Portugal
The laws most likely to catch a visitor off guard. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Get alerted when this changesLawLert pings you if Portugal's laws change. Free.Get the free appDrugs
Illegal drugs remain prohibited in Portugal: personal-use possession is handled with administrative sanctions or mandatory treatment rather than automatic jail, but penalties for possession, use, or trafficking can be severe.
Fines, administrative sanctions, mandatory drug treatment, or jail sentences; never transport anyone else's bags.
§ Government of Canada — Travel PortugalCannabis
Bringing cannabis into Portugal is treated like smuggling illegal drugs — expect a long jail sentence and heavy fines, including when transiting through the airport; transit passengers' baggage is scanned.
Long jail sentence and heavy fines (FCDO), even in airport transit.
§ UK FCDO — PortugalCannabis is not legal in Portugal -- possession for personal use is decriminalised, which is not the same thing. Police will seize whatever you have and refer you to a government Dissuasion Commission, which can impose a fine or other sanctions such as a ban on leaving the country without authorisation. Buying, selling and growing cannabis all remain crimes, there is no legal shop, club or dispensary anywhere in the country, and carrying more than a 10-day supply can be prosecuted as trafficking, punishable by 4 to 12 years in prison.
Personal use, acquisition or possession: an administrative offence handled by a Dissuasion Commission, which may impose a fine (art. 16(2), still denominated in escudos) or non-monetary sanctions including a ban on leaving the country without authorisation (art. 17(2)). Trafficking-type offences: 4 to 12 years, reduced to 1 to 5 years where the unlawfulness is considerably diminished, or up to 3 years for a user-dealer holding no more than a 5-day supply (Decreto-Lei 15/93 arts. 21, 25 and 26). Cultivation for own use: up to 3 months' imprisonment or a fine, rising to up to 1 year above a 3-day supply.
§ Diario da Republica - Lei n. 30/2000 (consolidated)Medications
Carry prescription medication in original packaging with your doctor's prescription and confirm it is legal in Portugal — and never mail prescription medicine there: Portuguese law prohibits mailing prescription meds, which customs will impound.
Prescription medications mailed to Portugal are impounded by the Portuguese customs office.
§ US State Dept — PortugalCustoms & Cash
Entering or leaving Portugal / the EU with EUR 10,000 or more in cash or equivalent requires a customs declaration on both entry and exit.
Undeclared or incomplete declarations are subject to penalties and the cash may be detained.
§ US State Dept — PortugalAlcohol
Public drinking is governed by local rules in Portugal — Albufeira's code of conduct bans inappropriate public behaviour with on-the-spot fines of 150 to 1,800 euros, and shop and supermarket alcohol sales are restricted in parts of Albufeira between 11pm and 8am.
On-the-spot fines of €150–€1,800 under Albufeira's code of conduct.
§ UK FCDO — PortugalDriving
Portugal's drink-drive limit is 0.5 g/L (0.05%) for standard drivers and 0.2 g/L for novice and professional drivers; a reflective vest and warning triangle are mandatory in the car.
Drink-driving convictions bring license suspension, car seizure, heavy fines, or a jail sentence.
§ EU Your Europe — Portugal road rules