Customs Restricted Items Checker
| Class | CBP verdict |
|---|---|
| Bakery items, most cheeses | Admissible |
| Prepared foods | Many admissible — check ingredients |
| Meat, fresh/dried/canned | Not from most countries |
| Foods prepared with meat | Not from most countries |
| Fruits and vegetables | Depends on origin and destination |
| Alcohol | Arrival state's laws govern |
| Medication (Rx/OTC) | FDA/DEA rules, original containers |
| Ceramic tableware | Legal; FDA lead-glaze warning |
| Cultural property | Export controls abroad apply |
| Biological materials | USDA and/or CDC permit |
Compendium: CBP, Prohibited and Restricted Items and CBP, Bringing Food into the U.S. The airport apple is CBP's own example: admissibility turns on origin and destination. Declare everything — penalties attach to concealment, not to honest mistakes at the counter. Related: duty-free exemption calculator, TSA liquids calculator, PreCheck vs Global Entry.
The customs line is where vacation confidence dies: the cheese that survived the suitcase, the apple from the airport kiosk, the inherited ceramic bowl — each has a different fate, and none of them is obvious. CBP's prohibited-and-restricted compendium is the authority, and this checker condenses its traveler-relevant classes into verdicts: bakery items and most cheeses walk in; fresh, dried or canned meat from most countries does not; fruits and vegetables depend on where you bought them and where you are going; ceramics are legal but CBP publishes a lead warning anyway.
The pattern worth learning before the flight: admissible, depends-on-origin, permit-required, and effectively-no are four different verdicts that travelers flatten into one. Declare everything either way — the compendium's bite is in penalties for undeclared goods, not for the honest mistake declared at the counter.
How to use
- Pick the item class from the dropdown — the verdict comes from CBP's own categories, not a guess.
- Read the rule line attached to the verdict: origin, permits, or state alcohol laws change the answer by case.
- When the verdict is depends, the safe play is declaration at the counter — penalties attach to concealment, not to questions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring bread, cookies or cheese into the US?
Yes — CBP's food guidance is explicit that bakery items and certain cheeses are admissible, and many prepared foods pass. The line is ingredients: a cheese-and-salami gift box dies at the salami, because meat and meat-prepared products from most countries are barred regardless of packaging.
Why is meat so strict when cheese is fine?
Animal-product disease control is a different regime than food safety: CBP says you may not import fresh, dried or canned meats or meat products from most foreign countries, including foods prepared with meat. Outbreaks move through animal products; the blanket rule is cheaper than per-country risk calls at the counter.
Can I bring an apple I bought at the foreign airport?
It depends on where you got it and where you are going after you arrive — CBP uses exactly that airport apple as its example. Fruits and vegetables are case-by-case by origin and pest risk; the honest move is to eat it before boarding or declare it and let the inspector rule.
Do prescription medicines count as restricted items?
Traveling with prescription or over-the-counter medications is allowed, but CBP notes you must comply with the laws enforced by FDA and DEA — original containers, reasonable personal quantities, and controlled substances carry extra documentation expectations. Keep meds in your carry-on with the labels intact.
What is the deal with ceramic dishes and cultural artifacts?
Ceramic tableware is legal but CBP relays an FDA lead warning about glazes on foreign-made pieces, especially decorative ones not meant for food. Cultural property is stricter still: art, artifacts and antiquities often carry export controls and national-ownership laws abroad — a receipt from a local shop does not override another country's export law.