Uzbekistan Customs Rules 2026: What You Can Bring In and Out

Uzbekistan customs is quick for most travellers. You collect your bags, walk through the green channel and you are out. But a handful of rules catch visitors every year: cash above the declaration threshold, common painkillers that are controlled here, drones, vapes, and the carpet or old suzani bought in Bukhara that needs paperwork on the way out.

This guide explains Uzbekistan customs rules as they stand in November 2026: what you can bring, what you must declare, the duty-free allowances for alcohol, tobacco and goods, the rules for medicines, drones and electronics, and what you need to take antiques and carpets home. Customs rules have changed several times since 2025 and more changes are announced, so we give the date and the source for each point and tell you where to check the latest version.

For the arrival process step by step, from passport control to the taxi rank, see our Tashkent airport arrival guide.

Green or red channel: do you need to fill in a customs declaration?

Uzbekistan uses the familiar two-channel system. The green channel is for travellers with nothing to declare in writing; the red channel is for those who do. Choosing green does not rule out a baggage check, and bags are X-rayed at most land borders.

You must use the red channel and make a written declaration if you carry:

• Cash above the equivalent of 100 million som (see below)
• Goods above the duty-free allowance, or anything intended for sale
• Narcotic or psychotropic medicines
• Restricted items that need a permit, such as a drone or a weapon
• Cultural valuables you intend to take out again

Declarations can be completed electronically before you reach the desk, or on paper at the airport. The UK Foreign Office advises completing two copies, having both stamped, and keeping one until you leave. Whichever way you declare, keep your copy with your passport for the whole trip: you will need it if you take declared money or valuables back out.

Most tourists on a normal holiday have nothing to declare and do not need a form at all.

How much cash can you bring into Uzbekistan?

There is no limit on the amount of foreign currency you can bring in, but larger sums must be declared. As of November 2026:

• Cash worth more than 100 million som in total must be declared in writing on arrival. That is about US$8,400 at the Central Bank rate of roughly 11,900 som to the dollar in early November 2026. The threshold counts all currencies together, including som.
• Smaller amounts can be declared voluntarily, which is worth doing if you are carrying close to the limit.
• Non-residents cannot take out more foreign cash than they brought in and declared. If you plan to leave with a large sum, your stamped entry declaration is your proof.
• Undeclared cash above the limit can be confiscated, and the case can become an administrative or criminal matter.

You may read that the limit is US$10,000. The UK Foreign Office uses that figure, and a presidential decree of 27 August 2026 proposes allowing up to the equivalent of US$10,000 to be taken out without a declaration. As of November 2026 that change has not come into force, and the 100 million som threshold still applies.

In practice, most visitors do not need to carry much cash. ATMs are common in the cities and cards are widely accepted in hotels and larger restaurants. Our guide to money in Uzbekistan explains how to pay, exchange and withdraw.

Medicines: psychotropic lists, prescriptions and quantities

This is the section to read carefully. Uzbekistan controls a number of medicines that are sold freely in other countries, and travellers have had serious problems with ordinary painkillers and sleeping pills.

The legal lists. Narcotic, psychotropic and precursor substances are listed in Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 330 of 12 November 2015. The lists include, among others, codeine, tramadol, morphine and other opioids, many benzodiazepines such as diazepam and alprazolam, and pseudoephedrine, the decongestant found in some cold and flu tablets. Some ADHD medicines are also controlled. The lists are published in Uzbek and Russian.

The UK Foreign Office warns specifically that codeine-based products sold without prescription in Britain cause problems on entry, that undeclared controlled medicines can lead to civil or criminal proceedings, and that problems are more likely at land borders.

How to bring medicines safely:

• Ordinary medicines: the official tourism portal says you can bring up to 10 different medicines, no more than five packs of each, without a document from a doctor. Keep them in the original packaging.
• Prescription medicines: carry the prescription, ideally with a doctor's letter in English or Russian naming the active ingredient, the dose and your condition.
• Controlled medicines: bring only the amount you need for the trip, declare them in writing in the red channel, and carry the medical documents.
• Ask your doctor about alternatives. Paracetamol and ibuprofen cause no problems; codeine combinations and sleeping pills are the ones to avoid if you can.

If you take a controlled medicine every day, check the current lists with the Uzbek embassy in your country before you travel. Our guide to health, tap water and travel insurance covers pharmacies and medical care once you are here.

Drones and vapes: the two things to leave at home

Drones. Importing a drone into Uzbekistan without a permit is prohibited. Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 658 of 15 November 2022 bans the import, sale, storage and use of drones except by authorised organisations and permit holders, and individuals have not been able to bring drones in freely since 2015. Obtaining a permit as a tourist involves several agencies and is rarely practical. Drones found at customs are confiscated, and the penalties include fines. A transit passenger must declare a drone. Our guide to photography spots in Uzbekistan covers the drone rules in more detail and suggests rooftops and towers that give you the aerial view without one.

Vapes and e-cigarettes. Since 1 March 2026 Uzbekistan has banned the circulation of electronic cigarettes and e-liquids, including their import. News reports and an embassy notice describe criminal liability of up to five years for violations. Do not bring a vape, pods or liquid, even for personal use. The status of heated tobacco devices is less clear in the published reports, so we recommend leaving those at home too.

Alcohol and tobacco allowances

Since 20 July 2025, Uzbekistan has applied quantity limits to some goods brought in duty-free for personal use. As of November 2026, the limits per adult are:

• Cigarettes: up to 200 cigarettes, or 5 cigars, or 100 grams of tobacco
• Alcohol: up to 2 litres
• Perfume: no more than 3 bottles and 300 ml in total
• Food supplements: limited quantities, for example 100 tablets or 4 jars of capsules

Anything above these amounts must be declared and is subject to duty. Alcohol and tobacco allowances apply only to adults.

A few practical points. Alcohol is sold legally in Uzbekistan, in supermarkets and licensed shops, and local wine, beer and cognac are inexpensive, so there is little reason to carry more than a bottle or two. Smoking is banned in most enclosed public places, on trains and in many outdoor areas near monuments.

Duty-free allowance for goods and electronics

The general duty-free allowance for goods brought in by individuals was cut on 1 May 2025 by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 244. The limits by type of transport are:

• By air: goods worth up to US$1,000
• By rail or river: up to US$500
• By road or on foot: up to US$300

On the value above the limit, a single customs payment of 30 per cent is charged, with a minimum of US$3 per kilogram. The rules also restrict the allowance for people who cross the border often or spend only a short time abroad; these conditions are aimed mainly at residents bringing goods home.

What this means for tourists. Your own clothes, toiletries, phone, laptop, camera and other personal belongings that you are using on the trip and will take home again are not the target of these limits. The allowance matters if you bring new goods to give away or sell: a new phone as a present, boxes of gifts for a host family, equipment for a business partner. If you are carrying several new devices or anything valuable you will leave in Uzbekistan, declare it.

Mobile phones. If you put a local SIM card in your phone, the phone's IMEI has to be registered, or the network blocks it after a short period. This is not a customs matter but it catches people out; our SIM card and eSIM guide explains the rules and the fee.

Jewellery. The UK Foreign Office advises declaring precious metals and gemstones above 65 grams, especially if you plan to take them out again. A watch and the jewellery you normally wear do not need a form.

Other prohibited and restricted items

Beyond drones, vapes and controlled medicines, a few categories are prohibited or need a permit:

• Weapons, ammunition and anything that looks like them, including replicas, need a permit
• Narcotics of any kind; there is no tolerance for cannabis products, including CBD
• Printed, recorded or digital material that the authorities consider extremist, pornographic or harmful to public order; religious literature for your own use is fine, but large quantities can draw questions
• Protected species of plants and animals, and products made from them

If you are bringing anything unusual, such as professional film equipment, a hunting rifle or scientific instruments, contact the State Customs Committee or an Uzbek embassy in advance.

Taking carpets, suzani and antiques out of Uzbekistan

Buying a carpet in Bukhara or a suzani in Samarkand is one of the joys of a trip here. Getting it home is usually simple, as long as you know which items need a certificate.

The legal basis is the Law on the Export and Import of Cultural Property, No. 678-I of 29 August 1998, together with Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 131 of 23 March 1999 and Resolution No. 245 of 26 April 2017, which lists folk art and craft products.

In summary:

• Modern crafts made within the last 50 years, including hand-woven carpets, felt products, embroidery and suzani, ceramics and similar folk art, do not require an export certificate. Machine-made carpets never do.
• Items made 50 or more years ago, and anything of historical or cultural value, such as antique carpets, old suzani, coins, manuscripts, old books, archaeological finds and icons, need a permit based on an expert examination by the Ministry of Culture. Some genuinely valuable items cannot be exported at all.
• The expert examination involves photographs of the item, a fee set as a percentage of the base calculation amount, and a certificate stamped on the back of the photo. Customs checks the certificate on departure.

Practical advice:

• Buy from established workshops and shops, which deal with this every day. For anything that looks old, or is old, ask the seller to arrange the certificate before you pay, and allow a few days.
• Even for a new carpet, keep the receipt and any document the shop gives you stating its age and origin. Customs officers do check carpets at the airport, and an old-looking new piece can raise questions.
• If you cannot produce the paperwork for an item that needs it, customs can confiscate it.

Dried fruit, nuts, spices, tea, ceramics and new textiles can be taken out freely in personal quantities. Remember to check what your own country allows in: many countries restrict meat, dairy, plants and seeds. Our guide to Uzbek crafts and souvenirs covers what to buy and how to judge quality.

Leaving Uzbekistan: departure customs checklist

• Keep your entry declaration if you made one, and do not try to take out more cash than you declared.
• Spend or exchange your som before you leave; som is hard to exchange outside Uzbekistan.
• Have the receipts and certificates for carpets, suzani and anything antique in your hand luggage.
• Pack medicines in their original packaging with the prescription, as on arrival.
• At Tashkent airport, arrive three hours before an international flight; there is a customs and security check at the entrance to the terminal and again at departure control.
• At land borders, expect a more thorough search; our guide to Uzbekistan's border crossings describes the main posts.

Where to check the latest customs rules

Customs rules change often. Since 2025 Uzbekistan has cut the duty-free allowance, added limits for tobacco and supplements, banned vapes and announced a full review of the personal allowance and a higher cash limit. Before you travel, check:

• The State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan, customs.uz, for allowances and declaration rules
• lex.uz, the official legal database, for the full text of the resolutions mentioned in this guide
• The official tourism portal, uzbekistan.travel, for the list of controlled medicines
• Your own government's travel advice, such as the UK Foreign Office pages for Uzbekistan
• The Uzbek embassy in your country, for any medicine you depend on

Our guide to the Uzbekistan visa covers entry rules, and our packing list explains what to bring, and what not to, season by season.

Travelling with TourEast

Our team can answer customs questions before you book, from medicines to carpets, and on our tours we can point you to workshops that issue the export paperwork. If you are planning a custom trip around crafts, tell us what you hope to bring home and we will plan for it.