Fine at customs for bringing back extra cigarette's?

[mommykim]

I am taking my father on a cruise for his 80th birthday. He's a smoker and asked me what the fine is for bringing back more cigarette's than you are allowed? He had someone who lives in his condo complex tell him it's only $6 per carton and that does not sound right to me. He is not going to try to sneak anything past customs but plans to report everything. Any help greatly appreciated.

[Wine-O]

I am taking my father on a cruise for his 80th birthday. He's a smoker and asked me what the fine is for bringing back more cigarette's than you are allowed? He had someone who lives in his condo complex tell him it's only $6 per carton and that does not sound right to me. He is not going to try to sneak anything past customs but plans to report everything. Any help greatly appreciated.

 

Just keep in mind what the limit is, and maybe split the cartons between the two of you. My all means, do declare them. Sometimes it's more trouble to do the forms to charge you the duty than it's worth. We came thru customs, and I was asked how many bottles I had. I told him I had 5. He just rolled his eyes and waived me thru.

[eagle12901]

I believe the limit is two cartons. The last cruise I went on out of San Juan I brought an extra suitcase. If I remember right I had either 16 or 18 cartons stuffed in this thing. I hadnt declared them of course it glowed bright orange at the ag check. The guy asked me what was in there,,,I told him...he looked at me like I was crazy. He said the limit is 2 cartons...I told him I live in NY and its (at the time) 11 a pack...he waived me through. I got lucky...now I UPS them back.

[SRF]

Google is your friend:

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/53/~/travelers-bringing-in-tobacco-products-%28cigarettes%2C-cigars%2C-bidis%29-into-the

 

200 cigarettes per person.

 

They also say:

 

Tobacco Products

Returning resident travelers may import tobacco products only in quantities not exceeding the amounts specified in the personal exemptions for which the traveler qualifies (not more than 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars if arriving from other than a beneficiary country and insular possession). Any quantities of tobacco products not permitted by a personal exemption are subject to detention, seizure, penalties, abandonment, and destruction. Tobacco products are typically purchased in duty-free stores, on sea carriers operating internationally or in foreign stores. These products are usually marked "Tax Exempt. For Use Outside the United States," or "U.S. Tax Exempt For Use Outside the United States."

For example, a returning resident is eligible for the $800 duty-free personal exemption every 31 days, having remained for no less than 48 hours beyond the territorial limits of the United States except U.S. Virgin Islands, in a contiguous country which maintains free zone or free port, has remained beyond the territorial limits of the United States not to exceed 24 hours. This exemption includes not more than 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars

 

For more, you have to contact the port of entry for duty information.

 

You may also be charged Federal excise tax. About $50 per 1000 cigarettes - https://www.ttb.gov/applications/pdf/tax_and_fee_rate.pdf

[Cigar King]

If you don't go crazy you'll be fine. It's more trouble than it's worth for a few cartons.

 

BTW - I think, depending on where you buy them, they run something like 40-45 bucks per carton.

[BonnieSte]

We got cartons for $17.00 on a couple islands. We brought back 4 cartons. In each suitcase. Didn't realize there was an issue with declaring them. We had no problems though. Now I will make sure we do because it would not be worth any issues for sure.

[Foosguy]

Also keep in mind that my understanding is that some states also charge tax on any cartons entering their state, Texas comes to mind

 

 

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[pspercy]

Also keep in mind that my understanding is that some states also charge tax on any cartons entering their state, Texas comes to mind

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$15/carton state tax in Texas.

[cb at sea]

If you bring back more, then you simply pay the duty (or tax)...still cheaper than at home!

[Namelocg]

There is no longer a declaration form inless you are bringing back money (cash, checks, etc, of $10,000 or more). I brought back 8 cartons from both my Majesty cruise from Port Canaveral in July and the shortened Enchantment cruise, due to hurricane Irma, from Miami.

[WeLuvVacation]

$15/carton state tax in Texas.

 

 

NY does the same, how much I do not know (for cigs that is 8.625% on Long Island for regular taxable merchandise) but there is a line of the income tax form for sales and use tax for bringing into NY taxable merchandise from other states/countries. You must pay the tax difference between NY and the location you bought them in.

[Cigar King]

If you bring back more, then you simply pay the duty (or tax)...still cheaper than at home!

 

It's a huge pain...we did this once because I insisted we pay the tax. (Miami I think) They had a hard time figuring out out to charge me, and who could collect the money.

[dada2199cc]

When I was a smoker I loaded two large suitcases with cigarettes. Full. No clothes in there.

 

Declared everything at customs and the officer told me they didn't have the time or forms to bill me. He thanked me for my honesty on the form and waved me along. His supervisor was there and also waived me on. I offered to pay the duty but they weren't interested.

 

Since there's no form anymore I have no clue how you'd declare it. Packs were $12 each when I quit, at some ports I was paying under $1.60 a pack (lots of cash negotiations back in 2013!)

[Motorman23]

When I was a smoker I loaded two large suitcases with cigarettes. Full. No clothes in there.

 

Declared everything at customs and the officer told me they didn't have the time or forms to bill me. He thanked me for my honesty on the form and waved me along. His supervisor was there and also waived me on. I offered to pay the duty but they weren't interested.

 

Since there's no form anymore I have no clue how you'd declare it. Packs were $12 each when I quit, at some ports I was paying under $1.60 a pack (lots of cash negotiations back in 2013!)

 

Same thing happened to me with excess alcohol. They brought us into a room on the ship (about 30 of us) and the customs agent came in and asked us each how much extra we had and then said under his power as an agent of the us customs bureau we all were allowed to bring in whatever extra we had without duty. I did see a person who bought some expensive jewelry not declare it and he was pulled out of the line in the port and was told to pay up. Bottom line is declare what u have and you may get a free ride.

 

 

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[Saltdog]

As my wife and I are smokers, and with deep discounts on cigs on the ships, we routinely bring back 8-12 cartons a trip (and more than a few bottles over on booze as well). It is legal, just subject to duty/taxes. When the form was around, I always wrote down exactly what I truly had. More than half the time, the Customs agent wouldn't bother to look at the back of the form. Sometimes they'd notice it and say, "you're only allowed two cartons," to which I replied I know and I was fine with paying duty, since it still made the cigarettes cheaper than at home. To which I'd get waved through (like another poster said, seemed to be too much of a hassle). Only once in maybe 23 times did we get asked to come to a room and actually pay the duty. Wasn't a huge hassle, and overall through the years, I've made out well.

 

A few weeks ago was our first time through without the form. The agent asked the couple in front of us about excess amounts, and I was prepared to tell the truth. He never asked, so that was that. I will reiterate what others have said, just be honest. You do NOT want to get caught lying to Customs.

 

Another thing you don't want to do is bring back "Not for use in the US" cigs. Those are subject to confiscation, and this almost happened to us once. Since then, we've thankfully noticed the ship's cigarettes no longer have that stamped on there. Just be mindful.

[bananawindnj]

We just brought back cigarettes from a Baltimore cruise, and just packed them in our main luggage. Customs asked us if we had anything to declare. I said just a few t shirts, and forgot about the cigs, which were not for us.

No problem!!

 

 

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