All medicines should be carried in their prescription bottles and boxes with the contents clearly marked together with a letter from the doctor.

All over-the-counter medicines sold in New Zealand are allowed in the UK but some (typically high strength pain killers and some asthma treatments) may only be available in the UK on prescription rather than over-the-counter.

If the medicine is lost or supplies run out, you will need to get a new prescription from a British doctor so it's a good idea to take a list of the generic names. Those with severe or chronic illnesses should carry detailed information from a doctor to help expedite an examination by a British doctor, should this be necessary.

Do not send prescription medicines in the post and do not take prescription medicines for someone else in your luggage.

The rest of this page relates to 'controlled drugs' such as those needed to treat addictions and the rules only apply to you if you are travelling for more than 3 months.

A list of controlled drugs and the maximum quantity you can take without a licence can be found below under the Open General Licence List.

If you're taking less than the maximum quantity of a controlled drug into the UK or if you are travelling for less than 3 months, you just need a covering letter from a doctor.

If you're taking more than the maximum and you are travelling for more than 3 months, you'll need a licence. You can find out more from the dedicated area of the Home office site.

If you have a question, you can email licensing_enquiries.aadu@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Carry all controlled drugs in your hand luggage.

Open General Licence List

Alphapropine
3600 mgs

Amphetamine
300 mgs

Amphetamine Phosphate
225 mgs

Amphetamine Sulphate
225 mgs

Anhydrous Morphine
360 mgs

Anileridine
900 mgs

Anileridine Hydrochloride
900 mgs

Anileridine Phosphate
900 mgs

Benzphetamine
2250 mgs

Bezitramide
450 mgs

Buprenorphine Hydrochloride
24 mgs

Chlorphentermine Hydrochloride
975 mgs

Cocaine Hydrochoride, Nitrate,or Sulphate Eyedrops
20 ml at 4%, 4ml max strength

Cocaine Hydrochloride, Nitrate, or Sulphate as active ingredient in a mixture being used by a patient who is terminally ill
500 mgs

Dexamphetamine
300 mgs

Dexamphetamine Phosphate
150 mgs

Dexamphetamine Sulphate
900 mgs

Dextromoramide Tartrate
900 mgs

Diamorphine Hydrochloride as an ingredient in a mixture or linctus
500 mgs

Diamorphine Hydrochloride Tablets
450 mgs

Diamorphine Hydrochloride Ampoules
1350 mgs

Diamorphine Hydrochloride Elixir
500 mgs

Diethylpropion Hydrochloride
1125 mgs

Dihydrocodeine Tartrate
3600 mgs

Dihydrocodeine O-carboxymethyloxine
150 mgs

Dipipanone
600 mgs

Drotebanol
90 mgs

Ethchlorvynol
15000 mgs

Ethinamate
15000 mgs

Fentanyl Citrate 45 mgsGlutethimide
7500 mgs

Hydrocodone Hydrochloride
675 mgs

Hydrocodone Phosphate
675 mgs

Hydrocodone Tartrate
675 mgs

Hydromorphone
360 mgs

Ketobemidone
450 mgs

Levorphanol Tartrate
135 mgs

Mazindol
45 mgs

Mecloqualone
4500 mgs

Medicinal Opium
1800 mgs

Mephentermine Sulphate
2700 mgs

Meprobamate
3600 mgs

Methadone Hydrochloride Ampoules*
500 mgs

Methadone Hydrochloride Linctus*
500 mgs

Methadone Hydrochloride Tablets*
500 mgs

*(If the patient is carrying more than 2000 mgs they will require confirmation of travel from theirdoctor - i.e. he/she has seen air tickets)

Methadyl Acetate
500 mgs

Methaqualone
4500 mgs

Methaqualone Hydrochloride
4500 mgs

Methylamphetamine
900 mgs

Methylamphetamine Hydrochloride
900 mgs

Methylamphetamine Saccharate
900 mgs

Methylphenidate Hydrochloride
900 mgs

Methylphenobarbitone
9000 mgs

Methyprylone
6000 mgs

Metopon
1350 mgs

Morphine Hydrochloride
1200 mgs

Morphine Sulphate
1200 mgs

Morphine Tartrate
1200 mgs

Norpipanone Hydrochloride
270 mgs

Oxycodone Hydrochloride
900 mgs

Oxycodone Pectinate
900 mgs

Oxymorphone Hydrochloride
450 mgs

Pentazocine Hydrochloride
9000 mgs

Phenazocine
450 mgs

Pentazocine Lactate
5400 mgs

Phenadoxone
2250 mgs

Pethidine Hydrochloride
2250 mgs

Phendimetrazine Tartrate
3200 mgs

Phenmetrazine Hydrochloride
1250 mgs

Phentermine
450 mgs

Piminodine Esylate
4500 mgs

Pipradol Hydrochloride
90 mgs

Piritramide
3600 mgs

Piritramide Hydrgen Tartrate
3600 mgs

Propiram Fumerate
2250 mgs

Temazepam
900 mgs

Thebacon Hydrochloride
225 mgs

Tilidate Hydrochloride
6000 mgs

Trimeperidine Hydrochloride
2250 mgs

The following 5, 5-disubstituted Barbituric Acids:
Allobarbitone
3000 mgs

Amylobarbitone
9000 mgs

Amylobarbitone Sodium
9000 mgs

Aprobarbitone
7500 mgs

Barbitone
9000 mgs

Barbitone Sodium
9000 mgs

Butalbital
6000 mgs

Butallylonal
9000 mgs

Butobarbitone
4500 mgs

Cyclobarbitone
6000 mgs

Cyclobarbitone Calcium
6000 mgs

Cyclopentobarbitone
3000 mgs

Heptabarbitone
6000 mgs

Hexethal Sodium
18000 mgs

Ibomal
6000 mgs

Nealbarbitone
3000 mgs

Pentobarbitone
3000 mgs

Pentobarbitone Calcium
3000 mgs

Pentobarbitone Sodium
3000 mgs

Phenobarbitone
2700 mgs

Phenobarbitone Sodium
12000 mgs

Phenylmethylbarbituric Acid
6000 mgs

Probarbitone Sodium
22500 mgs

Probarbitone Calcium
22500 mgs

Proxibarbal
9000 mgs

Quinalbarbitone
3000 mgs

Quinalbarbitone Sodium
3000 mgs

Secbutobarbitone
1800 mgs

Secbutobarbitone Sodium
1800 mgs

Talbutal
2250 mgs

Vinbarbitone
3000 mgs

Vinbarbitone Sodium
3000 mgs

Vinylbitone
3000 mgs