Flying with CBD: France, Europe and outside the EU
You can carry a compliant CBD product on a domestic flight in France, meaning one whose finished product holds no more than 0.30% Δ⁹-THC, as long as cabin liquids respect the 100 ml rule. Abroad, the law of each transit and destination country applies, and it is often stricter. Italy has banned products made from hemp flowers since 2025, Japan sets THC limits in ppm, and Singapore and the UAE tolerate nothing.
Key takeaways
- Compliant CBD travels freely within France, whether by plane, train or car.
- Cabin liquids such as oils, creams and e-liquids go in containers of 100 ml at most, inside a one-litre bag.
- Each country's own law applies while you are there, stopovers included.
- Italy, the UK, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the UAE and Saudi Arabia have stricter rules than France, some of them much stricter.
- Carry paper copies of the invoice, the label and the batch certificate of analysis.
In France: what you can carry
In France you can hold and carry a compliant CBD product freely, by plane, train or car. The rule comes from the decree of 30 December 2021, which caps Δ⁹-THC at 0.30% in varieties, extracts and products. The Conseil d'État struck down on 29 December 2022 the ban on selling raw flowers and leaves, so a compliant flower or resin travels the same way as an oil. This limit is explained in our article on the legal THC level.
Keep two caveats in mind. The product must contain no cannabinoid classified as a narcotic: the ANSM listed HHC from 13 June 2023, then H4CBD, THCP and other derivatives from 3 June 2024. And CBD products meant to be swallowed (gummies, capsules, or oils sold as supplements) have been off sale since May 2026, as our article on the withdrawal of CBD gummies explains.
Airport screening looks for dangerous items and does not search for CBD. A flower in a bag may still smell of cannabis and slow a check down, whereas an oil or a cosmetic draws fewer questions.
The 100 ml rule in the cabin
Each liquid in the cabin must be in a container of 100 ml or less, and all the containers must fit in one resealable transparent one-litre bag, about 20 × 20 cm. The rule applies to liquids, gels, pastes and aerosols, which includes CBD oils, creams, soft balms and e-liquids. A 10 ml or 30 ml bottle passes without difficulty. There are exceptions for prescribed medicines.
E-cigarettes, by contrast, must go in the cabin, since service-public.fr lists them among items banned from the hold. Oils and creams in the hold have no volume limit; a sturdy, tightly closed container prevents leaks.
Within the EU: one market, different laws
Schengen has no systematic border checks, yet that does not make your product legal everywhere. The law of the country you are in applies to you, stopovers included. Three neighbouring countries show how far apart the rules can be.
Italy is now the riskiest destination. Article 18 of decree-law 48/2025, converted by law 80/2025, bans the import, sale, transport and consumption of products made from hemp flowers, extracts, resins and oils included. The Constitutional Court is due to examine the text at its hearing of 21 October 2026. Until then, leave your flowers and hash in France. Our article on CBD flowers in Italy traces the litigation.
Germany legalised cannabis for adults in April 2024. Its law leaves CBD out of the definition of cannabis, but section 1 of the KCanG restricts so-called industrial hemp to commercial or scientific uses that exclude any use for intoxication. These rules are detailed in our comparison of CBD in Germany and France.
Switzerland, inside Schengen but outside the EU, only classifies hemp as a narcotic from 1% THC. A Swiss product between 0.30 and 1% is legal there but not in France: do not bring it back. See our article on Switzerland and France, and the one on Spain if you are heading south. For Lisbon, Valletta or Prague, our articles on Portugal, Malta and the Czech Republic describe what applies there and on the way back.
Outside the EU: check every country, stopovers included
Beyond Europe the differences are larger and the penalties heavier. The table summarises what each country's official sources say, as checked on 22 September 2026.
| Country | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | "Exempt product" only if it meets three conditions, including no more than 1 mg of each controlled cannabinoid per container | Home Office |
| United States | Security officers do not search for drugs but refer any illegal substance to police; new federal hemp definition planned for late 2026 | TSA, Congress |
| Japan | CBD allowed under THC limits since 12 December 2024: 10 ppm for oils, 0.1 ppm for drinks, 1 ppm for other products | Ministry of Health |
| South Korea | No CBD oil or hemp product, even in transit, without written approval | US Embassy |
| Singapore | Cannabis and derivatives are Class A, an offence "even in trace amounts" | CNB |
| United Arab Emirates | CBD oil in cosmetics or vape refills confiscated, possible charges | UK government |
In the United States, the agriculture appropriations law signed on 12 November 2025 now counts THCA within the 0.3% limit and caps finished products at 0.4 mg of total THC per container. It was set to take effect on 12 November 2026. A delay is being discussed, so check the date before you leave. In Saudi Arabia there is zero tolerance for drugs, and official travel advice makes no exception for CBD. Thailand, which is not in the table, is covered in our article on the Thai rules in 2026.
If any country on your route bans CBD, the safest choice is to carry none. A seizure may end with the product destroyed, or go as far as prosecution. If you are arrested, ask to contact the French consulate. For shipping by parcel, see our article on customs and CBD parcels.
On arrival: do not drive after use
If you hire a car on arrival in France, a legal product may be enough for a positive saliva test for THC. France's Court of Cassation ruled on 21 June 2023 that the offence of driving after drug use is established once a test reveals the drug, whatever the dose. Since the law of 9 July 2025, article L235-1 of the Highway Code has punished it with 3 years in prison and a 9 000 € fine. Detection windows are given in our guide to CBD and drug tests.
Travelling with a cannabinoid-based treatment
Prescribed treatments follow their own rules, separate from those for CBD sold in shops. A medicine classified as a narcotic, such as medical cannabis containing THC, requires a certificate. Within Schengen, the regional health agency of the prescribing doctor issues it. Outside Schengen, the ANSM issues a transport certificate, which you request at least 10 days before departure and which covers no more than 28 days of treatment. This framework is described in our overview of medical cannabis in France.
Epidyolex, the only authorised cannabidiol medicine, is not classed as a narcotic. Take the prescription anyway, ideally with the molecule's name on it, and check with the destination country's embassy, since some countries also control CBD medicines.
Frequently asked questions
Yes on a flight within France, provided the product is compliant and liquids respect the 100 ml rule; screening looks for dangerous items. On a flight abroad, the law of the destination and stopover countries decides.
Within France, yes, since a flower with no more than 0.30% Δ⁹-THC is legal. Leave them at home for Italy, which has banned products made from the flower since 2025, and for non-EU countries that ban cannabis in every form. Their smell can also slow down a check.
No rule makes it compulsory, but together with the invoice and the label it is the most useful proof during a check. The lines to look at are listed in our guide to reading a certificate of analysis, and our laboratory page lists the catalogue products.
Only if it stays within the French limit of 0.30% Δ⁹-THC. Switzerland accepts up to 1%, but French law applies the moment you cross the border.
No single list exists, and the rules move quickly, as Italy showed in 2025 and Japan in 2024. Before each trip, check the country's official page or its travel advice.
Written by the Phytogrammes team
Each journal article draws on cited primary sources: ANSM, EFSA, EUR-Lex and peer-reviewed publications. Product profiles are distinguished from documented laboratory results. Our approach.
Article published on . CBD is not a medicine.