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How Much
Cash Can You Carry Legally In Jamaica?

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forex_jamaica_usdHow Much Cash Can You Carry In Jamaica?

by Venesha Johnson | Associate Writer

Whether you are visiting Jamaica for business or pleasure, the amount of cash you can take with you has a limit. There are a few things that you should know.

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The island's airports' customs departments encourage anyone with more than US$10,000 to declare it when they arrive. Individuals entering the nation are required by customs legislation to declare any currency or monetary instruments worth more than USD 10,000 or the equivalent.

While entering the island with USD 10,000 may not be illegal, not declaring it also has repercussions. If someone is found guilty of making a false declaration in violation of Section 209 of the Customs Act, they could face a fine of up to $500,000 or three times the value of the items involved in the offence, whichever is higher.

You will also need to declare items when:

  • The value of goods being imported exceeds US$500.00 and/or the duty-free allowance.
  • You have unaccompanied baggage (goods sent via air/sea freight within 2 months of travel)
  • Travelling with restricted items
  • Importing commercial goods and or samples
  • Unsure of the value of the contents of your baggage
  • Goods are being re-imported
  • Goods are being imported for temporary use (3 months or less)

Cash Limit in Jamaica

Jamaica's parliament approved the Proceeds of Crime Act in 2007. (POCA). The Act provided provisions for the forfeiture of all properties, amassed money through the courts, and abolished and replaced the Drug Offences Forfeiture of Proceeds and Money Laundering Acts.

POCA limits cash transactions with financial institutions to $1 million. Therefore, it is against the law for anyone to pay or receive more than $1,000,000 (J$1,000,000.00) in cash for any financial transaction involving many payments.

According to POCA, all payments above J$1 million made for products, including those made for motor vehicles, wholesale goods, jewellery, building supplies, or services, as well as payments made to settle debts or other amounts owed, must be made through non-cash methods.

These include chequing, using a credit card, and making electronic transfers. In the absence of this, both the vendor and the buyer risk being found in violation of the law and being imprisoned.

This means that transactions involving cash above J$1 million should only be made with banks, merchant banks, building societies, Cambios, or other legally recognised institutions.

Major Banks in Jamaica and their transaction Limits

Scotia Bank

new_scotia_bank_fairview_montego_bayScotiabank | Fairview, Montego Bay
  • Up to the JMD equivalent of US$5,000 per transaction, US $5,000 per day, US$10,000 per week, and up to the JMD equivalent of US$15,000 each month for scotia to scotia transactions.
  • To a maximum of JMD equivalents of US$4000 for each transaction, US$6,000 per week, and US$8,000 per month for scotia bank to other bank transactions.
  • Up to JMD 1,200,000 per transaction for credit accounts.
  • ATM Cash Withdrawals Up to JMD$100,000 per transaction /Up to JMD$100,000 per day are allowed, for higher withdrawal limits the bank will facilitate a personal arrangement.
  • Up to JMD$ 350,000 per day is allowed at the point of sale.

National Commercial Bank (NCB)

national_commerical_bank_fairview_branch_montego_bayNCB Financial Services Centre | Fairview, Montego Bay
  • For JMD Cash Deposits at ABMs, the limit is $150,000 daily.
  • JMD Cheque Deposits at ABMs have a limit of $999,999.99.
  • Cash Payments to Credit Card – JMD 150,000 daily via ABMs.
  • Real-time transfers to other financial institutions have a limit of $500,000 daily or $1,000,000 monthly using NCB online banking.
  • Transfers between Own Accounts have a limit of $2,000,000 daily and monthly
  • Transfers to Third-Party NCB Accounts have a limit of $500,000 daily /
  • $1,000,000.
  • Bill Payments (including credit cards) have a limit of $2,000,000 /daily

Deciding between taking cash or a card to Jamaica? Read this article for more insight.

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References & Sources For How Much Cash Can You Carry Legally In Jamaica?

  1. Declare excess money to customs (no date) Jamaica Information Service. Available at: https://jis.gov.jm/declare-excess-money-to-customs/ (Accessed: November 29, 2022).
  2. NCB moves transactions to digital channels and waives more fees beginning 3rd April 2020 (no date) JNCB. Available at: https://www.jncb.com/About-Us/News-Room/News/MoveTransactionstoDigital (Accessed: November 29, 2022).
  3. Richardson, J. (2017) Cash transactions over $1 million are illegal: Loop Jamaica, Loop News. Loop News. Available at: https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/cash-transactions-excess-1-million-are-illegal (Accessed: November 29, 2022).
  4. Travellers (no date) Travellers | Jamaica Customs Agency Website. Available at: https://www.jacustoms.gov.jm/tags/Travellers (Accessed: November 29, 2022).

How Much Cash Can You Carry Legally In Jamaica? | Written: December 1, 2022

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