U.S. Customs and Duty Free Allowances

U.S. Virgin Islands Customs & Duty-Free Allowances

The U.S. Virgin Islands has the highest duty free
allowances in the Caribbean!

	$1,600.00 Per Person Tax Exemption:

		U.S. citizens, including children, can return with up to $1,600.00 worth of duty-free merchandise every 30 days from the U.S. Virgin Islands. The duty free allowance is $800 from elsewhere in the Caribbean.



	Alcoholic Beverages:

		U.S. residents 21 years of age and older can return to the mainland with four litres of liquor, duty free. Add a 5th litre duty free if it is a product made in the U.S. Virgin Islands! Compare this to the one-litre-per-person duty free limit outside the U.S. territory, including stores on board cruise ships.



	Tobacco Products:

		U.S. citizens age 21 or older are allowed up to 100 cigars (not of Cuban origin) and up to 5 cartons, or 1,000 cigarettes duty free, per person, if purchased in the U.S. Virgin Islands.



	Merchandise Shipped to the United States:

		A U.S. resident may ship goods purchased in the U.S Virgin Islands (“unaccompanied purchases”) to the United States. Unaccompanied purchases are goods you bought on a trip that are being shipped to yourself in the United States. In this instance you may declare: Up to $1,600 worth duty free per person under your personal exemption if the merchandise is purchased in the USVI. An additional $1,000 worth of goods may be mailed dutiable at a flat rate of 1.5% percent. All of our catalog merchandise is offered at the same duty free prices as in our St. Thomas stores. If you call our 1-800 number and order merchandise to be shipped to yourself, you may be subject to duty on these purchases. However, with certain limitations, you may purchase and have shipped merchandise valued at $200 or less without the payment of duty. Duty charges, if assessed, are payable directly to the U.S. Postal or Customs Service and cannot be prepaid. Typical duty charges when imposed are based on the purchase value and generally constitute a percentage comparable to or less than many state's sales tax. This information is of necessity a summary of complicated and fact-specific issues and you should seek advice regarding its applicability to your specific circumstances. For more information on Customs and Duties and International Mail Regulations, visit The United States Customs Department Website at: www.cbp.gov and the U.S. Postal Service website: www.usps.com