# Bringing alcohol into the USA **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 5, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478 "2005-05-05T01:40:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/1 "2005-05-05T01:40:37Z")
I’ll be flying to Washington DC from Montreal later this summer, and I want to bring someone a gift. It would be a bottle of booze of a type that’s not available in his area. I need to know whether I’m even allowed to bring alcohol over the border. I’ll be flying, if that makes a difference, and I’m 24, well above the legal age. I tried looking at the US Customs website but it wasn’t helpful, so before I start phoning half a dozen 800-numbers, I thought I’d try you folks. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/2 "2005-05-05T01:45:06Z")
If your talking about Absinthe, you are still not allowed to bring it in. If caught, they will confiscate it. You may or may not face criminal penalties. Other than that, I believe you are allowed up to 2 liters per person per trip duty free. But IANAL. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/3 "2005-05-05T01:52:05Z")
Absinthe is a big no-no. For other hard liquors, one liter per person may be brought in without question. Importing more than that is legal, but may require import taxes to be paid. Here is [CBP’s answer on the subject](http://help.customs.gov/cgi-bin/customs.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=190&p_created=1043364937&p_sid=JC59-CEh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD01NTAmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3BhZ2U9MQ**&p_li=&p_topview=1). ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/4 "2005-05-05T01:52:17Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > If your talking about Absinthe, you are still not allowed to bring it in. If caught, they will confiscate it. You may or may not face criminal penalties. _Hell_ no! Just a bottle of Crown Royal Whisky. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/5 "2005-05-05T02:07:14Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > _Hell_ no! Just a bottle of Crown Royal Whisky. And why is that unavailable?? I can go get it at Safeway. Just a local thing? Try an upscale liquor store? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/6 "2005-05-05T02:08:26Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > _Hell_ no! And why _Hell_ no? 🙂 I happen to enjoy Absinthe. (in moderation - the Green Fairy is a mean bitch in excess). ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/7 "2005-05-05T02:10:52Z")
Weird, I was told once that he couldn’t find it near his place (I thought that was odd too, but what do i know). So I thought it would be nice to bring him some. And by hell no, I mean that I realize that Absinthe is not exactly totally legal everywhere, and I’m not the type who’d try to sneak stuff around. No criticism of the product itself, which I’ve never tried. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/8 "2005-05-05T02:11:41Z")
Crown Royal? Available just about everywhere. I’d go for a more obscure Canadian. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/9 "2005-05-05T02:41:56Z")
ASAIK, you can buy Crown Royal in the states. Not that _I’d_ want to… ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/10 "2005-05-05T02:43:56Z")
:smack: That’s what I get for opening a bunch of windows and then doing something else… ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/11 "2005-05-05T02:48:14Z")
All right, so now I feel like a bit of a twit. Never mind! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/12 "2005-05-05T04:33:25Z")
If your friend is a Scotch drinker, look for a single-malt that doesn’t get much distribution. Good whiskey is always a welcome present. If you go for Canadian, maybe a Forty Creek, Harwood’s, McCormick, Pendleton, etc. Most of those aren’t at all common in the States. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/13 "2005-05-05T04:38:08Z")
Slight hijack > [@friedo](#): > > Here is [CBP’s answer on the subject](http://help.customs.gov/cgi-bin/customs.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=190&p_created=1043364937&p_sid=JC59-CEh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD01NTAmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PSZwX2N2PSZwX3BhZ2U9MQ**&p_li=&p_topview=1). I was looking on that site and there is a question about bringing in Snake wine from Aisa. I’ve honestly been all over the globe, including Asia, but I ain’t never heard of no snake wine. So I looked it up. [JESUS CHRIST!](http://www.pilotguides.com/destination_guide/asia/vietnam/snake_wine.php)!!:eek: I’m glad my tour guides don’t take me to places like that! ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/14 "2005-05-05T05:17:49Z")
So how lucky was I to get my bottle of absinthe into the US from the UK in my carry-on bag? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/15 "2005-05-05T05:35:44Z")
> [@bump](#): > > So how lucky was I to get my bottle of absinthe into the US from the UK in my carry-on bag? Not terribly. And shame on you for breaking the law! We do not discuss such things on this board! Its against the rules. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/16 "2005-05-05T05:58:48Z")
> [@bump](#): > > So how lucky was I to get my bottle of absinthe into the US from the UK in my carry-on bag? You probably should have left it there. Most of the absithe I’ve seen in Europe is garbage. It’s made cheaply, and contains only 10mg thujone per litre. Plus it may have been illegal to bring it through customs (though it may not necessarily be illegal to possess it in the U.S. once you get it in. The law is kind of strange and misunderstood when it comes to absinthe possession.) Next time you’re in a place where it is **legal** , try [Logan Fils](http://www.absinth.com/links/loganfils.html). It’s made better and contains a walloping 60mg of thujone per litre. ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/17 "2005-05-05T12:00:46Z")
Lots of people buy liquor at the \*\*duty-free store \*\* at the airport and bring it into the US. In order to pay no taxes on the stuff, you can only make purchases at a duty-free store by showing an international flight boarding pass. There are limits as to how much alcohol you can bring into the US - but it’s certainly more that a jumbo bottle of Crown Royal. Even if your friend lives around the corner from a liquor store, you’ll pay a lot less for alcohol at the duty-free store at the airport. So you can bring him that really \*big \* bottle of whiskey he’s always wanted… ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bringing-alcohol-into-the-usa/302478/18 "2005-05-05T12:53:52Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. What about alcoholic beverages? > Adults at least 21 years of age who are not residents of the United States may bring in, free of duty and internal revenue tax, not more than one liter of alcoholic beverages beer, wine, liquor for personal use. Quantities above one liter are subject to duty and internal revenue tax and all must be declared. > > DUTY AND TAX RATES SAMPLES (Approximate): > > Beer - 16 cents per liter > Still Wine - 36 cents per liter > 80 Proof Scotch - $2.89 per liter [From here](http://usembassy.state.gov/fukuoka/wwwhcustoms.html#7) It does say non-residents there, but the resident rules are the same. [(In case you need a cite:) “Residents and non-residents over 21 years of age may bring no more than one liter of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine or liquor) to the U.S. duty free.”](http://stockholm.usembassy.gov/consulate/acs4.html) There are exceptions depending on where you’re travelling. (IF you go to American Samoa, Guam or the US Virgin ISlands, for example, you’re allowed to bring 5 liters of alcohol back.) From my experience, they will not charge you these duties if you have a couple bottles of wine and spirits. I routinely brought in three bottles of hard alcohol and a couple bottles of wine without any trouble from the customs agents. And, yes, I have admitted to having more than my alotted one liter of alcohol to customs agents and not one has levied the tax upon me. You’ll be fine. Most customs agents are not going to give a damn if you’ve brought 3 bottle of Chianti from your trip to Italy or whatever.