US customs: duty-free allowance for returning residents

Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Courtesy of US Customs and Border Protection. Public domain (US government work); use does not imply endorsement by US Customs and Border Protection.

US customs: duty-free allowance for returning residents

Summary

Returning US residents usually get an $800 duty-free personal exemption (once every 31 days, after at least 48 hours abroad), including up to 1 liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars. Some places have a $1,600 allowance.

Draft. License: public domain (US government work). Sources: [S1] US Customs and Border Protection, "Customs Duty Information".

Facts

id: F1 claim: The standard returning-resident personal exemption is $800, usable once every 31 days after at least 48 hours outside the US. confidence: medium date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
id: F2 claim: A $1,600 exemption applies in some cases, such as returns from certain US insular possessions. confidence: medium date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
id: F3 claim: One liter of alcohol can be included duty-free; extra alcohol is dutiable and taxed even if you are under the dollar limit. confidence: medium date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
id: F4 claim: The tobacco exemption is up to 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars, for adults 21 or older. confidence: medium date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
id: F5 claim: Items bought in a duty-free shop are tax-free only for the country where the shop is; they still count toward your US exemption. confidence: medium date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
id: F6 claim: State laws may limit how much alcohol you bring in without a license, and CBP enforces those limits. confidence: medium date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02

Disagreements

None found; CBP figures checked on 2026-11-02. Exemption amounts are set by law and can change.

Source: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info · License: public-domain · Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Courtesy of US Customs and Border Protection. Public domain (US government work); use does not imply endorsement by US Customs and Border Protection.

Cite this

Permanent ID: iil:note:yw6x2tyw

iinventedlight Library. 2026. "US customs: duty-free allowance for returning residents." iinventedlight Library, iil:note:yw6x2tyw, version of 2026-11-02. https://iinventedlight.com/library/reference/us-gov/customs-duty-free-allowance/. License: public-domain. Summary of https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info.

@misc{iil_note_yw6x2tyw,
  author = {{iinventedlight Library}},
  title = {{US customs: duty-free allowance for returning residents}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-02},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/reference/us-gov/customs-duty-free-allowance/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:yw6x2tyw. License: public-domain. Summary of https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info.},
}

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