Puerto Rico customs rules & duty-free allowances
Puerto Rico is U.S. soil for customs purposes: CBP officers at San Juan, Aguadilla and Ponce apply federal rules, and the island's real trap is agricultural — a forgotten apple or ham sandwich in your bag can trigger an on-the-spot penalty. Arrivals from the mainland U.S. skip customs entirely; only travellers from foreign countries face the allowances and inspections described here.
Duty-free allowances
Prohibited — banned from import
- Fresh fruit, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil and cut flowers from most countries
- Meat, poultry, pork and dairy products (including homemade sausages and cheeses)
- Cannabis and CBD products, even where legal at origin
- Absinthe and other beverages containing thujone
- Counterfeit goods and pirated media
- Switchblades, butterfly knives and other prohibited knives
Restricted — allowed with a permit or declaration
- Firearms and ammunition — require an ATF permit and advance CBP approval
- Prescription controlled substances — must be declared and in original packaging
- Drones — allowed for personal use but must be registered with the FAA if over 250 g
- Satellite phones and encrypted radios — may require an FCC licence
- Live animals and pets — need health certificates and rabies vaccination proof
Arriving: red vs green channel
At San Juan (SJU), Aguadilla (BQN) and Ponce (PSE) you go through CBP primary inspection; there is no red/green channel system. Hand over your passport and, if you have goods to declare, a CBP Declaration Form 6059B (or use the CBP One app / Global Entry kiosk). If you have nothing to declare, tell the officer and walk through; if you do, say so and you will be sent to secondary for assessment. Arrivals from the U.S. mainland are domestic and skip customs entirely.
Bringing medication
Prescription medication for personal use is allowed in reasonable quantities (typically a 90-day supply) in its original labelled container with the prescription. Puerto Rico follows U.S. federal controlled-substance schedules — bring only what you need and declare anything containing opioids, stimulants or benzodiazepines. Cannabis, even medical, is illegal to bring across the border; CBD products are also prohibited on entry.
Food, plants & animal products
All fresh fruit, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil, meat and dairy are prohibited or restricted and must be declared — CBP agriculture specialists at SJU inspect bags and dogs work the carousel. Commercially packaged, shelf-stable foods are generally fine; homemade items and anything with meat are not. Failure to declare carries a civil penalty starting at $300.
Rules worth knowing
48-hour / 30-day rule for the $800 exemption
You only get the $800 duty-free allowance if you have been outside the U.S. for at least 48 hours and have not used the exemption in the past 30 days. A day trip to the British Virgin Islands does not reset it.
Puerto Rico is inside the U.S. customs territory
Unlike the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico is not a separate customs zone. Goods bought in St. Thomas and brought to San Juan are treated as foreign imports and count against your $800 — the USVI $1,600 allowance does not apply once you land in Puerto Rico.
Agricultural fines are imposed on the spot
CBP can issue a $300–$1,000 penalty for an undeclared apple or a ham sandwich at SJU. If in doubt, put it in the declaration bin — declaring a prohibited item costs nothing, hiding it costs hundreds.
Rum from the islands counts as foreign
Puerto Rican rum bought in San Juan is domestic and unlimited. Rum bought in Barbados or St. Kitts is foreign and counts against your 1-litre allowance — the duty-free shop at the departure gate does not change that.