Duty-free limits and what to declare at the Windsor–Detroit border
How much you can bring home without paying duty and taxes depends on where you live and how long you were away. Both countries expect you to declare everything you bought or were given while you were away, and goods that are not declared can be seized. This guide covers Canadian residents coming home through Windsor and U.S. residents coming home through Detroit.
The short version
- Canadians on a same-day trip get no exemption: duty and taxes can apply to everything you bring back.
- Canadians away 24 hours or more can bring back up to CAN$200; 48 hours or more, up to CAN$800 including some alcohol and tobacco.
- Americans on a day trip to Windsor get US$200 each; after 48 hours or more, US$800.
- Declare all food, and never bring cannabis across the border in either direction.
Canadian residents coming home through Windsor
| Time out of Canada | Personal exemption | Alcohol and tobacco | If you go over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 24 hours | None | Not included | Duty and taxes can apply to everything |
| 24 hours or more | Up to CAN$200 | Not included | You pay on the full amount, not just the extra |
| 48 hours or more | Up to CAN$800 | Included, within limits | You pay only on the amount over CAN$800 |
| 7 days or more | Up to CAN$800 | Included, within limits; must be with you | You pay only on the amount over CAN$800 |
Exemptions are per person and cover goods for your personal or household use, such as souvenirs and gifts. Goods for commercial use, or goods you bring in on someone else’s behalf, do not qualify. After 7 days, goods other than alcohol and tobacco can follow you later.
Alcohol
Only after 48 hours or more away, and only one of the following: up to 1.5 litres of wine (about two 750 mL bottles), up to 1.14 litres of spirits (one large bottle), or up to 8.5 litres of beer (about 24 cans). You must meet the minimum age of the province where you enter Canada, which is 19 in Ontario. Anything more is charged duty and taxes.
Tobacco
Also only after 48 hours or more: up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200 grams of manufactured tobacco and 200 tobacco sticks. Cigarettes and tobacco not marked “CANADA DUTY PAID · DROIT ACQUITTÉ” can be charged a special duty, so read CBSA’s rules before buying tobacco in the U.S.
The 2026 surtax on U.S. goods
Since September 8, 2026, Canada has charged a surtax of 15%, 25% or 50% on a list of U.S.-made goods (CBSA Customs Notice 26-23). Goods covered by your personal exemption are excluded, but U.S.-made goods beyond your exemption, including everything from a same-day trip, can carry the surtax on top of regular duty and taxes. Check the list before a big shopping trip.
Food
Declare all food you bring into Canada. For personal use, many foods are limited to 20 kg or 20 litres per person. From the U.S.:
- Meat and poultry must be retail packaged or labelled with what the product is, and must travel with you. Meat straight from a farm or backyard flock is not allowed.
- Dairy such as cheese, milk, yogurt, butter and ice cream has no specific restrictions beyond the quantity limit.
- Eggs must be labelled “Product of the USA”, up to five dozen per person.
For anything else, look up the item in the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) before you buy it.
U.S. residents coming home through Detroit
| Your trip | Personal exemption | Alcohol and tobacco |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 48 hours away, or out of the country more than once in 30 days | US$200 per person | Up to 50 cigarettes, 10 cigars and 150 mL of alcohol |
| 48 hours or more, and the exemption not used in the last 30 days | US$800 per person | Limited amounts; see CBP for details |
Most day trips to Windsor fall under the US$200 exemption. Family members cannot combine their US$200 exemptions, and if your goods are worth more than US$200, duty applies to the whole amount, not just the part over the limit.
Declare all food, plants and animal products to CBP. Some are restricted even when bought in a Canadian grocery store, and the officer decides at the booth.
Cannabis: don’t take it across
Cannabis is legal in Ontario and in Michigan, but taking it across the Canadian border is illegal in either direction. That includes edibles, extracts, topicals and products containing CBD. Bringing cannabis into Canada is only allowed with a prescription for a medication containing cannabis authorized by Health Canada, and it must be declared; not declaring cannabis is a serious criminal offence. Cannabis is also illegal under U.S. federal law, which is what applies at the border.
Make the booth quick
- Keep your receipts together and know your total before you reach the booth.
- Declare everything, including gifts and things you have already started using.
- Pack purchases where you can reach them if the officer wants to see them.
- Check the live wait times before you leave, and the forecast if you can choose your day.
Common questions
How much can I bring back from Detroit on a day trip?
Nothing duty-free. Canadian residents get no personal exemption for trips shorter than 24 hours, so duty and taxes can apply to everything you bring back. Declare it all and keep your receipts.
How much can I bring back after a weekend in Detroit?
After 48 hours or more outside Canada, a Canadian resident can bring back up to CAN$800 in goods without paying duty or taxes, including alcohol and tobacco within set limits. After 24 to 48 hours the limit is CAN$200, and alcohol and tobacco are not included.
Can I bring alcohol back from Detroit duty-free?
Only after 48 hours or more away, and only one of these: up to 1.5 litres of wine, up to 1.14 litres of spirits, or up to 8.5 litres of beer. You must also meet the minimum drinking age of the province where you enter, which is 19 in Ontario.
What happens if I go over CAN$200 after a 24-hour trip?
You lose the exemption for that trip. Duty and taxes apply to the full value of what you bring back, not just the amount over CAN$200. For the CAN$800 exemption, you pay only on the amount over the limit.
How much can Americans bring back from Windsor duty-free?
Returning U.S. residents get US$200 per person if they were out of the country for less than 48 hours, or have been out of the country more than once in 30 days, which covers most day trips to Windsor. After 48 hours or more, the exemption is US$800.
Can I take cannabis across the Windsor-Detroit border?
No. Taking cannabis across the Canadian border is illegal in either direction, including edibles, extracts, topicals and products containing CBD, even though it is legal in both Ontario and Michigan.
Official sources
- CBSA: I Declare, a guide for residents returning to Canada
- CFIA: Bringing food into Canada for personal use
- Government of Canada: Drugs, alcohol and travel
- CBP: Types of exemptions
- CBP: Bringing agricultural products into the United States
This page summarises official guidance in plain language and is not legal or tax advice. Border officers make the final call, and limits change; check the official pages before you travel. Spot something out of date? Tell us.