Importing Alcoholic Beverages For Personal Or Household Use

A summary of the law on bringing alcoholic beverages into California.

Introduction

Adults (persons age 21 or older) who bring alcoholic beverages into California for commercial or business purposes must be licensed by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).

Adults who bring alcoholic beverages into California for personal or household use do not need an alcoholic beverage license; however, some restrictions do apply, as explained below (Section 23661 Business and Professions Code).

Returning from a Foreign Country

Alcoholic beverages must accompany the returning traveler and may not be shipped to California at a later date.

Travel by Steamship or Airplane

Adults traveling into California from a foreign country by steamship or airplane may bring with them a reasonable amount of alcoholic beverages for personal or household use. A reasonable amount is not more than 60 liters (approximately five cases). (ABC agreement with U.S. Customs)

Returning from Mexico

Section 23661 of the CA Business and Professions Code limits the quantity of alcohol brought into California from Mexico for personal or household use as follows:

  • A pedestrian crossing the international border on foot may bring in only the amount of alcoholic beverages which are exempt from payment of duty in accordance with the existing provision of federal law (currently, this is one-liter every 31 days). Note: This limit applies to all persons regardless of state or country of residence. No waivers are available.
  • A California resident crossing the international border in a vehicle that is not a common carrier may bring in only the amount of alcoholic beverages which are exempt from payment of duty in accordance with the existing provisions of federal law (currently, this is one-liter every 31 days).
  • Non-California residents crossing the international border in a vehicle that is not a common carrier can bring with them a reasonable quantity of alcoholic beverages (up to five cases or 60 liters) provided the beverages are for personal or household use.
    A California resident or any other person crossing the international border via common carrier may bring in a reasonable quantity of alcoholic beverages (up to five cases or 60 liters) provided the beverages are for personal or household use.
  • No person under 21 years of age may bring in any quantity of alcoholic beverages.

For the purpose of Section 23661 “common carriers” are steamship companies and railroads, or any persons who hold themselves out to the general public to transport in interstate or foreign commerce any class or classes of passengers or property, or both, for compensation by air or highway, who actually engage in such transportation, and who hold an interstate alcoholic beverage transporter’s permit as required by Section 32109 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

Persons who transport only property owned or consigned to themselves shall not be deemed to be common carriers within the meaning of this section.

It should be noted that “common carriers” do not include taxicabs or sightseeing buses crossing the international border.

New California Residents

An adult who is moving to California after an extended stay in a foreign country may bring alcoholic beverages through U.S. Customs if all of the following conditions are met:

  • The alcoholic beverages are shipped via common carrier (i.e., steamship, airplane, or railroad);
  • The alcoholic beverages are for personal or household use only (and not for sale);
  • The alcoholic beverages are a reasonable quantity by U.S. Customs’ standards;
  • The alcoholic beverages are with the person’s unaccompanied household effects; and
  • The person could not physically accompany the shipment of household effects to the United States.

Note: U.S. Customs is not obligated in any way to clear every shipment in these situations. It may exercise its own discretion on a case-by-case basis and may deny approval when justified.

Out-of-State Residents Traveling Through California

Out-of-state adult residents, who enter California from a foreign country, may arrange for their baggage containing alcoholic beverages to be continuously transported through California via common carrier. The traveler may not use the alcoholic beverages within California’s borders. (Section 23109 Business and Professions Code)

Military Personnel

Relocating Household

When a service member relocates his or her household effects from a foreign country to California as part of a permanent change of duty station, he or she may include alcoholic beverages only if they are for personal or household use. The Department has no objection if the alcoholic beverages are physically included with other household effects, such as clothing and furniture, or if they are shipped separately.

Note: There is no federal limit on the amount of alcohol someone may import into the U.S. for personal use, however, large quantities might raise the suspicion that the importation is for commercial purposes, and a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer could require you to obtain a federal import license before releasing the shipment. If so, the corresponding state license(s) would also be required. CBP is not obligated in any way to clear every shipment. It may exercise its own discretion on a case-by-case basis and deny entry when justified. If you intend to have a large quantity of alcohol shipped to you for personal use, CBP suggests that you contact the entry branch of the port where your shipment will be entering the United States to discuss your situation in advance. You should also contact the nearest office of the Department to determine whether your circumstances may require a state license.

Non-Relocating Household

An adult member of the United States Armed Forces, who was or is serving outside of the United States, may ship to California the duty-free amount of four liters (three liters of which must have been manufactured or bottled within the United States).

However, when unaccompanied, the alcoholic beverages must be shipped via common carrier and consigned to a California licensed importer. (A list of licensed importers is available from ABC Headquarters in Sacramento.)

The service member may then claim the alcoholic beverages by going to the consignee’s premises and showing satisfactory military identification.

Foreign Diplomats

Foreign diplomatic personnel and members of their staffs (includes majors or above of the Military Committee of NATO) may import duty-free alcoholic beverages from suppliers outside California if the shipments are sent directly to the foreign diplomat or his/her staff member. Foreign trade zones are considered to be outside California.

For more information contact your local office of the State of California, Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Contact

For additional information,
contact your local ABC District Office.

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Bakersfield

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4800 Stockdale Highway., Suite 213
Bakersfield, CA 93309

Phone:
(661) 395-2731
Fax:
(661) 322-5929
Email:
Bakersfield@abc.ca.gov

Concord

map

1800 Sutter St., Ste 450
Concord, CA 94520

Phone:
(925) 655-6314
Fax:
(925) 655-6310
Email:
Concord@abc.ca.gov

Eureka

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1105 Sixth St., Suite C
Eureka, CA 95501

Phone:
(707) 445-7229
Fax:
(707) 445-6643
Email:
Eureka@abc.ca.gov

Fresno

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1330 B East Shaw Ave.
Fresno, CA 93710-7902

Phone:
(559) 225-6334
Fax:
(559) 225-8740
Email:
Fresno@abc.ca.gov

LA/Metro

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888 S Figueroa Street, Suite 320
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Phone:
(213) 833-6043
Fax:
(213) 833-6058
Email:
LAMetro@abc.ca.gov

LB/Lakewood

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3950 Paramount Blvd., Suite 250
Lakewood, CA 90712

Phone:
(562) 982-1337
Fax:
(562) 275-4174
Email:
LongBeach/Lakewood@abc.ca.gov

Lodi

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3021 Reynolds Ranch Parkway, Suite 150
Lodi, CA 95240

Phone:
(209) 371-6761
Fax:
(209) 371-6763
Email:
lodi@abc.ca.gov

Monrovia

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222 E. Huntington Dr., Suite 114
Monrovia, CA 91016

Phone:
(626) 256-3241
Fax:
(626) 263-9858
Email:
Monrovia@abc.ca.gov

Palm Desert

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34-160 Gateway Dr., Suite 120
Palm Desert, CA 92211

Phone:
(760) 324-2027
Fax:
(760) 324-2632
Email:
PalmDesert@abc.ca.gov

Redding

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1900 Churn Creek Rd., Suite 215
Redding, CA 96002

Phone:
(530) 224-4830
Fax:
(530) 224-9338
Email:
Redding@abc.ca.gov

Riverside

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3737 Main Street, Suite 900
Riverside, CA 92501

Phone:
(951) 782-4400
Fax:
(951) 781-0531
Email:
Riverside@abc.ca.gov

Sacramento

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2400 Del Paso Road, Suite 155
Sacramento, CA 95834

Phone:
(916) 419-1319
Fax:
(916) 419-3994
Email:
Sacramento@abc.ca.gov

Salinas

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1137 Westridge Parkway
Salinas, CA 93907

Phone:
(831) 755-1990
Fax:
(831) 755-1997
Email:
Salinas@abc.ca.gov

San Diego

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8620 Spectrum Center Blvd., Suite 302
San Diego, CA 92123

Phone:
(858) 300-6855
Fax:
(858) 300-6874
Email:
SanDiego@abc.ca.gov

San Francisco

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33 New Montgomery St., Suite 1230
San Francisco, CA 94105

Phone:
(415) 356-6500
(415) 356-6501
(415) 356-6502
(415) 356-6503
Fax:
(415) 356-6599
Email:
SanFrancisco@abc.ca.gov

San Jose

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224 Airport Parkway, Suite 620
San Jose, CA 95110

Phone:
(408) 346-2417
Fax:
(408) 346-2413
Email:
SanJose@abc.ca.gov

San Luis Obispo

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3220 S. Higuera St., Suite 103A
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Phone:
(805) 543-7183
Fax:
(805) 543-3814
Email:
SanLuisObispo@abc.ca.gov

San Marcos

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570 Rancheros Drive, Suite 240
San Marcos, CA 92069

Phone:
(760) 471-4237
Fax:
(760) 471-6142
Email:
SanMarcos@abc.ca.gov

Santa Ana

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2 MacArthur Place, Suite 200
Santa Ana, CA 92707

Phone:
(657) 205-3533
Fax:
(657) 205-3520
Email:
SantaAna@abc.ca.gov

Santa Rosa

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50 D Street, Room 130
Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Phone:
(707) 576-2165
Fax:
(707)527-9537
Email:
SantaRosa@abc.ca.gov

Van Nuys

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6150 Van Nuys Blvd., Room 220
Van Nuys, CA 91401

Phone:
(818) 901-5017
Fax:
(818) 785-6731
Email:
VanNuys@abc.ca.gov

Ventura

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1000 South Hill Road, Suite 310
Ventura, CA 93003

Phone:
(805) 289-0100
Fax:
(805) 289-0110
Email:
Ventura@abc.ca.gov