What you can bring in when crossing the Croatian border

Croatian border

During holidays and festive periods, when people frequently travel abroad, the question often arises: what can you legally bring across the border? How many packs of cigarettes are allowed in the car? Will you be fined if customs find two wheels of cheese and a slab of cured meat in the boot? Is the same amount of beer and wine allowed? What about spirits?

Some rules can be confusing—some countries allow unlimited quantities of fish, while others permit no meat at all. You might face no issues with sweets, but baby food could be a problem.

Given the numerous regulations that can even confuse customs officers at times, Večernji list have compiled a summary of what you can and cannot bring into Croatia.

Goods from Outside the EU

The following rules apply to goods brought in from countries outside the EU, with the exception of Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, San Marino, Andorra, and Liechtenstein.

For these countries, the rules are the same as for transporting goods within the EU, meaning no restrictions apply. Specific regulations also apply to the Faroe Islands and Greenland, but for simplicity, we’ll leave these out.

In short, if you’re importing goods from third countries (e.g., Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, etc.), the limit per person is €430 for sea and air travel, €300 for all other transport, and €150 for travellers under 15, regardless of transport.

Tobacco and Alcohol

Air passengers entering Croatia can bring in more tobacco than those using other forms of transport.

Air travellers can carry 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, and 250 grams of smoking tobacco. Travellers by road or rail are limited to 40 cigarettes, 20 cigarillos, 10 cigars, and 50 grams of smoking tobacco. All travellers may bring in 50 grams of heated tobacco, 10ml of e-liquid, and 50 grams of new tobacco products as specified in the Excise Duty Act.

For alcoholic beverages, the same rules apply regardless of the mode of travel: everyone is allowed to bring in 16 litres of beer, 4 litres of wine, 2 litres of alcoholic drinks under 22% ABV, or 1 litre of stronger spirits.

Larger Quantities for Excise Duty

If you’re willing to pay excise duty and are over 17, you can bring in 800 cigarettes, 400 cigarillos, 200 cigars, 1kg of tobacco, 10 litres of spirits, 90 litres of wine, 110 litres of beer, and 100ml of e-liquid. Anything beyond these amounts is not allowed, even with payment.

Meat, Fish, Dairy, Eggs, and Other Animal Products

Customs officers perform checks on animal products in personal luggage. It is prohibited to bring in any meat, dairy, or products containing them.

You can bring in up to 20kg of fresh, dried, cooked, salted, or smoked fish, shrimp, crabs, and mussels per person. For other animal products, like honey, eggs, snail meat, or frog legs, you can bring in up to 2kg per person. Fresh fruit and vegetables, except potatoes, are allowed up to 5kg.

Other Goods (Baby Food, Pet Food, Sweets, Supplements, Fuel)

Travellers from third countries can bring up to 2kg of powdered milk, baby food, or special dietary food (including pet food for medical reasons), provided it doesn’t require refrigeration before opening.

There are no restrictions on bringing bread, cakes, biscuits, wafers, and similar baked goods with less than 20% processed dairy or egg products. Chocolate, sweets (including candy), and food supplements containing less than 20% processed animal products can also be brought in without limits.

As for fuel, you are allowed to carry up to 10 litres in a canister, provided it matches the fuel type in your vehicle.

Medication

You can bring in medication for personal use, enough to last up to one month, as long as it’s approved by the authorities of the producing country.

You must carry the appropriate medical documentation (e.g., prescription, doctor’s note). For drugs containing narcotics, the limit is five days’ supply, also requiring medical documentation.

Penalties for Smuggling

If you attempt to smuggle goods, you could face fines of up to €13,300. The severity of the fine depends on what and how much you attempted to smuggle. For failing to declare goods, fines range from €265 to €6,600. If you’re caught hiding goods with commercial value or those subject to restrictions, fines can reach €13,300.

Notable examples of fines include HRK 5,100 for two bags of cabbage, HRK 3,500 for three pumpkins, HRK 4,000 for three car batteries, and even HRK 22,000 for 6kg of fresh and 5kg of dried meat.