Can I send alcohol or tobacco to Ireland?
No.
Couriers generally refuse alcohol and tobacco for individuals. Excise duty and VAT apply even to gifts, and Transfer of Residence relief never covers them.
For every Onvoyo box: Onvoyo and most express couriers don't carry alcohol, tobacco or vaping products in personal boxes, whatever the destination allows.
More rules for Ireland
Allowed with conditions
- Alcohol, tobacco, and perfume
- Gift relief covers customs duty only, and only within set quantities. VAT and excise duty are always due. Transfer of Residence relief never covers alcohol or tobacco.
Quantity limits
- Alcohol, tobacco, and perfume in gifts
- Duty relief covers only 50 cigarettes, 25 cigarillos, 10 cigars, or 50 g of tobacco; 1 liter of spirits (or 1 liter of sparkling or fortified wine or drinks up to 22%) plus 2 liters of still wine; and 50 g of perfume or 0.25 liters of toilet water. VAT and excise duty are always due.
Before you ship to Ireland
- Tax-free limit
- From another EU country there is no customs clearance and usually nothing to pay, and boxes from Northern Ireland also move with no customs declaration or duty. From outside the EU, including Great Britain, there is no longer a value below which a box is automatically tax-free: VAT applies from the first euro, and the €150 (about $175) customs duty relief ended on July 1, 2026. Gifts from one private person to another worth up to €45 (about $53) are still free of duty and VAT. Most online purchases worth €150 or less now pay a flat €3 (about $3.50) duty per item type until July 1, 2028.
- Receiver ID
- Revenue doesn't publish a tax number requirement for private individuals receiving personal boxes. Give the courier the receiver's phone number and email so it can arrange clearance and collect any charges.
- Transit
- 1-3 business days from the UK and EU; 2-5 from North America; 3-6 from Asia
Questions
Can I send alcohol or tobacco to Ireland?
No. Couriers generally refuse alcohol and tobacco for individuals. Excise duty and VAT apply even to gifts, and Transfer of Residence relief never covers them.
Ask about a specific item
Official sources
- 1.
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Information on Personal Consignments in Luggage or through Postal, Courier & Online Services (opens in a new tab) - 2.
Revenue (Office of the Revenue Commissioners)
Prohibitions and restrictions (opens in a new tab) - 3.
Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA)
Dangers of buying prescription medicines online (opens in a new tab) - 4.
Revenue (Office of the Revenue Commissioners)
Rules for duty relief on gift consignments (opens in a new tab) - 5.
Revenue (Office of the Revenue Commissioners)
Buying goods from outside the European Union (EU) (Excluding Northern Ireland) (opens in a new tab) - 6.
Citizens Information (Citizens Information Board)
Shipping your personal belongings back to Ireland (opens in a new tab) - 7.
Revenue (Office of the Revenue Commissioners)
What rules apply to the relief? (opens in a new tab) - 8.
Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex)
Council Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009 of 16 November 2009 setting up a Community system of reliefs from customs duty (codified version) (opens in a new tab)
General guidance, not legal advice. Customs in Ireland makes the final decision on every box.