Be familiar with St. Lucia's customs regulations to avoid delays and possible fines

St. Lucia's increasing popularity as a tourist destination has made customs regulations more strict. Officials carefully monitor the items and quantities travelers are permitted to bring in and take out of the country. It helps to know the restrictions placed on entry and exit allowances before you go.

Entry Allowances

Keep in mind that St. Lucia's laws affect you not only while you are on the island, but when you are traveling there as well. Penalties for bringing contraband into St. Lucia can be severe, especially for attempting to bring drugs on the island. Offenses can result in arrest, fines, or even imprisonment. Always pack your own bags before leaving; make sure no one has access to your luggage in airports by never leaving them unattended; and never carry anything through customs for another person. If you are unsure whether an item should be declared, it is best to declare it to avoid stiff fines or seizure of goods. Items that may be brought into St. Lucia duty-free include:

• 200 cigarettes, 250g tobacco, or 50 cigars.

• 1 liter of spirits or wine.

• Personal items including clothing and electronics.
  

• Keep in mind that customs officials can impose fines if they interpret that the amount of personal items you bring in exceeds typical personal use.

• Prescription medication – has to be in original container labeled with the contents, pharmacy, and doctor's contact information

Individuals coming into St. Lucia are not required to declare their personal effects including the amount of currency they are carrying, but all duty-free items must be fully declared.

• Drugs

• Counterfeit coins

• Pornographic material

• Flowers or plants

• Dogs — an exception is if they are coming off a yacht and have been quarantined for the past six months.

• Firearms unless accompanied by a St. Lucia firearm license that is available through the Commissioner of Police.

Due to St. Lucia's popularity as a yachting destination, visitors will find that harbor customs can be the most strict and thorough of all Caribbean destinations. If you are visiting St. Lucia and entering through harbor customs, expect a very lengthy and complete inspection of all goods entering the harbor. In general, Castries Harbor is the most difficult to get through because it is one of the most popular ports. An alternative to Castries Harbor is Rodney Bay Harbor, where you can move through customs much more quickly. Exit Allowances

As part of the Caribbean Basin Initiative, St. Lucia has an agreement with the United States to allow the following items to exit St. Lucia duty-free.

• Any original artwork or antiques

• 200 cigarettes, 100 non-Cuban cigars

• For those 21 years and older, two liters of alcohol may be brought back provided that one of those liters of alcohol was made in a CBI country

• If you have stayed on the island for 48 hours or more, $600(USD) of goods may be brought back duty-free as long as you haven't used any part of this exemption in the past 30 days

• Gifts may be mailed abroad duty-free, limited to one package per addressee per day.
  

• The contents cannot include tobacco, alcohol, or perfume worth more than $500(USD)

• $100(USD) of goods may be mailed home marked “Unsolicited Gift” along with “Consolidated Gift Package”

Travelers should be aware that these regulations are subject to change. For additional and current information on entry and exit allowances for your specific country, consult the table below to find the contact information for the nearest customs bureau.

Abiding by specific customs regulations for individual countries will help make your trip a very pleasant and safe experience. Be sure to educate yourself on St. Lucia's policies to avoid fines or delays that could take away from your time and experience on the island.