Shops in Prague sell “cannabis products” with trace THC; they may not be legal back in the UK. | FCDO |
| Switzerland | Lower risk | Products under 1% THC are outside the Narcotics Act | CBD isn’t covered by the Narcotics Act. Swiss products can contain far more THC than UK law allows, so don’t bring one home. | Swiss FOPH |
| Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland | Take care | We couldn’t confirm CBD-specific rules | The FCDO warns that cannabis is prohibited or heavily penalised even in small amounts. Safest to leave CBD at home. | FCDO Sweden, Norway |
| Cyprus | Take care | We couldn’t confirm CBD-specific rules | The FCDO says Cyprus has a strictly enforced zero-tolerance policy towards illegal drugs, including cannabis. | FCDO |
| Albania, Serbia | Don’t take it | No official guidance found that allows CBD | Serbia has strict penalties for drug possession, and Albanian airports scan for cannabis. | FCDO Serbia, Albania |
| Russia | Don’t take it | CBD itself is illegal | The FCDO says CBD is illegal in Russia, even in products bought legally elsewhere, and you may face several years in prison. | FCDO |
Is CBD legal in the USA and Canada?
| Country | Status | THC rules | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Lower risk, tightening | New federal limit of 0.4mg total THC (including THCA) per container, now due on 11 December 2026 | Since 2018, hemp (up to 0.3% delta-9 THC) and its derivatives, including CBD, have been outside US federal drug law. The new limit was due on 12 November 2026 but was pushed back in September 2026, and it could move again. State laws differ too. | Arnold and Porter, Foley Hoag, FCDO |
| Canada | Don’t take it | CBD is regulated as cannabis | Taking cannabis across the border in any form, including oils containing CBD, without a Health Canada permit is a serious criminal offence. | Canada Border Services Agency |
Flying to the US? Take a broad spectrum or isolate product with no THC, and check the rules for the state you’re visiting.
Our CBD oils and capsules are broad spectrum with 0% THC, made in the UK and tested at independent labs, with batch reports on our lab testing page. Having no THC helps in countries whose rules are about THC, but it doesn’t make CBD legal everywhere: please don’t take our products to any country marked “Don’t take it” or “Prescription only” in this guide. They’re for adults (18+) only. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
More on this: CBD daily limit in the UK.
Is CBD legal in Asia, Australia and New Zealand?
This is where most travellers get caught out. Several countries in the region treat CBD as a drug, test arrivals or scan transit baggage, and have very heavy penalties.
| Country | Status | THC rules | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Don’t take it | THC limits of 10ppm in oils and powders, 0.1ppm in water-based products and 1ppm in everything else (since 12 December 2024) | Products over the limits count as narcotics. A UK “not detected” lab result may not prove a product is under Japan’s limits. CBN has also been banned since 1 June 2026 (see CBD vs CBN). | Japan Ministry of Health, Narcotics Control Department |
| Thailand | Don’t take it | Cannabis is for medical use only, with a Thai prescription | The FCDO says cannabis laws are strictly enforced and have changed in recent years, and recreational use is illegal. We found no official guidance that lets visitors bring CBD in. | FCDO |
| Singapore | Don’t take it | Even trace amounts are an offence | Hemp and CBD products from the cannabis plant are treated as Class A controlled drugs. You can be drug tested on arrival, even in transit. | Central Narcotics Bureau, FCDO |
| Hong Kong | Don’t take it | CBD itself is a “dangerous drug” | Since 1 February 2023. All CBD items, including oils, creams, capsules and food, are illegal, and travellers must not bring them in. | Hong Kong Government, FCDO |
| Indonesia (including Bali) | Don’t take it | CBD and hemp products are illegal | The FCDO says cannabis-based oils and creams, hemp products and CBD are all illegal, in any form. | FCDO |
| Mainland China | Don’t take it | Zero tolerance for drugs | CBD has been banned in cosmetics since May 2021. The authorities can randomly drug test foreign nationals, including on entry. | FCDO, EcoMundo |
| South Korea | Don’t take it | Treated under narcotics law | Korea’s customs service has told travellers to avoid CBD products bought abroad. British nationals have been detained on the basis of drug tests alone. | Korea Times, FCDO |
| Taiwan | Don’t take it | No cannabis oil, even on prescription | The FCDO says you can’t bring cannabis oil or cannabis-derived medication into Taiwan, even if it’s legally prescribed elsewhere. | FCDO |
| Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Maldives | Don’t take it | Zero-tolerance drug laws | We found no official guidance that allows CBD. The FCDO warns of severe penalties for even small amounts of drugs, and in the Maldives advises not carrying cannabis even if it’s legal where you’re flying from. | FCDO Malaysia, Maldives |
| Australia | Prescription only | CBD is a prescription medicine | Travellers can only bring medicinal cannabis that was prescribed by a doctor and dispensed by a pharmacist, up to a 3-month supply. Shop-bought CBD doesn’t qualify. | TGA |
| New Zealand | Prescription only | Any CBD product is treated as a prescription medicine when imported | Personal imports aren’t allowed. Travellers may bring CBD only under set conditions, starting with a prescription. | Medsafe |
Is CBD legal in Dubai, the Gulf, Turkey and Egypt?
| Country | Status | THC rules | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) | Don’t take it | Even residual amounts of drugs | The FCDO says some products containing CBD are illegal, including skincare and vape refills with CBD oil. They will be confiscated and you could face criminal charges. Transit baggage is scanned too. | FCDO |
| Qatar | Don’t take it | Even residual amounts of drugs | Transit passengers found with even residual amounts of drugs may be arrested, including drugs that are legal elsewhere. | FCDO |
| Bahrain | Don’t take it | CBD oil may be illegal | The FCDO says some skincare products and vape refills may contain ingredients that are illegal in Bahrain, such as CBD oil. | FCDO |
| Saudi Arabia, Kuwait | Don’t take it | Zero tolerance for drugs | Saudi Arabia: up to 5 years in prison for even small amounts. Kuwait: 5 to 10 years for small or residual amounts. | FCDO Saudi Arabia, Kuwait |
| Turkey | Don’t take it | No official guidance found that allows CBD | The FCDO says illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry prison sentences of 4 to 24 years, including in transit, and Turkish airports scan baggage. | FCDO |
| Egypt | Don’t take it | No official guidance found that allows CBD | The FCDO says drug offences, even for small amounts, can lead to life imprisonment or the death penalty. | FCDO |
Flying with CBD oil
- UK airports: at most airports, liquids in hand luggage must be in containers of 100ml or less, sometimes in a single clear bag of up to a litre. Some airports allow containers of up to 2 litres. Check the rules at the airport you fly from, any you change at, and the one you fly home from. A 10ml or 30ml oil fits easily.
- Airlines: policies vary, so check with yours before you pack, especially for vapes.
- Packaging: keep CBD in its original labelled bottle, not decanted, and carry the batch lab report (see how to read a CBD lab report).
- Destination and transit: check both before you go. A short stopover in Doha, Dubai or Singapore still counts.
Capsules are often easier to travel with than oil (see CBD oil vs capsules). Our full guide to airport rules, packing and which format travels best is here: can you take CBD oil on a plane? For long-haul trips, see our jet lag tips.
What happens if you’re caught with CBD abroad?
It depends on the country, and “I bought it legally in the UK” is not a defence. Some examples from official sources:
- UAE: CBD products are confiscated and you could face criminal charges. Possessing even the smallest amount of illegal drugs can mean at least 3 months in prison or a fine of 20,000 to 100,000 dirham, and drugs in your bloodstream count as possession.
- Hong Kong: up to 7 years in prison and a HK$1 million fine for possessing CBD.
- Singapore: people carrying drugs can be imprisoned, caned or executed, and you can be charged for drugs taken in another country.
- Russia: several years in prison for CBD products.
- Turkey: 4 to 24 years in prison for illegal drugs.
- Canada: arrest and prosecution for taking CBD across the border without a permit.
If you’re arrested, the British embassy can help with some things, but it can’t get you out of prison, pay your fines or legal costs, or give you legal advice. See the government’s guide: arrested or in prison abroad.
Bringing CBD back to the UK
Be careful with CBD you buy abroad. In the UK, any CBD product that contains controlled cannabinoids such as THC is a Class B drug unless it meets the Home Office “exempt product” rules. A Swiss product with up to 1% THC, or a full spectrum oil from a US state, may not meet them. The same goes for delta-8 and other “legal high” cannabinoids: see delta-8 THC in the UK.
How to check a country not listed
- Open the FCDO travel advice for the country and read the “local laws” and “entry requirements” sections. Search the page for “CBD” and “cannabis”.
- Check the rules for any country you’re changing planes in, too.
- If the advice doesn’t mention CBD, contact that country’s embassy in the UK.
- If you can’t get a clear answer, leave your CBD at home.
Laws change. This guide reflects the official sources we checked in October 2026. It’s general information, not legal advice. Always check the latest FCDO travel advice for your destination, and any transit country, just before you travel.
In the UK, only licensed hemp varieties with 0.2% THC or less can be grown; see is hemp legal in the UK?
For the religious side rather than the legal one, read is CBD halal or haram?
Sources 8
Each country row above links to its own official source. The main sources are:
- GOV.UK. Foreign travel advice (country pages checked October 2026).
- GOV.UK. Hand luggage restrictions: liquids.
- GOV.UK. Arrested or in prison abroad.
- Home Office. Drug licensing factsheet: cannabis, CBD and other cannabinoids.
- Court of Justice of the EU. Press release on case C-663/18 (CBD), 19 November 2020.
- AESAN (Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition). Update on the safety of CBD as a novel food, February 2026.
- Hong Kong Government. CBD to be listed as a dangerous drug, January 2023.
- Central Narcotics Bureau, Singapore. FAQs about hemp and CBD oil products.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; always check official sources before you travel.
