Bermuda Duty Free Allowances

Arriving

Bermuda duty free allowances differ for residents and tourists.

In 2020, tourists entering Bermuda enjoy the following duty free allowances:

• 200 cigarettes
• 50 cigars
• ½ kg tobacco
• 1 litre of wine
• 1 litre of spirits
• Gifts up to a value of $50 (i.e. goods that will remain in Bermuda)

The allowances for residents are:

• 200 cigarettes
• 50 cigars
• ½ kg of tobacco
• 1 litre of wine
• 1 litre of spirits
• Goods up to a value of $200

Customs duty is payable on goods in excess of these limits.

For the majority of goods the rate of import tax is 25%. Items attracting this rate of duty include clothes, shoes, cameras, electronics, toys, jewellery, watches etc.

Exceptions to the 25% rate include (2020 rates):

• Spirits – $12.89 per litre
• Wine and champagne – $6.00 per litre
• Cigarettes – $80 per carton of 200
• Tobacco – 35 percent of value

No duty is payable on prescription drugs, spectacles, software, books and newspapers.

If you are getting married in Bermuda you can bring items in for the wedding free of duty, provided they will leave the island with you when you depart. Items that will remain in Bermuda will generally be taxed at 25%.

Departing

At the time of writing (February 2020) duty free allowances for travellers entering the United States, Canada, and the UK are:

• United States – US citizens can bring back $800 worth of goods, including 200 cigarettes, and 100 cigars.
• Canada – After an absence of 48 hours, Canadian residents can bring back CAN $800 worth of goods, 1½ litres of wine (or 8.5 litres of beer, or 1.14 litres of other alcoholic beverages), 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200 grams of tobacco, and 200 tobacco sticks.
• UK – Passengers travelling to the UK from a non-EU country such as Bermuda can bring back 1 litre of spirits or 2 litres of fortified or sparkling wine, 16 litres of beer, 4 litres of still wine, 200 cigarettes (or 100 cigarillos, or 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco), plus other goods with a value less than £390.

You should check with appropriate websites to see the rules in more detail and also check that the duty free limits haven’t changed:

• United States – US Customs & Border Protection
• Canada – Government of Canada
• UK – Gov.uk

It is important to note that goods purchased in shops in Bermuda and taken out of the store by the customer are not duty free.

Those departing by air can only purchase duty free products at the airport when leaving Bermuda.

Cruise ship passengers can purchase duty free items from stores such as Gosling’s. The store will arrange delivery to the ship, and it will be held by the ship until the end of the cruise.