What can you bring back from Mexico through the San Ysidro border?
Up to $800 in goods duty-free, one liter of alcohol (California raises its limit to 6 liters in 2027), and medicine for personal use with a prescription. Whole avocados, citrus, tomatoes and Cuban cigars get taken. Declare everything.
- Duty-free goods
- $800
- Alcohol (CA, now)
- 1 liter
- Alcohol (CA, 2027)
- 6 liters
- Ag fine
- Up to $1,000
Per person
Per 31 days, by land
From January 1, 2027
First undeclared item
The short version
- Returning U.S. residents get an $800 duty-free personal exemption and must declare everything bought in Mexico.
- California currently limits land-border crossers to 1 liter of alcohol every 31 days; AB 2751, signed in September 2026, raises that to 6 liters, effective January 1, 2027 according to its author.
- Medication must be for personal use, generally up to a 90-day supply, in original containers with a U.S. prescription; controlled substances are a different story.
- Cuban cigars are banned again, even when bought in Mexico, since a 2020 Treasury rule change.
- Fresh tomatoes, peppers, citrus and whole avocados with the seed are commonly seized; failing to declare can cost up to $1,000 the first time.
The border agents at San Ysidro and Otay see the same mistakes every day: a bag of oranges, an extra bottle of tequila, a box of Cuban cigars someone swears are legal now. Here's the short list of what you can carry back, what you can't, and the change coming in January.
The quick list
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Goods and gifts | $800 duty-free per person; declare everything |
| Alcohol (21+) | 1 liter per 31 days by land in California now; 6 liters from Jan 1, 2027 |
| Cigarettes | One carton; state tax may apply |
| Cuban cigars | Not allowed, even if bought in Mexico |
| Prescription medicine | Personal use, generally up to 90 days, with a U.S. prescription |
| Cash | No limit, but report more than $10,000 |
| Whole avocados, citrus, tomatoes, peppers | Prohibited; peeled, pitted, packaged avocado is OK |
CBP, California ABC, OFAC and USA.gov, checked October 6, 2026.
Planning the trip itself? See walking to Tijuana for the day and Valle de Guadalupe wine country.
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection · Checked October 6, 2026
$800 exemption, alcohol, tobacco, fines
U.S. Customs and Border Protection · Checked October 6, 2026
Prohibited produce
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control · Checked October 6, 2026
Current 1-liter limit
- PrimaryAB 2751 bill status
CalMatters Digital Democracy · Chaptered September 27, 2026
6-liter limit
- PrimaryOFAC FAQ 837
U.S. Department of the Treasury · Checked October 6, 2026
Cuban cigars
USA.gov · Checked October 6, 2026
$10,000 reporting
- BackgroundMedicine from Mexico
Gigafact · May 6, 2025
Personal-use medication rules