When and How to Declare Your Spends Before Going Through Customs

TRAVEL

Written by Condé Nast Traveler for Ally
May 19, 2023
4 min read

You had a great trip abroad, ate some incredible food, saw some amazing sites and purchased some excellent items to bring back home. You're heading through immigration and you see a sign for customs and declarations. What do you have to declare? What can you avoid declaring? What will it cost?

What to declare

We'll get into specifics in a bit, but as a general rule of thumb, anything you obtained abroad needs to be declared. Some examples include:

Purchases made abroad, including gifts for friends and family or something you will use or sell in your business
A gift given to you while abroad
An item that you brought with you but had repaired or altered

If you have a question about whether you should declare an item or not, it's always smart to do so. When in doubt, declare. Worst case, you've wasted a bit of time because you didn't actually need to, but that's better than the reverse where you end up in a bureaucratic morass and possibly paying a fine.

Read More: Headed out of town? Read these financial security tips first

Before you leave, pre-register

One common way to avoid issues at the tail end of the trip is to register items with U.S. Customs before departure. That Swiss-made watch or expensive electronic device? It might be smart to hit up the local Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office to obtain and fill out a Certificate of Registration. If you forget and realize at the last minute, you can always register at the airport, too.

Duty-free might not mean free

Perhaps you want to pick up some liquor, perfume or other items in the airport duty-free shop. Go for it. You won't need to pay the duty (read: tax) on these items, but you do need to declare them. And if you exceed $800 in value you will actually need to pay duty. Finally, if you bring more than one liter of alcohol (or two if at least one is produced in specific countries), 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigars, you'll be responsible for paying the duty on those products. Again, when in doubt, ask.

Carrying cash?

Traveling with cash is never a bad idea and you can bring an unlimited amount into or out of the country without paying any taxes or duty on the dough. You do, however, need to file a Currency Reporting Form if you have more than $10,000. That figure includes the combined worth of what you're carrying, so add up the cash, money orders, traveler's checks and other monetary instruments to get the total.

Yeah, that's not allowed

There is a laundry list of items that you simply are not allowed to bring into the United States unless you have specific permission. Some of these are obvious (firearms and abusable drugs, for example) while others (cat fur) might seem surprising. You can get a full list on the CBP website. Also be aware of ceramic tableware. While it's not prohibited, the CBP warns that "such tableware made in foreign countries may contain dangerous levels of lead in the glaze, which can seep into foods and beverages." The more you know!

A word about packing

Just as a thoughtful pre-travel process can eliminate headaches at the airport, so can some consideration about how to pack. It's smart to keep the receipts of anything you bought handy (also, remember to get receipts!), and knowledgeable travelers keep all the items they are going to declare in one easily accessible place. There's nothing worse than digging through your bag and looking for something you declared as a Customs official watches.

Okay, but how and where do I pay?

You did the work, purchased smartly, packed correctly, and declared your goods. That's the good news. The bad? You owe some money. No worries. You need to pay when you return to the U.S., but you have plenty of options for payment: American dollars, personal checks, money orders, traveler's checks, and more, including debit cards at some Customs locations. Welcome back. Now get home and enjoy your new stuff.

When and How to Declare Your Spends Before Going Through Customs | Ally (2024)

FAQs

Do you have to declare purchases at customs? ›

All travelers must complete a CBP Declaration Form 6059B itemizing all purchased merchandise and agricultural products. Here are your options: Complete a paper form that may be obtained at the port of entry or on the flight or cruise. Complete the online form at a Global Entry kiosk.

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What needs to be declared when going through customs? ›

Declare any goods you have with you that might have restrictions, and/or goods you purchased in country when returning to your home country. Present your declaration form to customs officials. Customs officials may or may not inspect your luggage.

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How much money do I have to declare at customs? ›

You may bring into or take out of the country, including by mail, as much money as you wish. However, if it is more than $10,000, you will need to report it to CBP.

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What happens when you declare more than $10,000 at customs? ›

There is no maximum limit, however, any amount exceeding $10,000 USD must be declared upon arrival on both the Form 6059B and FinCEN 105. All forms must be filled in completely and truthfully. The penalties for inaccurate declaration and non-compliance can be severe including heavy fines and/or confiscation of funds.

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Do I have to declare Louis Vuitton at customs? ›

Anything you purchase abroad during your travels must be declared at customs and is potentially subject to duty and tax. That being said, most countries allow a certain amount of purchases in without duty or tax, depending on how long you have been away.

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What happens if you don't declare purchases at customs? ›

When a passenger arriving into the United States acquires merchandise abroad (by purchase, gift, otherwise), they must declare it to U.S. Customs upon returning to the United States. If they do not, the merchandise will be subject to forfeiture and the person can receive a penalty.

How much cash can I carry through customs? ›

You're required to file a form with U.S. Customs and Border Protection when entering or departing the United States with more than $10,000. Failure to report this could lead to legal penalties, including seizure of your money.

How to declare money when leaving us? ›

To declare currency, the bearer must complete a FinCEN Form 105, Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments. The FinCEN Form 105 is available from any U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer.

Can I fly with 20k cash? ›

You can fly with any amount of cash. No law prohibits you from bringing any amount of money on a flight. Likewise, the TSA has no rules that limit how much money you can bring through security. In other words, the TSA has no cash limit per person.

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Do you have to declare less than $10 000? ›

It also refers to cash in the currency of other nations. While there aren't rules on how much money you can carry in or out of the United States, there are requirements for reporting the cash. If you're carrying currency equivalent to $10,000 or more, you have to report the money to customs.

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How do I declare $10 000 at U.S. Customs? ›

International travelers entering the United States must declare if they are carrying currency or monetary instruments in a combined amount over $10,000 on their Customs Declaration Form (CBP Form 6059B) and then file a FinCEN Form 105.