Bringing Alcohol and Tobacco to Sweden: What Is Allowed
Bringing alcohol and tobacco to Sweden: from EU countries, imports for personal use are tax-free. Guide levels, the age limit and what customs look for.
If you travel to Sweden from another EU country, you may bring alcohol and tobacco for your own use tax-free. There are no fixed upper limits, but there are EU guide levels and an age limit. This guide summarises what applies to travellers from Germany, Austria or Denmark. Updated: October 2026.
Basic rule: personal use
Within the EU, alcohol and tobacco duty is generally paid in the country of purchase. If you buy goods for your own use and carry them to Sweden yourself, you do not have to pay any duty in Sweden. This does not apply to goods intended for resale. Former Swedish special rules for imports from EU countries have not applied since 2004.
EU guide levels
The EU names quantities at which the authorities assume goods are meant for personal use. These are guide levels, not duty-free allowances. Each country may decide for itself how to apply them.
- Cigarettes: 800
- Cigarillos: 400
- Cigars: 200
- Smoking tobacco: 1 kilogram
- Spirits: 10 litres
- Fortified wine, such as sherry or port: 20 litres
- Wine: 90 litres, of which no more than 60 litres sparkling wine
- Beer: 110 litres
Smaller quantities can also be treated as commercial if other circumstances point that way. If you carry more, you should be able to show that the goods are for your own or your family’s use.
What customs look at
According to the EU, the authorities check, among other things, whether you own or work for a business, how the goods are packed and how they are transported. The quantity also plays a role. Receipts help. If your evidence is not sufficient, the authority can demand duty or confiscate the goods.
Age limit: 20 years
According to the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), only people aged 20 or over may bring spirits, wine, strong beer or other fermented drinks into Sweden. This applies regardless of the tax rules. The goods must also be bought and transported by you personally. According to the EU, stricter rules apply to travellers under 17.
Travelling from non-EU countries
If you arrive from outside the EU, for example from Norway, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, the duty-free allowances of those arrangements apply. They are much lower than the EU guide levels. Information is available from the Swedish Customs (Tullverket).
Good to know
Alcohol is expensive in Sweden and only sold in a restricted way in shops. How the state monopoly Systembolaget works is explained in our guide Alcohol in Sweden. For more on getting there, see Getting to Sweden.