The last thing most travellers think about on a resort holiday is customs, and it is also where an otherwise easy trip can go wrong. A bottle of rum, a bag of local snacks or a few gifts can turn a quick walk through the arrivals hall into a longer conversation with an officer. This guide sets out what US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) publishes for returning US travellers, in plain terms. It applies to US citizens and residents returning home. Visitors from other countries should check their own customs authority, and every traveller should read the current CBP pages before departure, because allowances and rules can change.
Your personal exemption
CBP describes several duty-free exemptions, and which one applies depends on where you travelled and how long you were away. The $800 exemption applies to goods you carry with you as accompanied baggage when you arrive from anywhere other than a US insular possession. For most Mexico and Caribbean resort trips, this is the figure that matters. The goods must be for personal or household use.
A smaller $200 exemption applies if you cannot claim the larger one. CBP gives two examples: you have been abroad for less than 48 hours, or you have already returned from abroad more than once in a 30-day period. CBP also says that if you go over the exemption or any item is dutiable, the whole value of that item is dutiable, not just the part above the limit. Its example is a $300 item under the $200 exemption, which is dutiable at the full $300. Higher limits exist for the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Guam, but those are outside the usual resort itinerary.
Alcohol
CBP says you can include one litre of alcohol in your exemption if you are at least 21, it is for personal use and not for sale, and it does not break the laws of the state where you arrive. For goods from Mexico, CBP adds that the one litre is allowed once every 30 days and tells travellers to check state alcohol laws. Bottles beyond the duty-free litre are taxed even if your total purchases are under the dollar limit. CBP’s own example is three litres of wine and nothing else: two of the litres are dutiable.
The practical advice is simple. If you want to bring home one good bottle, buy one, and keep the receipt. If you are travelling as a couple, remember the allowance is per adult, but it also depends on what each person is actually carrying. Cuban cigars remain prohibited, according to CBP, regardless of where they were bought.
Declaring what you bought
CBP’s guidance for travel to Mexico states that all articles acquired there must be declared. The same principle applies elsewhere: declare everything you bought, received or were given abroad, even if it falls inside your exemption. Declaring does not mean you will pay duty. It means you are being straightforward about what is in your bags. Keep receipts together for anything of value, since they help if you are asked to confirm what you paid. If you are travelling with several people, our guide to splitting costs on a group resort trip can help you keep purchases and receipts straight.
Gifts
CBP says gifts you carry home must be declared, and they may count toward your exemption. Business or commercial gifts do not qualify. Alcohol, tobacco and perfume containing alcohol that are worth more than $5 cannot be counted as gifts in your duty-free exemption, so a bottle bought for a friend still uses your own alcohol allowance.
Gifts you ship rather than carry follow different rules. CBP says gifts worth up to $100 may be sent duty-free and tax-free to friends and relatives in the US, provided one person does not receive more than $100 in gifts in a day. Alcohol and tobacco may not be sent as duty-free gifts. CBP advises marking the package as an unsolicited gift, and adding the words consolidated gift package for multiple recipients.
Food and plants
Food is where well-meaning travellers most often get caught. CBP says you cannot bring back US fruits and meats that you took to Mexico, and that most fruits, including oranges and apples, are prohibited. For anything beyond a sealed commercial snack, ask a CBP agriculture specialist or check the agency’s food guidance before you buy. CBP also states that fines of $75 to $1,000 may result if you fail to declare agricultural items. When in doubt, declare it and let the officer decide, which is far cheaper than a penalty.
Counterfeits and medications
CBP warns that counterfeit or unsafe goods may be surrendered at the border. A tempting market bargain on a designer-looking bag or watch may not be coming home with you. The agency also states that prohibited items cannot enter the US even as gifts. Medications are a separate area. If you are carrying your own prescriptions, keep them in the original labelled containers, and read our guide to packing for a beach resort week for the documents worth carrying.
A simple routine before you fly home
- Check the current CBP pages on returning residents and your state’s alcohol rules.
- Pack purchases where you can reach them, with receipts on top.
- Leave fresh fruit, meat and plant material behind, or declare it.
- Decide before the last day whether your bottle and gifts fit your exemption.
- Keep your documents and trusted traveller details handy. Our report on CBP’s move to a single trusted traveller app explains a recent change.
If your passport goes missing before the return leg, our article on what to do first with a lost or stolen passport covers the order of steps. And if you carry local currency home, our guide to cards, cash and currency covers where to exchange it without losing money. Customs is not complicated if you prepare a day early. Know your limit, declare honestly, and enjoy the trip.