Take medicine in or out of the UK

You must carry medicine containing a controlled drug with you in your hand luggage when entering or leaving the UK. It may be taken away from you at the border if you cannot prove it was prescribed for you.

Taking medicine out of the UK

If you’re taking medicine out of the UK, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medicine contains a controlled drug. If it does, check the rules for the country you’re going to with the embassy before you travel.  You’ll need to prove it’s yours with either a prescription or letter from your doctor.

Bringing medicine to the UK

If you’re a UK resident who has been prescribed medicine while you were abroad, you need to contact the Drug and Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU).

If you’re not a UK resident, you will need to carry a letter of proof that the medicine was prescribed for you.

The letter must include:

  • your name
  • the dates you are travelling to or from the UK
  • a list of your medicine, including how much you have, doses and the strength
  • the signature of the person who prescribed your drugs

You can only bring up to 3 months supply of your medicine with you.

Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you if your medicine contains a controlled drug. You can also check the drugs listed on the packaging of your medicine and search for them on the controlled drugs list. The list does not give names of medicines, only drugs that are used in medicines.

If it contains a drug listed as schedule 1

You must contact the DFLU before you travel to the UK.

You cannot bring schedule 1 drugs into the UK without a licence. Licences for schedule 1 drugs are limited to research or other special purposes. You cannot use a Schengen Certificate to bring schedule 1 drugs into the UK.

If you need more than 3 months supply of your medicine

You’ll need to contact a UK doctor or pharmacist to prescribe the medicine for you once you’re in the UK. This includes medicines not licensed in the UK. You may need to pay.

If you bring more than 3 months supply with you, or get more medicine posted to you, it will be taken away.

Exceptional circumstances

If there are exceptional circumstances which mean you need to bring more than 3 months supply of your medicine into the UK, you may be able to apply for a personal licence.

Contact the Drug and Firearms Licensing Unit (DFLU)

Drug and Firearms Licensing Unit
[email protected]
Telephone: 0300 105 0248
Monday to Friday
Find out about call charges

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