Andorra customs rules & duty-free allowances

Last reviewed October 1, 2026·Official source

Andorra is a customs island inside the EU: you clear Spanish or French border controls to get in, then face Andorran duty-free limits on the way out — and the outbound checks are where people get caught. The 2026 trap is buying cheap tobacco or alcohol on a day trip and forgetting that France and Spain enforce their own much lower EU allowances the moment you cross back. These allowances apply to non-resident adults arriving from outside Andorra; if you are just passing through the Pyrenees, the rules that matter are the ones waiting on the other side of the border.

Duty-free allowances

Alcohol
1.5 L
1.5L of spirits over 22% ABV, or 3L of sparkling wine, or 5L of still wine, or 15L of beer — these are alternatives, not cumulative. Must be 18+. Andorran duty-free shops sell at these limits; the same goods are over the EU allowance the moment you re-enter Spain or France.
Tobacco
300 cigarettes
or 75 cigars / 400 g
Cash to declare
$10,000
EUR 10,000 (about USD 10,800) or the equivalent in any currency. Declare to Andorran customs (Duana) at the border point using the declaration form; the same EUR 10,000 threshold applies when you carry it back out into Spain or France.
Goods duty-free
$900
Personal goods up to EUR 900 (about USD 975) per adult traveller are duty-free; the limit is EUR 450 for travellers under 15. Above that, Andorran import duty is charged — typically 1% to 4.5% on most goods, higher on some categories — plus the 4.5% IGI (Impost General Indirecte) sales tax where applicable.

Prohibited — banned from import

  • Narcotics and psychotropic drugs of any kind, including cannabis — illegal in Andorra regardless of Spanish or French law
  • Counterfeit branded goods and pirated media — Andorra actively seizes fake luxury watches, handbags and DVDs
  • Weapons, ammunition and explosives without an Andorran firearms licence
  • Endangered species and products made from them (ivory, tortoiseshell, certain furs) under CITES
  • Offensive or extremist printed material and propaganda
  • Radio transmitters and jammers that are not type-approved for Andorra

Restricted — allowed with a permit or declaration

  • Firearms and hunting rifles — require an Andorran licence and prior declaration at the border
  • Prescription and controlled medicines — need a doctor's letter and, for narcotics, Ministry of Health authorisation
  • Drones — must be registered and flown under Andorran civil-aviation rules; declare on entry
  • Satellite phones and high-power two-way radios — require a licence from the Andorran telecoms regulator
  • Live animals and pets — need an EU pet passport and rabies vaccination to cross back into Spain or France

Arriving: red vs green channel

Andorra has no airport and no international train station, so you arrive by road from Spain (via the N-145/La Seu d'Urgell or the CG-1) or France (via the N-22/Pas de la Casa). There is no routine green/red channel at the Andorran line — officers at the border posts and at the Andorra la Vella and Pas de la Casa customs offices conduct spot checks, and the serious enforcement happens on the Spanish and French side when you leave. If you have nothing to declare, drive through; if you are over any allowance, stop at the Duana office and declare before continuing.

Tax-free shopping & VAT refunds

Andorra's IGI is only 4.5%, so there is no tourist VAT-refund scheme — the low tax is already baked into the shelf price. Non-residents can, however, reclaim IGI on larger purchases through the 'Tax Free' arrangement at participating shops if the retailer offers it; ask at the till for the form and present it at the customs desk in Andorra la Vella or Pas de la Casa before you exit. In practice most travellers simply benefit from the low sticker price rather than a refund.

Bringing medication

Bring personal medication in its original pharmacy packaging with the prescription or a doctor's letter; keep quantities to what a personal course requires. Andorra follows a strict controlled-substances list similar to Spain's — narcotics, strong opioids, amphetamines and anabolic steroids need prior authorisation from the Andorran Ministry of Health. Codeine-containing medicines are available but restricted, and cannabis is illegal in Andorra even though it is legal next door in Spain for some uses.

Food, plants & animal products

Andorra itself is relaxed about most food for personal use, but the EU rules you hit on the way back are not: no meat, milk, cheese, ham or other animal products from outside the EU may be carried into Spain or France, and plant material, seeds and soil are restricted. Declare any food, plants or animal products at the Spanish or French border — undeclared jamón or cheese is the classic confiscation at La Seu d'Urgell and Pas de la Casa.

Rules worth knowing

The exit is the real customs check

Andorra's own border is lightly staffed, but Spain and France run full customs posts at La Seu d'Urgell and Pas de la Casa. Their EU allowances are far lower than Andorra's — 200 cigarettes and 1L of spirits — so the cheap carton you bought in Andorra la Vella can be seized and fined the moment you cross back.

No airport means no duty-free on arrival

Because you can only reach Andorra by road, there is no arrival duty-free shop and no in-flight allowance. Everything you buy is bought on Andorran soil, so the Andorran limits above are what you are importing — not an in-transit exemption.

Tobacco is the enforcement priority

Andorra's cigarette prices are roughly half Spain's, which makes tobacco the single most inspected item. Spanish and French officers count cartons, check receipts and apply per-person limits strictly — a family of four cannot pool the allowance into one bag.

Low IGI but no big VAT refund

Andorra's 4.5% IGI is already so low that there is no meaningful tourist refund scheme. Do not expect a VAT reclaim desk at the border; the saving is in the price tag, not in a refund form.

Frequently asked questions

Both sets. On the way in, Spanish customs apply EU import rules to anything you are carrying. On the way back, you are importing into the EU, so the EU allowances — 200 cigarettes, 1L of spirits over 22%, EUR 300 of goods — apply, not Andorra's more generous limits. Andorran duty-free prices are only a bargain if you stay within those EU limits on the return leg.
200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250g of rolling tobacco — one category only, per adult. That is roughly two-thirds of a carton. Anything above that is declared and taxed, and undeclared excess is seized with a fine that usually exceeds the saving.
Yes, Andorra uses the euro even though it is not in the EU. You must declare EUR 10,000 (about USD 10,800) or more in cash or bearer instruments to Andorran customs on entry, and again to Spanish or French customs on exit if you are carrying it out.
Yes, for personal use, in original packaging with the prescription or a doctor's letter. Narcotics, strong opioids, amphetamines and anabolic steroids need prior authorisation from the Andorran Ministry of Health. Cannabis is illegal in Andorra even if you have a Spanish medical card.
No. Andorra has no airport-style green/red channel and no arrival declaration card. Officers at the road border posts and at the Duana offices in Andorra la Vella and Pas de la Casa conduct spot checks. If you are over an allowance, walk into the customs office and declare voluntarily — that is far cheaper than being stopped.
Wine and spirits travel fine within the destination country's alcohol allowance. Meat and dairy are the problem: the EU bans personal imports of meat, milk and cheese from outside the EU, so Andorran ham or cheese will be confiscated at the Spanish or French border. For the UK and US, check that country's own animal-product rules before packing.
You pay Andorran import duty on the excess — typically 1% to 4.5% depending on the category — plus 4.5% IGI where it applies. Declare at the Duana office; the duty is modest, but failing to declare can mean a fine and seizure of the goods.

Official source

Duana Andorrana (Andorran Customs Department)

For guidance only. Customs allowances and prohibited-item lists change without notice — always confirm with Duana Andorrana (Andorran Customs Department) before travelling.