Can I take prescription liquid over 100ml in my cabin bag?

Yes. Prescription and essential OTC liquid medicines are exempt from the 100ml rule at every major airport worldwide. Take a reasonable quantity for the trip, declare it at the start of security, and expect separate inspection. A prescription copy or doctor's letter is recommended for anything over 100ml.

Do I need a doctor's letter to fly with medication?

Not usually, but it resolves disputes fast. TSA, CATSA and most EU airports don't require it. The UK, UAE, Singapore, Japan and Australia may ask for one — particularly for injectables, controlled substances or larger quantities. Carry a printed copy or a PDF on your phone.

Can I take insulin and syringes through airport security?

Yes, in every major jurisdiction. Declare them at screening, carry the original labelled packaging, and keep them in your cabin bag (never checked). Cooling gel packs to keep insulin at temperature are also permitted.

Are inhalers allowed in hand luggage?

Yes. Inhalers and nebuliser solution are considered essential medicines and are exempt from the 100ml rule. You don't need to remove them from your bag unless the officer asks.

What medications are banned in other countries?

Common surprises: Adderall and amphetamine-based ADHD meds are banned in Japan; codeine, tramadol and diazepam are controlled in the UAE and Singapore; pseudoephedrine cold medicines are restricted in Japan and Mexico. Always check the destination country's controlled substances list before flying.

Do liquid medicines count toward the 1-litre clear bag limit?

No. Medically necessary liquids are outside the 100ml + 1-litre bag rule. Present them separately at screening. Adding them to your clear bag is a common mistake that can cause other liquids to be removed instead.

Flying with medication 2026: liquid rules by country

Last updated July 21, 2026Updated today· Reviewed against current airport security guidance

Quick answer

Medically necessary liquids are exempt from the 100ml cabin rule in every major jurisdiction — US (TSA), UK (DfT), EU (EC 185/2010), Canada (CATSA) and Australia. You do not need to fit them in the 1-litre clear bag. Take "a reasonable quantity for the trip", declare them at the start of screening, and expect them to be inspected separately.

Bring the medication in its original labelled packaging and, for prescription liquids over 100ml, carry a copy of the prescription or a doctor's letter. It's rarely mandatory but resolves 90% of disputes at the checkpoint.

Country-by-country liquid medication rules

Country / region	Over 100ml allowed?	Paperwork expected	Screening notes
United States (TSA)	Yes — reasonable quantity	Not required, but recommended	Declare at start. Bottles may be opened for vapour or strip testing.
United Kingdom (DfT)	Yes — essential medicine	Prescription or doctor's letter for >100ml liquid meds	Show to security officer. Some airports require a supporting letter for controlled drugs.
European Union	Yes — essential medicine	Prescription or medical certificate recommended	EC 185/2010 exempts medicines needed during the trip. Enforcement varies by country.
Canada (CATSA)	Yes — reasonable quantity	Not required for OTC; prescription helpful	Present separately at pre-board screening.
Australia	Yes — quantity for the flight + a bit extra	Doctor's letter for injectables and controlled substances	Domestic and international rules match. Powdered meds >350g face extra screening on US-bound flights.
UAE / Dubai	Yes, but stricter on controlled substances	Prescription mandatory for many common medicines (e.g. codeine, tramadol)	Check the UAE Ministry of Health controlled-drug list before travelling.
Singapore	Yes — declare on arrival	Prescription required for controlled substances	Some common Western OTC ingredients (e.g. pseudoephedrine) are restricted.
Japan	Yes — Yakkan Shoumei for >1 month supply	Yakkan Shoumei import certificate for larger quantities and some ingredients	Stimulant-containing meds (some ADHD meds, Adderall) are banned outright.

What counts as "medically necessary liquid"

Prescription liquids (cough syrups, liquid antibiotics, methadone)
Insulin, injectable medication and pre-filled syringes
Inhalers, nebuliser solution and asthma medication
EpiPens and other emergency auto-injectors
Eye drops, ear drops and contact lens solution
Liquid nutrition prescribed by a doctor (e.g. for feeding tubes)
Cooling gel packs used to keep medication at required temperature
Baby formula, breast milk and baby food (see our dedicated guide)

The exact steps at the checkpoint

Take medication out of your bag before it reaches the X-ray belt.
Tell the officer at the start of screening: "I have medication over 100ml."
Put medicines in a separate tray. Do NOT put them in your 1-litre clear bag — the exemption means they don't count toward it.
Expect additional inspection: visual check, vapour test, or (rarely) opening the bottle. You can refuse opening; you'll receive additional pat-down screening instead.
If you carry a cooling gel pack, it can travel frozen or partially frozen — declare it too.

Controlled and restricted medicines

Some medicines legal at home are controlled or banned in your destination country. The most common surprises: Adderall and other amphetamine-based ADHD medication are banned in Japan; codeine, tramadol and diazepam are controlled in the UAE and Singapore; some cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine are restricted in Japan and Mexico. Check the destination country's official controlled substances list before you fly and carry a doctor's letter naming the medication, dose and reason.

"Legal where I bought it" is not a defence. Passengers have been detained in the UAE and Japan for common Western prescription drugs. When in doubt, contact the destination country's embassy before travelling.

Cabin vs checked bag: where to pack medication

Always carry essential medication in your cabin bag. Checked luggage can be delayed, lost or exposed to freezing temperatures in the hold. If you're carrying a large supply, split it: enough for the trip plus a few days in the cabin, spare supply in checked. Keep prescriptions in your cabin bag with the medication itself.

Powdered medication and injectables

On US-bound international flights, powders over 350ml (about 12oz) must be removed from your bag for separate screening and may need to be tested. Prescription powdered medicines are exempt but declaring them speeds things up. Injectables travel fine — carry the labelled packaging or a doctor's note explaining why you need needles in the cabin.

Traveller checklist

Original labelled packaging for every liquid medicine
Copy of prescription or doctor's letter (paper or PDF on your phone)
For controlled substances: a letter naming the drug, dose and prescribing doctor
Small cool bag or gel pack if the medication needs to stay cool
A photo of each medication label as a backup if packaging is damaged
For international trips: check destination-country restrictions at least 2 weeks before flying

FAQs

Sources & references

Primary references behind this guide. We link directly to authorities so you can verify anything we say.

Flying with medication: liquid rules by country (2026)