www.CostaRicaTicas.com

My first trip is 4 weeks away.

How much liquor can I bring home? I like all kinds of liquor, just want to get something unique at a value price to stock my home bar.

I'm not sure of the exact amount that you can bring back without it being taxed but it I think 1 750 ml of native drink and 1-2 of crownr. Customs will tax you based on ml. I brought back 5-6 bottles of booze last trip and the total tax was like $10.

Wow, that's not bad. I have read a few posts here mentioning a good bottle of rum (Flor de Caña) and Stoli Vodka gold.

Any other suggestions?

Just returned a week ago,
and brouhgt back a 4 pack special of 12 yr. Flor de Cana.
Paid I think $36 and no tax.
Also one bottle of El Dorado rum 12yr. for $15
I believe you can bring in 3 bottles without a problem though.
Was not checked.
Just lucky, Nucknfuts

_________________
Throughout the history of mankind there has never been one shred of evidence that supports that life is serious..........
Don't believe everything you think ............

Just a little secret I used.....Bought 6 bottles.....made sure that my carry on was empty, transferred most from their box they packed with my smokes to my carryon, under the cafe britt I bought.....was not even checked or asked...

CG

You bought 4 - 750 ml bottles for $36. If so, from where? I will probably need a bottle to rinse my mouth out after DATY LOL.

Probably from the Duty Free shop at the SJO airport.
You can buy there upon entering or leaving the airport.
Best deal ever.

There are two duty free shops.

One near Gate 2 or 3 at the end and one near the immigration entrance which has a bigger selection. It is a deal.

_________________
PacoLoco: "You pay for it one way or another."
Ace: "Rent everything, do not buy in Costa Rica"

It depends on where you land. Phoenix had a sign that anything over a liter would be confiscated. I hadn't seen that one anyplace other than Arizona.

The Federal rule is 1 liter tax free.
They allow the local supervisor to set his own policy on a dollar threshold (amount of tax to be collected).
This is done to expedite the process at busy, understaffed periods.

The 1 liter in Arizona was a state law. It was the first time I flew into Arizona, from outside the US, and I was surprized.

I've always brought back as much Ron Centenario and Demerara El Dorado as my carry-on would hold. This is usually about five 750ml
bottles and numerous smaller bottles. I always declare only 2 bottles on the Customs/Immigration form. In 19 trips, I've never had a problem.
They really don't care about a couple of bottles of 'extra' liquor. They
are more concerned with Cuban cigars and of course illegal drugs.

_________________
"In a nation ruled by swine, all pigs are upwardly mobile, and the rest of us are phucked until we can put our acts together; not necessarily to win, but mainly to keep from losing completely"...Hunter S. Thompson (RIP)

It's not as cut and dried as I thought. This is from the US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) booklet.

Alcoholic Beverages
One liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages may be included in your exemption if:
• You are 21 years old.
• It is for your own use or as a gift.
• It does not violate the laws of the state in which you arrive.

Federal regulations allow you to bring back more than one liter of alcoholic beverage for personal use, but, as with extra tobacco, you will have to pay duty and Internal Revenue Service tax.

While Federal regulations do not specify a limit on the amount of alcohol you may bring back for personal use, unusual quantities are liable to raise suspicions that you are importing the alcohol for other purposes, such as for resale.

CBP officers are authorized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) to make on-the-spot determinations that an importation is for commercial purposes, and may require you to obtain a permit to import the alcohol before releasing it to you. If you intend to bring back a substantial quantity of alcohol for your personal use, you should contact the port through which you will be re-entering the country, and make prior arrangements for entering the alcohol into the United States.

Also, you should be aware that state laws might limit the amount of alcohol you can bring in without a license. If you arrive in a state that has limitations on the amount of alcohol you may bring in without a license, that state law will be enforced by CBP, even though it may be more restrictive than federal regulations. We recommend that you check with the state government before you go abroad about their limitations on quantities allowed for personal importation and additional state taxes that might apply.

In brief, for both alcohol and tobacco, the quantities discussed in this booklet as being eligible for duty-free treatment may be included in your $800 (or $600 or $1,600) exemption, just as any other purchase would be. But unlike other kinds of merchandise, amounts beyond those discussed here as being duty-free are taxed, even if you have not exceeded, or even met, your personal exemption. For example, if your exemption is $800 and you bring back three liters of wine and nothing else, two of those liters will be dutiable. Federal law prohibits shipping alcoholic beverages by mail within the United States.

cut and paste both halves of this link to read the document:
http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/too ... ns/travel/
knowbeforeyougo.ctt/knowbeforeyougo.doc

Yes , I bought the rum at the duty free shop.
It was a special 4-pack price in one box.
I strolled through imigration in L.A. w/ the box in plain view.
No problems. Do try the El Dorado !! Sooo Nice,
Just happy and Nucknfuts

_________________
Throughout the history of mankind there has never been one shred of evidence that supports that life is serious..........
Don't believe everything you think ............

Thanks for the link, it sure helped to explain things. I am not quite sure I understand what they are saying and I wonder if the customs people really know what the rules are. I think I will take my chances and bring back 4-750ml bottles. I will either pay the duty, if there is one, or just walk into the bano and guzzle down a bottle or two. I sure wouldn't have to worry about falling asleep on the return flight. I might have a problem waking up though.

Thanks to all for the help!

Just returned thru Miami Feb 14th, brought back 4 absolut, declared, no questions. No problem.

_________________
These girls are all virgins once you get past the used part.