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GOODS ACROSS BORDERS

ITEM RULE · TRAVELING

ALLOWED

Tobacco Cigarettes 🇺🇸 United States

VERIFIED · 2026-04-25HIGH CONFIDENCE

200 cigarettes duty-free for personal use

ANSWER

Can I bring Tobacco Cigarettes into United States?

ALLOWEDVERIFIED · 2026-04-25HIGH CONFIDENCE

200 cigarettes duty-free for personal use

QUANTITY / LIMITS

200 cigarettes or 100 cigars

DUTY / TAX

Federal + state excise on excess

DECLARATION

Within personal allowance — no separate declaration needed

SOURCE

cbp.gov
Verify against the official customs authority before acting on this answer.Report a correction

Full details

US Customs and Border Protection allows returning residents and non-residents (21+) 200 cigarettes, 100 cigars, or 2 kg of processed tobacco duty-free per visit. Cuban-origin tobacco is permitted within the personal-use exemption under current OFAC General License. Excess tobacco attracts federal excise tax plus applicable state tax; state limits sometimes exceed federal rules (e.g. some states cap non-tax-paid cigarettes at 2 cartons).

ENFORCEMENT

OccasionalEnforcement reported intermittently.

QUANTITY CHECK

cigarettes

800 USD duty-free exemption for returning residents after 48+ hours abroad. Alcohol allowance (1 L) applies to travelers 21+. Up to 200 cigarettes (1 carton) or 100 cigars. Additional goods up to $1,600 are taxed at flat 4% rate.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

One carton (200 cigarettes) is the standard duty-free limit. Cuban cigars now permitted for personal use.

OFFICIAL SOURCES · VERIFIED 2026-04-25

RULE DETAILS

QUANTITY LIMITS

200 cigarettes or 100 cigars

DUTY RATE

Federal + state excise on excess

LEGAL REFERENCE

19 CFR 148.33

AIR TRAVEL IS SEPARATE

This page covers destination customs rules in United States. Whether you can carry tobacco cigarettes through security, in carry-on, or in checked baggage depends on airline and screening rules — see air travel rules.

Tobacco Cigarettes rules in other countries

RULES5,339COUNTRIES85ITEMS111CARRIERS28GUIDES37UNIQUE SOURCES614LATEST VERIFICATION2026-05-13MethodologyChangelog