Why do people have to declare cash?

The point of the U.S. customs cash limit is to catch criminals and prevent money from being used to fund illegal activity like money laundering or drug trafficking. Unfortunately, travelers who are otherwise law-abiding citizens sometimes get caught illegally traveling with too much cash.



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You might be surprised to learn that there is no limit on how much cash you can cross the border with. However, if you travel with more than $10,000 USD then you must declare it.

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So how much cash can you fly with? You can fly with any amount of cash. No law prohibits you from bringing any amount of money on a flight. Likewise, TSA has no rules that limit how much money you can bring through security.

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There's no legal limit on how much money you can keep at home. Some limits exist with bringing money into the country and in the form of cash gifts, but there's no regulation on how much you can keep at home.

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There is no limit on the amount of cash you can carry with you when flying domestically within the United States. However, if you are traveling internationally, you are required to declare any amounts over $10,000 USD to customs. Failure to do so can result in a penalty.

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Does Money Get Flagged During Scanning? Scanners at airports are operated in a way that they can detect thick wads of cash. This money is counted to determine how much it is, and the person carrying it might be questioned.

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Money belts and neck wallets — those flat, cloth pouches that fit under your clothes — are the traditional ways to carry money safely while you're traveling. They're meant to escape the notice of pickpockets and muggers, and some even have RFID blocking to keep your credit card and passport information safe.

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