Bringing Wood Back With Me From the Yucatan Peninsula

[Brent Ring]

All,

I am taking a family vacation to Cancun, Mexico, and am considering trying to acquire some small pieces of lumber while I am there. Mahogany, Cocobolo, Chechen are all common species. While I wish I had the ability to bring boatloads back, I will probably be limited to a few pieces in my suitcase. I am leaving in about 10 days.

What do I need to do to be able to bring some back with me and what are the customs concerns?

Thanks

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Brent, check customs regulations in the USA, if you were coming into Canada, you wouldn't be allowed to bring them..........Rod.

[Dick Sylvan]

If it's considered an Ag product you are probably OOL.

[Lee Schierer]

I agree, when we shipped internationally to South America we had to have certified insect free wood. I imagine the same applies for wood coming in. Better to check with customs and get the regs in writing than to watch them toss your hard earned dollars, err wood into the trash at customs. I'm sure any woood with bark on it would not make it through the doors.

[Brian Tax]

I know a local wood collector re-seller who goes to Mexico at least once a year and brings back wood. His name is Steve and he is in the Seattle area. His email: wopwoody@comcast.net

Hope it helps, Brian

[Stephen Edwards]

This page may link you to some other pages that will answer your question:

http://www.itintl.com/wood-imports-into-the-united-states.html

I suggest googling different phrases, such as: "importing wood into the usa", and variations thereof.

Check on the US Customs Website:

http://www.cbp.gov/

When you fill out the customs form when you're re-entering the US, be sure to answer every question truthfully. If in doubt, there's a space on the form for you to add a note. As you go through immigration and customs they may or may not ask you questions and they may or may not do a random search of your bags.

Raw lumber is usually difficult to bring in, lots of hoops to jump through. Plywood, on the other hand, isn't a major concern because it's heat treated during the manufacturing process, as I understand it.

[Chris Padilla]

Maybe considering mailing the wood instead of putting it into your suitcase? I don't know if this buys you anything, however.

[Frank Hagan]

I would check with CBP; I saw on the TV show "Homeland Security" where someone had a wood alcohol container they were bringing in .... like a "wood flask" ... and because it didn't have alcohol in it, they were going to confiscate it. The agent said that wood products aren't allowed.

There may be some leeway on this; they let the traveler pour scotch into the container and then declared it permissible.

[David Hostetler]

Check with Customs. I was too busy when I was in Cancun to even think about getting any sort of wood to bring back. Would have been nice to have some exotic wood turning blanks though...

Be careful with the flu thing down there, well up here now too... Hopefully this will pass soon. How often do you hear of the asian bird flu these days?

[phil harold]

buy large ugly carvings in the wood of your choice
mill it when you get back


You also may be a woodworker if you worry how to get wood out of the country while on vacation