Personal Travel Exemptions

When traveling outside of Canada, there are limits as to how much you can bring back duty free into the country. There is a misconception that these limits are how much you can bring back. Its actually the amount you can bring without paying tax. Anything above your exemption is still allowed, however you will have to pay the taxes on that value. Please note that there are no personal exemptions for cross-border shoppers if you are returning to Canada after being away for less than 24 hours.

Returning to Canada after 24 and 48 hours

• You can claim goods of up to CAN$200 without paying any duty or taxes and must have the goods with you when you enter Canada.
• Tobacco products and alcoholic beverages are not included in this exemption.
• If the goods you bring in are worth more than CAN$200 in total, you cannot claim this exemption. You have to pay full duties on all goods you bring in.

Returning to Canada after 48 hours or more

• You can claim goods worth up to CAN$800 without paying any duty or taxes and you must have the goods with you when you enter Canada. Some tobacco and alcohol can be included in your personal exemption.
• You can bring back up to
  • 1.5 litres of wine or
  • 1.14 litres of alcoholic beverages or
  • 8.5 litres of beer
• You can also bring back up to
  • 200 cigarettes
  • 50 cigars
  • 200 grams of manufactured tobacco and
  • 200 tobacco sticks

Returning to Canada after 7 days or more

• You can claim goods worth up to CAN$800 without paying any duty and taxes.
• You must have the tobacco products and alcoholic beverages with you when you enter Canada, but the rest of the goods can arrive later.
• Some tobacco products and alcoholic beverages may be included in your personal exemption.
• You can bring back up to
  • 1.5 litres of wine or
  • 1.14 litres of alcoholic beverages or
  • 8.5 litres of beer
• You can also bring back up to
  • 200 cigarettes
  • 50 cigars
  • 200 grams of manufactured tobacco and
  • 200 tobacco sticks
• When you import foreign goods or vehicles for your personal use in Canada you must meet all import requirements and pay all applicable duty and taxes.

If you include tobacco products in your personal exemption, you may only receive a partial exemption. You will have to pay a special duty on these products unless they have an excise stamp “DUTY PAID CANADA DROIT ACQUITTÉ.” Canadian-made products with this mark are sold at duty-free shops.

The Excise Act, 2001 limits the amount of tobacco products that may be imported by an individual for personal use if the tobacco product does not have an excise stamp “ DUTY PAID CANADA DROIT ACQUITTÉ.” The limit is currently five units of tobacco products. One unit of tobacco products consists of one of the following: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200 grams of manufactured tobacco and 200 tobacco sticks.

There are a variety of different exemptions you can claim duty and tax free when returning to Canada from abroad. Based on the above, the factor that determines your exemption is how long you will be out of the country. It would also determine if you have to bring the goods with you or if you can ship them separately. It is always better to check your exemptions before you depart so that you can purchase with confidence while away. If you have any questions regarding bringing goods into Canada, please contact Orbit Brokers.