How much can you bring without paying?
Every traveler entering Mexico gets a duty-free allowance — the franquicia — on top of their personal baggage. Enter what you're bringing and the calculator applies the 2026 customs rules: what's free, what pays the 19% global rate at the border, and when you'd need a broker.
Updated
- USD 500 per traveler in goods beyond personal baggage, whether you arrive by land, air or sea. Families arriving together in the same vehicle or flight can add theirs up.
- Mexicans returning from the U.S. under the 2025 menaje doméstico get USD 1,000 per person instead.
- Above the allowance you can pay a 19% global rate at the border without a broker, on up to USD 3,000 of goods (USD 4,000 if they include computer equipment).
Key facts · as of
- Allowance per traveler
- USD 500, by land, air or sea[1]
- Mexicans returning from the U.S.
- USD 1,000 per person, once[1]
- Global rate above the allowance
- 19%, no broker[1]
- Max. at the global rate
- USD 3,000 (USD 4,000 with computer equipment)[1]
- Alcohol duty-free per adult
- 3 L liquor and 6 L wine[1]
- Families
- Allowances add up if arriving together in the same transport[1]
Family members' allowances add up only if you arrive at the same time, in the same vehicle or flight.
Use the receipt value. Clothes, toiletries, up to two laptops and three phones each, and other personal baggage don't count here.
Alcohol and tobacco (optional)
- Your goods
- $0
- Allowance (franquicia)
- $500 (1 × $500)
- Above the allowance
- $0
- Max. at the 19% rate (assumes each traveler declares their share)
- $3,000
Estimate based on RGCE 2026 rules 3.2.2, 3.2.3 and 3.2.11 (checked October 5, 2026). Customs decides at the border. Not legal advice.
The rules behind the numbers
| What | Amount | Rule (RGCE 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Allowance per traveler (land, air or sea) | USD 500 | 3.2.3-II |
| Allowance for Mexicans repatriated/returning from the U.S. | USD 1,000, once | 3.2.11 |
| Global rate on goods above the allowance, no broker | 19% | 3.2.2 |
| Max. value at the global rate | USD 3,000 (USD 4,000 with computer equipment) | 3.2.2-I |
| Alcohol and tobacco duty-free (per adult, in baggage) | 3 L liquor, 6 L wine, 20 packs of cigarettes, 25 cigars or 200 g tobacco | 3.2.3-I-j |
| Alcohol and tobacco at global rates | Up to 6 L at 114%, 40 packs at 691%, 50 cigars at 401% | 3.2.2 |
What counts as baggage (and doesn't use your allowance)
Rule 3.2.3 lists what every passenger can bring as baggage, new or used, without touching the USD 500. The main items:
- Personal items for the length of the trip: clothes, shoes, toiletries; baby gear such as a stroller or portable crib.
- Two cameras, three cell phones, two tablets, two laptops, a portable printer and a portable projector, with accessories.
- One video game console and five games; five toys.
- Two musical instruments; two sets of sports gear; a tent and camping gear.
- One set of hand tools with its case, which may include a drill, pliers, wrenches and screwdrivers.
- Medical devices and personal medicines (psychotropics need the prescription).
- Up to three pets with a SADER health certificate.
Traveling as a family
Family members' allowances add up only if you arrive at the same time and in the same means of transport (rule 3.2.3). A family of four in one car has USD 2,000 of allowance; if one of them flies in a week later, their USD 500 doesn't join the car's.
Worked examples
| Situation | Allowance | Above it | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| One traveler, a new USD 1,500 TV | USD 500 | USD 1,000 | 19% → about USD 190, paid at the border |
| Couple in one car, USD 900 of gifts | USD 1,000 | USD 0 | No tax |
| Returning Mexican (menaje doméstico), USD 1,000 of new goods | USD 1,000 | USD 0 | No tax |
| One traveler, USD 4,500 of new goods, no computer | USD 500 | USD 4,000 | Above the USD 3,000 cap → formal import with a broker |
Estimates; customs values goods on your receipts or its own assessment.
At the border
- Only baggage and allowance? Use the “nada que declarar” (nothing to declare) lane (rule 3.2.6).
- Bringing more? Use “auto declaración”, describe the goods and pay there (rule 3.2.6). Keep receipts: they prove the value (rule 3.2.3).
- Moving your household? Used household goods are not limited to USD 500 if you qualify for a menaje — see menaje doméstico or the traditional menaje de casa.
Add your items in minutes and get a take / ship / sell / replace plan with every assumption visible. Free, no account.
Questions people ask
How much can I bring into Mexico without paying taxes in 2026?
USD 500 per person in goods beyond your personal baggage, by land, air or sea (RGCE 2026 rule 3.2.3). Mexicans returning from the U.S. under the menaje doméstico get USD 1,000 per person, once.
Is the allowance still USD 300 by land?
No. The 2026 rules set USD 500 regardless of whether you arrive by land, air or sea.
What if I go over the allowance?
You can pay a 19% global rate on the excess at the border without a customs broker, as long as the goods (excluding the allowance) are worth up to USD 3,000, or USD 4,000 with computer equipment. Above that, it's a formal import through a broker.
Can my family combine allowances?
Yes, if everyone arrives at the same time and in the same vehicle or flight.
Do alcohol and cigarettes count toward the USD 500?
No — they can't be brought under the dollar allowance. Each adult can bring 3 L of liquor, 6 L of wine and 20 packs of cigarettes duty-free as baggage; more pays global rates of 114% (alcohol) and 691% (cigarettes), up to 6 L and 40 packs.
Sources
Every price and rule on this page comes from these sources, checked on the date shown. Prices change; tell us if you find a better one.
- 01RGCE 2026, rules 3.2.2, 3.2.3, 3.2.6 and 3.2.11 (SAT compilation) — checked 2026-10-05
- 02DOF 17-07-2025 — Lineamientos del menaje doméstico — checked 2026-10-01
- 03Banco de México — tipo de cambio FIX — checked 2026-10-01
MenajeFlow gives planning estimates. It is not a moving company, customs broker or legal adviser — confirm customs requirements with your Mexican consulate and a licensed customs broker.