Cape Verde customs rules & duty-free allowances

Last reviewed October 1, 2026·Official source

Cape Verde's customs is small-island practical but firm on two things: undeclared cash and anything that looks like a commercial quantity of goods. Biosecurity at Praia and Sal is stricter than most visitors expect for a country this size, and the paper declaration card is still mandatory even if you have nothing to declare.

Duty-free allowances

Alcohol
1.0 L
1 litre of spirits over 22% ABV, or 2 litres of wine/beer/fortified wine under 22% ABV. You must be 18 or older. Anything above that is dutiable at the standard rate plus VAT.
Tobacco
200 cigarettes
or 50 cigars / — g
Cash to declare
$10,000
Declare if you are carrying 1,000,000 CVE or more (about USD 10,000). Use the customs declaration form available on the plane or at the red channel. There is no online pre-declaration system for Cape Verde — it's paper only.
Goods duty-free
$800
Personal goods and gifts up to 80,000 CVE (about USD 800) are duty-free. Above that, you pay import duty (typically 15–50% depending on the item) plus 15% VAT. Keep receipts — they will ask for them if the value looks borderline.

Prohibited — banned from import

  • Narcotics and psychotropic substances (cocaine, heroin, cannabis, MDMA, etc.) — trafficking carries long prison sentences.
  • Counterfeit goods and pirated media.
  • Weapons, ammunition and explosives without prior authorisation from the Cape Verdean police.
  • Fresh meat, unpasteurised dairy, and home-canned foods from outside the country.
  • Live animals and birds without a veterinary import permit.
  • Endangered species products (ivory, turtle shell, coral) — Cape Verde is a CITES signatory.

Restricted — allowed with a permit or declaration

  • Prescription medicines — allowed with a doctor's letter and original packaging, up to 30 days' supply.
  • Plants, seeds and soil — require a phytosanitary certificate from the origin country.
  • Drones — must be declared and may require a permit from the Civil Aviation Authority.
  • Satellite phones and two-way radios — require a licence from the communications regulator.
  • Firearms for sporting use — require advance authorisation from the National Police.

Arriving: red vs green channel

At Praia, Sal, Boa Vista and São Vicente you walk through a red/green channel system. If you have nothing to declare, go green — but you still need to fill out the paper customs declaration card handed out on the plane or available in the arrival hall. If you have cash over 1,000,000 CVE, commercial goods, or any food/plant/animal products, go red and present the card and your receipts.

Bringing medication

Bring personal medication in its original pharmacy packaging with a copy of your prescription or doctor's letter. Cape Verde classifies many common Western drugs — including strong opioids, benzodiazepines and some ADHD stimulants — as controlled substances. If you need them, carry no more than a 30-day supply and declare them. Narcotics and psychotropic substances without a valid medical justification are treated as trafficking.

Food, plants & animal products

Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, seeds and plants are either banned or require a phytosanitary certificate. Cape Verde is an island nation with strict biosecurity to protect local agriculture. Commercially packaged, shelf-stable food (canned goods, sealed snacks) is generally fine for personal use. If in doubt, declare it — the penalty for undeclared food is lower than for undeclared cash but still applied.

Rules worth knowing

Cash declaration is per person, not per family

The 1,000,000 CVE threshold applies to each traveller individually. If you're travelling as a family and carry 2 million CVE in one bag, each adult must declare their share. Customs will count the total and if it exceeds the threshold without a declaration, the fine is 20% of the excess — and they can seize the undeclared portion.

Duty-free is only for non-residents

These allowances apply to travellers who have been outside Cape Verde for at least 48 hours and are not resident here. Cape Verdean residents returning from abroad have a lower allowance (40,000 CVE) and must have been away for more than 48 hours to use it.

You cannot pool allowances

Each adult gets their own alcohol and tobacco allowance. A couple cannot combine their 1L spirits allowances to bring in 2L in one suitcase. If one person carries both bottles, the second is dutiable.

Inter-island travel is not customs-free

If you fly between Cape Verdean islands after arriving internationally, you are not re-checked by customs. But if you arrive from abroad into one island and then take a domestic flight, your duty-free allowance is already used. You cannot claim a second allowance on the domestic leg.

Frequently asked questions

You fill out the customs declaration form at the red channel and show the cash. There is no tax or fee for declaring — it's just a reporting requirement. You keep the money. If you don't declare and are caught, the fine is 20% of the amount over 1 million CVE, so 100,000 CVE in that example, and they may hold the cash until the fine is paid.
Yes, up to 2 litres of wine per adult (under 22% ABV) duty-free. If you bring more, you pay import duty plus 15% VAT on the excess. A 750ml bottle is 0.75L, so two standard bottles is 1.5L — still under the limit. Three bottles (2.25L) means you pay on 0.25L.
Yes, it's a paper form. You'll get it on the plane or in the arrival hall. Fill it out before you reach the channel. If you have nothing to declare, you still hand it to the officer at the green channel. Keep your copy — you may need it when leaving if you're carrying high-value items.
Cape Verde treats e-cigarettes and nicotine liquids under the same tobacco rules. You can bring up to 200 cigarettes equivalent, but there is no specific vape allowance. In practice, a single device and a small bottle of liquid for personal use is fine. Commercial quantities will be seized and you may be fined.
You go to the red channel, declare the excess, and pay duty on the spot. The rate depends on the item — typically 15–50% of the value over 80,000 CVE, plus 15% VAT. If you don't declare and are caught, you pay the duty plus a penalty of up to 100% of the duty, and the goods can be confiscated.
If you stay in the transit area and don't pass through immigration, you don't clear customs and your duty-free allowances are not affected. If you leave the airport or change terminals, you enter Cape Verde and must clear customs — your allowances are then used for that entry.
Yes, but you need a veterinary health certificate issued within 10 days of travel, proof of rabies vaccination, and an import permit from the Cape Verdean Ministry of Agriculture. Without the permit, the animal will be quarantined or refused entry. Start the paperwork at least a month before you fly.

Official source

Direcção Geral das Alfândegas (Cape Verde Customs)

For guidance only. Customs allowances and prohibited-item lists change without notice — always confirm with Direcção Geral das Alfândegas (Cape Verde Customs) before travelling.