Silver Allowance for Travellers to the UK
In Great Britain silver is ordinary goods. Anything bought abroad counts towards the £390 allowance (£270 by private plane or boat), and once you go over it, tax and duty are due on the full value. Silver bullion and coins pay no customs duty but 20% import VAT, because the UK's investment-gold VAT exemption covers gold only. Silver jewellery pays 2% duty under the simplified rate plus 20% VAT. Silver is not cash for the £10,000 declaration in Great Britain or Northern Ireland.
Reviewed October 2026 from official sources (listed below). Rules change — check with customs before you travel.
Estimate
Values the silver at today's international price; Border Force uses the price you paid. An estimate, not a customs assessment.
Duty-Free Silver Allowance in UK
| Traveller | Duty-free allowance | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Any traveller arriving by air or sea | £390 of goods | Per person; cannot be combined. Above £390, tax and duty are due on the full value. |
| Arriving by private plane or boat | £270 of goods | Same full-value rule. |
| Anyone: silver bars and coins | No limit, but no VAT exemption | Counts towards the £390 allowance; 20% import VAT above it. |
| Your own jewellery taken abroad and back | Not charged | Carry receipts or photos to show you owned it before the trip. |
20% VAT on silver, unlike gold
Investment gold is VAT-free in the UK, but silver is not: HMRC's investment-gold rules (VAT Notice 701/21) cover gold only. Silver bullion (7106) has 0% customs duty under the UK Global Tariff but pays 20% import VAT. Once your goods total more than £390, VAT is charged on the full value, not just the part above £390.
Silver jewellery pays the 2% simplified customs duty plus 20% VAT on the value and the duty.
Silver is not cash
In Great Britain the £10,000 cash declaration covers notes, coins, bearer bonds, travellers' cheques and some cheques; gold and silver are not on the list. Northern Ireland's €10,000 rule adds gold coins, bullion and nuggets, but not silver. Silver over £390 is still declared as goods.
Silver price in UK today
Live rates →| Fine silver (999) | £13.01 / 10 g | £1,301 / kg |
|---|---|---|
| Sterling (925) | £12.04 / 10 g | £1,204 / kg |
Bringing Silver to the UK: FAQ
How much is 1 kg of silver worth in the UK today?
About £1,301 for 1 kg of fine (999) silver at the international price converted to GBP (Oct 26, 2026, 15:35 UTC). Customs use their own notified or assessed value, and shops charge more, so treat this as an estimate.
Do I pay VAT on silver bars brought into the UK?
Yes. Silver bars and coins pay 20% import VAT on the full value once your goods total more than £390. There is no customs duty on silver bullion.
Is silver jewellery taxed in the UK?
Above the £390 allowance, silver jewellery pays 2% customs duty and 20% VAT on the full value.
Do I need to declare silver as cash in the UK?
No. Silver is not cash in Great Britain or Northern Ireland. Declare it as goods if it takes you over £390.
Silver Travel Allowance in Other Countries
Sources: GOV.UK: Bringing goods into Great Britain for personal use · GOV.UK: Simplified rates for personal goods · HMRC VAT Notice 701/21: gold (no silver equivalent) · GOV.UK: Take cash in and out of Great Britain · Treayo: UK tariff 7106910000 (duty 0%, VAT 20%). Information, not legal advice: customs officers decide on the spot, and rules change. See also: silver price in UK · gold allowance for UK · where silver is cheapest.