Skip to main content

Can you take toothpaste on a plane?

In Japan toothpaste is allowed in carry-on with conditions, and in checked bags. Carry-on: Yes. On international flights toothpaste counts as a liquid: tubes of 100ml (100g) or less, inside the 1 litre transparent bag. On domestic flights any size can be carried on. Checked baggage: Yes. Larger tubes go here.

Updated

Yes, within limitsCarry-on in Japan
YesChecked bag in Japan
9countries compared

Carry-on: conditionsChecked bag: yes

Toothpaste on flights in and from Japan

On a domestic flight the 100ml liquid limit does not apply. On an international flight it does.

Toothpaste: carry-on and checked baggage in Japan
WhereAllowed?What applies
In the cabinYes, within limitsYes. On international flights toothpaste counts as a liquid: tubes of 100ml (100g) or less, inside the 1 litre transparent bag. On domestic flights any size can be carried on.
In checked baggageYesYes. Larger tubes go here.
Domestic flights in Japan
The 100ml liquid limit does not apply.
International flights from Japan
Each container 100ml or less, all of them inside one transparent re-sealable bag of 1 litre or less, one bag per person.

Why a tube of toothpaste is measured like a bottle of liquid

Toothpaste is a paste, and the lists file pastes with liquids. The limit is read off the tube, not off what is left inside it.

Why toothpaste is on the list at all
The European Commission gives the reason in its note for air travellers: liquid explosives can be disguised as everyday looking items, such as hair gel, toothpaste and jams. Japan's liquids list gives toothpaste a row of its own among toiletry articles. The Japanese version labels that row ハミガキ and adds the everyday word 歯磨き粉 in brackets.
Grams or millilitres, the tube decides
The rules write the limit in both units. Narita Airport writes it as 100 ml (g), Australia as 100 mL by volume or 100 g by weight, and CAAC as 100g (mL) for the single tube it lets into the cabin on a domestic flight. Japan's list adds the words by volume: what counts is the size of the container.
Mouthwash is limited as a dangerous good, toothpaste is not
Both are liquids for the cabin bag: the Oral Care products row on Japan's liquids list names mouthwash and breath spray. They part on the main list of restricted items. Mouthwash appears in its cosmetics table, which caps a container at 0.5 L or 0.5 kg whether carried on or checked; toothpaste has no row there. CASA likewise calls toothpaste an unrestricted toiletry, with no alcohol base.

Toothpaste: the rule country by country

The carry-on answer for toothpaste is the same in all 8 other places we checked. The limits themselves are not identical, so read the row for the country you fly from.

Toothpaste: carry-on and checked baggage rules by country
Flying fromCarry-onChecked bagWhat the authority says
JapanCivil Aviation BureauWith limitsYesOn international flights toothpaste counts as a liquid: tubes of 100ml (100g) or less, inside the 1 litre transparent bag. On domestic flights any size can be carried on. Source
United StatesTSAWith limitsYesToothpaste is allowed in carry-on bags only in containers of 3.4oz/100 ml or less.TSA entry: Toothpaste Source
European UnionEuropean Commission, EASAWith limits—Toothpaste counts as a liquid. Hand luggage: 100 ml per container, all in one re-sealable one-litre bag. Source
United KingdomUK GovernmentWith limitsYesToothpaste is listed as a liquid. Hand luggage: 100ml per container at most airports, up to 2 litres at some. Source
South KoreaMOLIT Aviation Security 365With limitsYesToothpaste falls under liquids, aerosols and gels. Carry-on is restricted on international flights only. Source
TaiwanCivil Aviation AdministrationWith limitsYesInternational flights only: 100 ml per carry-on container, in one resealable 1 litre bag. Source
Hong KongCivil Aviation DepartmentWith limitsWith limitsCovered as a toiletry article. Carry-on: containers of 100 ml or less in one re-sealable 1-litre bag. Carry-on or checked: no more than 0.5 kg or 0.5 L per article (a per-person total also applies). Source
Mainland ChinaCAACWith limitsYesToothpaste on domestic flights: one item, not over 100g (mL). International and regional flights: liquids must be in containers up to 100mL inside one resealable 1L clear bag. Source
AustraliaHome Affairs, CASAWith limitsYesToothpaste is an unrestricted toiletry in carry-on and checked baggage. On international flights the gel limit applies: the tube must be 100 mL or 100 g or less even if partly used, so a half-full 200 g tube is not allowed.CASA Pack Right entry: Toiletries (toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, conditioner) Source

Each row comes from that authority's own page. Airlines can be stricter, and the screening officer has the final say.

If security in Japan will not let toothpaste through

What to do
Move toothpaste to the bag you check in before you reach security. Narita Airport states that anything given up at the checkpoint is discarded and cannot be returned.

Buying toothpaste in Japan

Where to buy
Drugstores, convenience stores, hundred-yen shops.

Frequently asked questions

Can you take toothpaste on a plane?

On flights in and from Japan: Yes. On international flights toothpaste counts as a liquid: tubes of 100ml (100g) or less, inside the 1 litre transparent bag. On domestic flights any size can be carried on. In checked baggage: Yes. Larger tubes go here.

Does toothpaste count as a liquid on a plane?

Yes. Japan's liquids list has a Toothpaste row, the European Commission's definition of liquids names toothpaste, GOV.UK lists pastes, including toothpaste, and Australia files toothpaste under gels. In carry-on on an international flight from Japan the tube must hold 100 ml or less and go in the transparent re-sealable bag.

Do toothpaste tablets or tooth powder count as liquids?

Not under the test on Japan's list. The restriction is aimed at liquids, gels, aerosols and things that do not hold their shape out of the container, and other rows leave out the solid or powdered version of a product: solid lipstick, and granular or powdered bath products. Australia has a separate rule for powder: inorganic powders are capped at 350 mL or 350 g per person on international flights.

Does the TSA allow toothpaste in carry-on bags?

Toothpaste is allowed in carry-on bags only in containers of 3.4oz/100 ml or less.

Can you take toothpaste in hand luggage in the UK or Europe?

The United Kingdom: Toothpaste is listed as a liquid. Hand luggage: 100ml per container at most airports, up to 2 litres at some. The European Union: Toothpaste counts as a liquid. Hand luggage: 100 ml per container, all in one re-sealable one-litre bag.

Can you put toothpaste in checked luggage?

Yes. Larger tubes go here.

What is the rule for toothpaste on flights from Taiwan, Mainland China and Australia?

Taiwan: International flights only: 100 ml per carry-on container, in one resealable 1 litre bag. Mainland China: Toothpaste on domestic flights: one item, not over 100g (mL). International and regional flights: liquids must be in containers up to 100mL inside one resealable 1L clear bag. Australia: Toothpaste is an unrestricted toiletry in carry-on and checked baggage. On international flights the gel limit applies: the tube must be 100 mL or 100 g or less even if partly used, so a half-full 200 g tube is not allowed.

Related items

Sources for this page

Read more

Back to What you can bring

Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 2, 2026