How much Alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) can I bring into Canada?
Allowed
You can bring Alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) into Canada without a special limit.
What you need to know
- 1.14 liter (38.55 US fl oz)
- Channels: Carried with the traveler
On the plane
Airline differences
| Airline | Difference from the baseline |
|---|---|
| Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) | Stricter than the standard rule |
Important
This allowance applies per person, not per family or group.
Official sources
- Memorandum D2-1-1: Temporary Importation of Baggage and Conveyances by Non-Residents Canada Border Services Agency
Questions about Alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) in Canada
- How much alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) can I bring into Canada?
- Canada allows 1.14 liters of alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) per traveller without duty. The allowance is per traveller and cannot be pooled between people.
- Do I have to declare alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) at Canada customs?
- No — within the allowance it passes without a declaration.
- What happens if I do not declare alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) in Canada?
- Under Memorandum D2-3-1, Tariff item No. 9804.30.00, Note 1, if you declare the excess yourself: a flat-rate charge is applied to the excess; the normal duty becomes payable on the excess. Under Customs Act, section 124, if the goods are found without being declared: an administrative fine is imposed. Under Customs Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. 1: the goods are confiscated; an administrative fine is imposed.
- Do duty-free purchases count toward the Canada allowance for alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over)?
- Yes. What you buy in an arrival duty-free shop comes out of the same allowance, so the shop does not add to what you may already be carrying.
- Can I post or ship alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) to Canada instead of carrying it?
- Not under this allowance. It covers goods a traveller carries; a parcel is an import and is assessed under the postal rules instead. Baggage sent before or after you travels under the same allowance.
- Is there a minimum age for the alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) allowance in Canada?
- Yes — 18 years. A traveller under that age gets no allowance for alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) at all, not a smaller one.
- Can I take alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) out of Canada?
- Canada publishes no separate rule for taking alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) out; the destination's rules are what will apply.
- Does the Canada limit for alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over) apply per person or per family?
- Per person. Each traveller carries their own allowance and it cannot be pooled with anyone else's.
- Where does this rule come from?
- Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) states it in Memorandum D2-1-1: Temporary Importation of Baggage and Conveyances by Non-Residents. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19. The sentence it rests on reads: “Non-residents can include one of the following amounts of alcoholic beverages in tariff item No. 9803.00.00 without assessment:”
- How does Canada compare with other countries on alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over)?
- Of the 21 countries covered here, 1 prohibit alcohol and alcoholic beverages above 22% vol (or undenatured ethyl alcohol 80% vol and over), 11 limit it and 9 let it through. Canada is among the ones that set a limit.
Source: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — Memorandum D2-1-1: Temporary Importation of Baggage and Conveyances by Non-Residents · verified 2026-09-19
Source: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — Memorandum D2-1-1: Temporary Importation of Baggage and Conveyances by Non-Residents · verified 2026-09-19
Source: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — Memorandum D2-3-1, Personal Exemptions for Residents Returning to Canada · verified 2026-09-20
Source: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — Postal Imports Remission Order (SI/85-181) · verified 2026-09-20
Source: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — Postal Imports Remission Order (SI/85-181) · verified 2026-09-20
Source: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — Memorandum D2-3-1, Personal Exemptions for Residents Returning to Canada · verified 2026-09-20
Source: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — Memorandum D2-1-1: Temporary Importation of Baggage and Conveyances by Non-Residents · verified 2026-09-19
Source: Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) — Memorandum D2-1-1: Temporary Importation of Baggage and Conveyances by Non-Residents · verified 2026-09-19