Crossing US/Canadian Border With Beer

My father just looked into this. From what he told me it was 1 case of beer per person

 

Yeah, I recall it was one case per person when going into Canada but I don't recall if it was the same when coming back. I don't think the customs agent even asked the question about whether we had any alcoholic beverages.

And I recommend crossing into Canada at Port Huron to miss the Detroit traffic, especially if you might be coming into Michigan on I-69. Keep in mind that there are breweries along the way that you might want to visit so that you can help improve our economy.

 

A friend of mine brought beer back from Montreal in his luggage. He answered "beer" when asked if he had anything to declare. The agent apparently just smiled and waved him through.

 

@maltyb should be able to offer some insight if he's around.

 

I was busted at the tunnel at 19 trying to smuggle some Brador's back across to the U.S.
They tore my car up, looked at my wiener, then SOLD IT BACK TO US!
My friend had brought his girlfriends brother with us, cause he was 21, but he had fried his brain on acid and couldn't quite comprehend what he was supposed to do at the border, so we said fuck it-just fake it and did a horrible job. I dont reccomend this unless you like showing strangers with guns your junk.

 

It's not a big deal. I've done it many times. Be honest. Declare what you have. The limit mentioned, one case per adult, is what you can bring in without paying duty. You can bring more than that, but they may make you pay tax. I don't recall the amount, but it's not much and definitely less than if all your beer gets confiscated.

 

This is the most important part. If you tell them the truth and you're over the limit, good chance they won't care enough to charge you the duty on those bottles. But if you lie and they suddenly find something you implied you didn't have, you're car will be gone through meticulously and you may end up at the crossing for a good long time.

True story, I was 20 and I was crossing the border using the tunnel, back into Detroit the morning after a night of drinking in Windsor. The customs officer had an assault rifle and he looked like a jacked up 6'5" version of Jim Rome. We roll down our window and the first thing words out of his mouth were "WELCOME TO HELL."

You never know what type of agent at the border you're going to come across. Don't give them a reason to single you out. Just be honest. At best, they won't care and you'll move along on your way. At the worst, you'll have to pay a bit in duty, but you'll still have your beer.

 

Back in 2000 I went to Winnipeg for minor league hockey, and the return trip I filled my car's trunk with cases of beer, probably a dozen or so.

I declared it at the border, was asked to "come inside" the customs office. Waited about half an hour when the customs agent called me up, pulled out a calculator, and asked for about $20. I was expecting MUCH more lol

 

Already answered well: Be honest. Declare what you have. No problems. /end

 

Duties on beer are oddly low compared to wine and spirits. One advantage of beer traditionally being a "low" beverage.

 

Please complete this story.

If anyone in authority said that to me in earnest, I would literally laugh in their face. I am sure I would regret laughing, but it would be completely involuntary.

 

This was 2004, still in the age of color coded homeland security warnings. I'm not going to try to find a way to piss off someone that has the ability to detain you indefinitely without cause. I'll pass on that.

Anyway we had went out the night before and one of the Windsor bars served jello shots in a big syringe. For some reason, we kept 2. After we were stopped at the border the Hell guy asked us to pop the trunk and was asking us questions. Another agent searched our bag and found the souvenirs (thinking they were drug paraphernalia.) At that point they ordered us out of the car and into their station. We sat there for 15 minutes or so and they went over the car a little more meticulously. In the end they let us go and nothing happened. Sorry the story wasn't more interesting.

 

You could have thrown in one of these...

 

I still found it interesting! Thanks for replying.

 

So because you did something stupid you propose that the OP should not do something legal?

 

Between 24 and 48 hours $200.00 USD per person, this includes 50 cigarettes and 10 cigars (non Cuban) and 150 milliliters (5 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages or 150 milliliters

After 48 hours $800.00 USD per person. This is a monthly exemption. Family members can combine their $800 per person monthly import privileges. You can import 1 Litre (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages or 1 case of beer (24 bottles). You are also allowed to include up to 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars (non Cuban) in your exemption.

 

No, I said I don't recommend smuggling. But thanks for asking.

 

Canadian checking in. As posted above those are the "rules".

That being said I cross over into Michigan for a quick beer haul every week or two weeks and have not had to pay duty on anything, sometimes in excess of 24 bottles.

Just declare what you have, it's waaaay worse if you don't.

 

Does anyone know if there is any concern whatsoever if 95% of the beer I will be bringing back into the US will be from and purchased in the US? Would I have to pay anything at all? Doing a trip through Vermont into Montreal, coming back across NY state crossing back to Philadelphia area.