As of: 14 September 2026
Key points at a glance
- Since 1 April 2024, medical cannabis has no longer been a narcotic in Germany. According to the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM), however, a certified travel certificate is generally still required for travel, because cannabis remains controlled in most other countries and under the international drug control conventions.¹
- Within the Schengen Area: a certificate under Article 75 of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement (Bescheinigung nach Artikel 75 SDÜ), filled in by the prescribing doctor, officially certified before departure, valid for a maximum of 30 days.¹
- Outside the Schengen Area there are no uniform rules. The law of the destination country and of every transit country applies, and some countries prohibit carrying it entirely.¹
- A German prescription is not a permit abroad. Clarify the legal situation with the embassy of the destination country before every trip.
No longer a narcotic, but formalities still apply
The Medical Cannabis Act (Medizinal-Cannabisgesetz, MedCanG) removed cannabis for medical purposes from the Narcotics Act (Betäubungsmittelgesetz); what this means for prescribing is explained in the article on Cannabis on prescription in Germany. For cross-border movement, however, the MedCanG expressly refers to the Narcotics Foreign Trade Ordinance (Betäubungsmittel-Außenhandelsverordnung, BtMAHV) and expressly declares its travel rule applicable to dried flower as well.⁵ Under this rule, travellers may carry medicines they have received on a doctor's prescription for their own use in a quantity appropriate to the duration of the trip without needing an import or export licence.⁶ German customs (Zoll) names the doctor's prescription as proof for this exemption.⁷
The German side is therefore comparatively simple. What matters is what applies in the destination country. The BfArM points out that medical cannabis continues to be classified as a narcotic in the vast majority of Schengen states and in other countries.¹ Carrying it is permitted exclusively for your own use; taking cannabis along for other people or passing it on is not permitted.²
Travelling in the Schengen Area: the Article 75 certificate
According to the BfArM, in addition to Germany the Schengen Area comprises Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.¹ Popular destinations such as Austria, Italy, Greece or Croatia are therefore covered by this rule. Cyprus is not on the BfArM's list.
For trips of up to 30 days to these states, cannabis medicines may be carried if you have the Article 75 certificate with you. The BfArM lists the following conditions:¹
- The certificate is filled in by the treating doctor.
- It must be certified before departure by the supreme health authority of the federal state (oberste Landesgesundheitsbehörde) or a body designated by it, on the basis of the doctor's prescription.
- It is valid for a maximum of 30 days.
- A separate certificate is required for each prescribed medicine.
The BfArM also points out that these rules apply exclusively to citizens of the Schengen contracting states.¹ If you have a different nationality, clarify your case in advance with the competent authority.
How to obtain the certified certificate
- Get the form. The BfArM provides the form as a PDF.³ It contains details of the prescribing doctor, of you with your passport or ID card number, of the duration of the trip and the period of validity, and of the medicine: trade name, dosage form, active substance concentration, international non-proprietary name of the active substance, instructions for use, total quantity of active substance and the period the prescription covers, each for a maximum of 30 days.
- Have it filled in by the doctor. Ask the prescribing practice early on whether it issues the certificate. This also applies to a telemedical prescription. Who is allowed to prescribe cannabis is explained in the article Which doctor prescribes cannabis?.
- Have it certified. Each federal state decides which body is responsible. According to the BfArM's list of authorities (as of 20 November 2025), in many states this is the local public health office (Gesundheitsamt), in others state authorities, such as the Landesamt für Gesundheit und Soziales in Berlin or the Landesverwaltungsamt in Saxony-Anhalt.⁴ In Bavaria, the responsible office is the public health office with jurisdiction over the issuing doctor; in Hamburg, it is the district office (Bezirksamt) in whose area the doctor practises.⁴ ¹³ If the prescribing practice is in a different federal state from you, ask the authority beforehand which body certifies and whether it requires an original with signature and stamp.
- Allow extra time. The certification must be available before departure. The sources do not state processing times, so expect to wait.
Open questions: the sources evaluated do not describe how Schengen trips of more than 30 days should be handled. Nor is it expressly regulated whether several flower strains on one prescription count as one medicine or several. Clarify both with the certifying authority.
Travelling outside the Schengen Area
For other countries, the BfArM recommends following the guidelines for travellers of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB): carry a multilingual doctor's certificate stating the single and daily dose, the name of the active substance and the duration of the trip, which is also certified by the competent state authority. No particular form is prescribed; the BfArM provides a template.¹ The guidelines provide for carrying medication for a trip lasting a maximum of 30 days.²
However, this certificate is not an entry permit. Because there are no internationally uniform rules, the provisions of the destination country and of every transit country apply, including a country where you only change planes. Some states require an import permit, limit the quantity or prohibit carrying it altogether.² Information is available from the embassies of the destination countries in Germany; the INCB also collects information from individual states, but this is incomplete and in some cases several years old.² ⁸
Examples: Turkey, Thailand, United Arab Emirates
Turkey. The Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) states that the import, export and use of (medical) cannabis and CBD products remain prohibited in Turkey. Medical cannabis can only be prescribed there by doctors registered in Turkey and authorised to do so.⁹ Turkey's older country information at the INCB, from 2017, also excludes cannabis flower and only mentions officially authorised finished medicinal products with prior notification.⁸ The sources do not match exactly on this detail; for cannabis flower, however, both argue against taking it along.
Thailand. According to the Federal Foreign Office, Thailand tightened the classification of cannabis products again in June 2025: sale only for medical purposes, purchase only with a doctor's prescription, consumption in public still illegal.¹⁰ This does not indicate whether a cannabis medicine prescribed in Germany may be imported. Thailand's 2024 information at the INCB names THC as an example in the list of prohibited substances and refers to an online permit procedure for controlled medicines.⁸ Do not assume that carrying it is permitted, and obtain a binding answer from the Thai embassy.
United Arab Emirates. The Federal Foreign Office warns of draconian penalties even for minute quantities; even CBD oil is considered a drug, and consumption that took place a few days before entry can be detected by a blood test and punished. For medicines containing controlled substances, an import permit can be applied for online.¹¹ Whether this is possible for medical cannabis is left open by the advice.
These examples are not a complete list. For every other country, whether Egypt, Morocco, the United Kingdom or Japan: ask the embassy beforehand.
On the plane: hand luggage and security checks
Aviation security rules do not limit the quantity of medicines in hand luggage if they are needed for the duration of the trip. You must be able to show credibly that you need them; according to the Federal Police (Bundespolizei), a prescription or a medical certificate, for example, is sufficient for this. Liquid medicines such as extracts are exempt from the 100-millilitre rule but are checked separately and should be presented separately at the checkpoint.¹² The Federal Police points out that restrictions may nevertheless arise from other regulations, for example on dangerous goods or customs.¹²
In practice, this means: cannabis in the original pharmacy packaging with its label in your hand luggage, with a copy of the prescription and the certificate to hand. Clarify questions about battery-powered vaporisers with the airline. Airport security does not check whether you are allowed to enter the destination country; that is a matter for customs and immigration law there.
Crossing the border by car
Even without fixed border controls, the certificate and the quantity rule apply in the Schengen Area. Keep the documents in the vehicle. When it comes to driving itself, bear in mind that the exemption from the THC limit for patients is set out in the German Road Traffic Act (Straßenverkehrsgesetz) and does not apply abroad; the traffic rules of the respective country apply there. What applies in Germany is explained in the article on Cannabis and driving. The basic rule everywhere: do not drive under the influence.
What this article cannot guarantee
The rules of other countries change, and official information is not always up to date or unambiguous. Even with a correct certificate, border and customs authorities on the ground make the decision. Only the embassy of the destination country and the certifying authority can give binding information about your trip. If in doubt, it is safer to discuss your therapy for the duration of the trip with your doctor than to risk breaching a ban.
Checklist before travelling
- Legal situation in the destination country and transit countries clarified with the embassy
- For Schengen states: Article 75 certificate filled in by the doctor, one per medicine
- For other countries: multilingual doctor's certificate following the INCB guidelines
- Certificate certified by the competent authority before departure
- Period of validity covers the trip (maximum 30 days)
- Only the quantity needed for the duration of the trip packed, see maximum quantities
- Original pharmacy packaging with label, copy of the prescription in hand luggage
- Dosing schedule for time differences discussed with the doctor, see dosage and intake
- A valid prescription redeemed in good time before the trip, see redeeming a prescription and validity
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need the Schengen form now that the Medical Cannabis Act applies?
As a rule, yes. The BfArM states that a certified travel certificate is still usually required for travel with medical cannabis because of the international drug control conventions, and names the Article 75 certificate for Schengen states.¹
Who certifies the certificate?
The supreme health authority of the federal state or a body designated by it; in many federal states this is the public health office. The responsible bodies in each federal state are listed by the BfArM.⁴
May I take medical cannabis to Austria, Italy or Greece?
These countries are part of the Schengen Area. With a certified Article 75 certificate and for up to 30 days, carrying the prescribed cannabis for your own use is provided for.¹ Questions about local specifics are answered by the respective embassy.
May I take cannabis on prescription to Turkey?
According to the Federal Foreign Office's travel and safety advice, the import, export and use of medical cannabis are prohibited in Turkey.⁹ A German prescription does not change this.
Does the certificate also cover the return journey to Germany?
Under German law, re-importing the quantity for the duration of the trip is permitted with proof of the prescription.⁶ ⁷ Make sure that the period of validity of the certificate also covers the return journey, as you may pass through other countries on the way.
Can I have cannabis sent to me while on holiday?
The travel rule only covers medicines that you carry yourself.⁶ Shipping abroad is not covered by it. General answers about the process can be found in the frequently asked questions.
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This article is for general information only and does not replace legal advice or binding information from authorities or embassies. As of: 14 September 2026.
Sources
- Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM): Reisen mit medizinischem Cannabis [travelling with medical cannabis]. https://www.bfarm.de/DE/Bundesopiumstelle/Medizinisches-Cannabis/Reisen-mit-medizinischem-Cannabis/_artikel.html
- BfArM: Reisen mit Betäubungsmitteln [travelling with narcotics] (legal bases, INCB guidelines, national entry regulations). https://www.bfarm.de/DE/Bundesopiumstelle/Betaeubungsmittel/Reisen-mit-Betaeubungsmitteln/_node.html
- BfArM: form „Bescheinigung für das Mitführen von Betäubungsmitteln im Rahmen einer ärztlichen Behandlung – Artikel 75 des Schengener Durchführungsabkommens“ [certificate for carrying narcotics in the context of medical treatment – Article 75 of the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement]. https://www.bfarm.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Bundesopiumstelle/Betaeubungsmittel/Reisen/reise_scheng_formular.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
- BfArM: Zuständige Behörden für Beglaubigungen der Bescheinigungen zur Mitnahme von Betäubungsmitteln in den einzelnen Bundesländern [competent authorities for certifying certificates in each federal state], as of 20 November 2025. https://www.bfarm.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Bundesopiumstelle/Betaeubungsmittel/Reisen/LaenderlisteBtM.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
- Medizinal-Cannabisgesetz (MedCanG), § 14. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/medcang/__14.html
- Betäubungsmittel-Außenhandelsverordnung (BtMAHV), § 15 para. 1 no. 2. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/btmahv/__15.html
- Generalzolldirektion: Arznei- und Betäubungsmittel (Reisen innerhalb der EU) [medicines and narcotics (travel within the EU)]. https://www.zoll.de/DE/Privatpersonen/Reisen/Reisen-innerhalb-der-EU/Einschraenkungen/Arznei-Betaeubungsmittel/arznei-betaeubungsmittel_node.html
- International Narcotics Control Board (INCB): Country regulations for travellers; country information for Thailand (2024) and Turkey (2017). https://www.incb.org/incb/en/travellers/country-regulations.html
- Auswärtiges Amt: Türkei – Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise [Turkey – travel and safety advice]. https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/reiseundsicherheit/tuerkeisicherheit-201962
- Auswärtiges Amt: Thailand – Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise [Thailand – travel and safety advice]. https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/reiseundsicherheit/thailandsicherheit-201558
- Auswärtiges Amt: Vereinigte Arabische Emirate – Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise [United Arab Emirates – travel and safety advice]. https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/reiseundsicherheit/vereinigtearabischeemiratesicherheit-202332
- Bundespolizei: Flüssigkeiten an Bord [liquids on board]. https://bundespolizei.de/sicher-auf-reisen/mit-dem-flugzeug/was-darf-ich-mitnehmen/fluessigkeiten-an-bord
- Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit: Reisen mit Arznei- und Betäubungsmitteln [travelling with medicines and narcotics]. https://www.lgl.bayern.de/gesundheit/arzneimittel/warnungen_verbraucherinformationen/verbraucherinformationen/reisen_arzneimittel_betaeubungsmittel.htm