Taking tequila home.

[Cacafuego]

Another nooB question: Returning to the USA from Mexico, you are allowed to bring 1 litre of booze (tequila, mezcal, etc.). What if I want to bring 2 litres? Will there be a duty fee for the extra litre, or will it be confiscated? If there is just a fee, how much of a fee will it be?

Thanks

[denisea]

Alcohol is limited to One liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages per person duty free. Below is current info regarding Alcoholic beverages taken directly from the U.S. Customs & Border Protection web site... which is your best source of accurate and up-to-date info on this subjecy --- click here.

Originally Posted by U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Alcoholic Beverages:

One liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages may be included in your exemption if:

• You are 21 years old.
• It is for your own use or as a gift.
• It does not violate the laws of the state in which you arrive.

Federal regulations allow you to bring back more than one liter of alcoholic beverage for personal use, but, as with extra tobacco, you will have to pay duty and Internal Revenue Service tax.

While Federal regulations do not specify a limit on the amount of alcohol you may bring back for personal use, unusual quantities are liable to raise suspicions that you are importing the alcohol for other purposes, such as for resale. CBP officers are authorized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) to make on-the-spot determinations that an importation is for commercial purposes, and may require you to obtain a permit to import the alcohol before releasing it to you. If you intend to bring back a substantial quantity of alcohol for your personal use, you should contact the port through which you will be re-entering the country, and make prior arrangements for entering the alcohol into the United States.

Also, you should be aware that state laws might limit the amount of alcohol you can bring in without a license. If you arrive in a state that has limitations on the amount of alcohol you may bring in without a license, that state law will be enforced by CBP, even though it may be more restrictive than federal regulations. We recommend that you check with the state government before you go abroad about their limitations on quantities allowed for personal importation and additional state taxes that might apply.

In brief, for both alcohol and tobacco, the quantities discussed in this booklet as being eligible for duty-free treatment may be included in your $800 (or $600 or $1,600) exemption, just as any other purchase would be. But unlike other kinds of merchandise, amounts beyond those discussed here as being duty-free are taxed, even if you have not exceeded, or even met, your personal exemption. For example, if your exemption is $800 and you bring back three liters of wine and nothing else, two of those liters will be dutiable. Federal law prohibits shipping alcoholic beverages by mail within the United States.

[Cacafuego]

Thank's for the post. I've seen that page before, but I didn't notice that it said you can bring more than 1 liter, taxed. What I can't find on that page is the actual tax rate. I believe it might be a flat 10%. I guess I will call the local Customs bureau once MLK day is over. Thanks again.

[birdman]

I don't know how strict the customs agents are on the east coast but we generally bring 3 liters ea. home when traveling back home on the west coast. We have never had a problem, but maybe we've just been lucky.

[DavidB]

We actually thought it was two liters per person and thats what we have always brought back. 4 liters total. Have never had a problem. I can't even remember them ever asking how much alcohol we had. I wish I hadn't found out it was only one liter. Now that I know better I'll probally look guilty going through customs.

[sctx]

unless your carting back a case, just play stupid if busted.... works for me, and it's really not hard if you try. Got called on being 800 cigs over the 200 cig limit a couple of weeks ago....
just said "WOW... I didn't know that !!!".
Customs girl says "Well..... Happy New Year"
We walked on by
Stupidity paid off

[flugie]

when we returned from the bahamas in dec.i went thru customs w/a duty free box carring 4 litre bottles and was not even questioned about it.remember,it is one litre per person,so a couple gets 2 litres duty free.also,coming from bahamas,and extra litre was alowed per person if the liquor was a product of the visited country-rum in my case.we were also were quoted a tax of maybe 1-2 dollars per bottle max.if it became an issue.the customs agent could not bothered with it and i am enjoying a little taste of duty free Herradura resposado as i write this!

[birdman]

We have always thought it was either 2 or 3 litres, guess I know better now, & even if you did pay a couple bucks a bottle it's cheaper than buying it here in the states

[Terrawolf]

The duty on those types of things really isn't too bad. It's something like 11%.

[hal]

I found a really good deal on a bottle of Herradura tequila in Playa only to return to the states and find it $20 cheaper at Costco. Never brought another bottle back.

[Michael]

In my very limited experience the last thing any customs official wants to do is waste his or her time working on the paperwork necessary to pay the required fees. If you get to customs and find that you are a just little bit over the limit (and not carrying a liquor store in your luggage). And you decide you do want to pay the duty, the customs person may encourage you to modify your request so that you can simply leave with your liquor. No guarantees, but it does happen………..

[oklahomajack]

I brought back 3 bottles of Gran Centenario anjeo in a open top cary through everything no one even ask about it like M.H. said I don't think they want the hassle unless you start bringing back cases

[flugie]

also-dont try to hide it in your checked luggage-wont be there when you get home!!
unclaimed duty=free booze for the customs agents in baggage!!

[DavidB]

Originally Posted by flugie

also-dont try to hide it in your checked luggage-wont be there when you get home!!

One year going thru customs coming back there was a man who had put two bottles of Kulua in his checked baggage. When he got his luggage it was dripping Kulua. Both bottles had broken. What a mess.

[flugie]

my brother brought back 2 coolers packed w/fresh fish caught in costa rica-carried one on and checked the other-lets just say that waiting at the carosel for an empty cooler was a waste of time!!