Macau Customs: Chips, Cigars and Cash Allowances 2026

Short answer: Don't take casino chips out of Macau. Mainland China customs explicitly lists gambling chips as prohibited items. Leaving Macau for the mainland, you can bring 200 cigarettes, 10 cigars or 250 g of tobacco duty-free (one of the three). From your second entry within 15 days, that drops to 40 cigarettes or 2 cigars. Into Hong Kong, the allowance is only 19 cigarettes or 1 cigar. Entering the mainland, declare RMB cash over 20,000, or foreign currency (including HKD and MOP) over USD 5,000 equivalent, in the red channel.

This guide covers the items travellers most often get stopped for when leaving or entering Macau: casino chips, cigars, cigarettes and cash, with a quick check on alcohol and e-cigarettes. It applies to ordinary travellers' personal luggage. Commercial goods, resale quantities and the special Hengqin Cooperation Zone channels follow other rules. For food, medicines, flowers and pets, see the Hong Kong, Mainland China and Macau carry-on guide.

Three things to remember: the destination's rules are what count. The same box of cigars has a different allowance entering Macau, the mainland and Hong Kong. Allowances are per person, so you can't hand excess items to companions. If in doubt, use the red channel and ask; it costs far less than being caught in the green channel.

30-second comparison table

Item	Entering Macau	Leaving Macau for the mainland	Leaving Macau for Hong Kong
Casino chips	—	Prohibited	No specific published rule found; not recommended
Cigars	1 per person per day (max 3 g each)	10; 2 on repeat entry within 15 days	1; or total 25 g if more than 1
Cigarettes	19 per person per day	200; 40 on repeat entry within 15 days	19
Other tobacco	25 g	250 g; 40 g on repeat entry within 15 days	25 g
Alcohol	1 L of drinks over 30% ABV	0.75 L over 12% ABV; none duty-free on repeat entry within 15 days	1 L of spirits over 30% ABV
E-cigarettes	Prohibited in and out	1 device, 3 pods, up to 6 ml of liquid	Import generally prohibited
Cash	Must declare at MOP 120,000 or more	Declare RMB over 20,000 or foreign currency over USD 5,000	Declare over HKD 120,000

Notes: tobacco allowances are "one of the three", not cigarettes plus cigars. Mainland and Hong Kong tobacco and alcohol allowances require travellers to be 18 or older. Macau counts tobacco "per person per day", with a combined weight limit of 25 g.

1. Casino chips: can you take them home?

Into mainland China: prohibited. GACC Announcement No. 46 of 2013 lists gambling chips as prohibited import/export items (archived full text). There is no souvenir or "just one" exemption, and declaring them doesn't help.
Out of Macau and into Hong Kong: no explicit rule found. As of October 2026, we found no published rule banning travellers from taking chips out of Macau, and no specific Hong Kong Customs guidance. That doesn't make it safe: chips are hard to cash once you leave Macau and will be stopped at the mainland border later.
What to do: before leaving the casino, cash in every chip at the issuing casino's cage and keep the receipt. Then check the cash against the "Cash" section below.

For souvenir chips, replicas, unredeemed chips and what to do if you're already in Hong Kong, see Can you take Macau casino chips home?

2. Cigars and cigarettes: the direction matters

Travellers often buy a box of cigars in Macau and ask whether they can take it. The answer depends on where you go next:

Direction	Cigars	Cigarettes	Basis
From Hong Kong or the mainland into Macau	1 (max 3 g)	19	Macau Chief Executive Dispatch No. 209/2021 (IPIM table, Chinese)
From Macau into the mainland	10	200	Ministry of Finance measures on duties for inbound articles, Schedule 2 (PDF, Chinese), in force since 1 December 2024
Second and later mainland entries within 15 days	2	40 (once per day)	Same
From Macau into Hong Kong	1 (or total 25 g if more than 1)	19	Hong Kong Customs duty-free concessions

What counts as "repeat entry within 15 days"?

The Ministry of Finance measures define "frequent travellers" as people who enter more than once within 15 days. Their tobacco allowance drops to 40 cigarettes, 2 cigars or 40 g of tobacco, once per day, and alcohol over 12% ABV is no longer duty-free.

This catches people who go back and forth between Zhuhai and Macau: 10 cigars is fine on the first trip, but a few days later only 2 are allowed.

Can I bring two cartons of cigarettes into the mainland?

Two cartons is usually 400 cigarettes, above the 200 allowance. If customs accepts the excess as personal use, duty is charged only on the excess, at a combined rate of 50% for tobacco. If the quantity goes beyond reasonable personal use, it is treated as imported goods and may be treated as smuggling. So:

declare excess in the red channel and pay the duty;
don't split it across bags;
don't ask companions to carry it. Each allowance is for that person only.

What happens if you're caught over the limit?

Place	Consequence
Macau	Excess tobacco needs an import licence and tax in advance. According to Macau's Legal Affairs Bureau, bringing excess tobacco in without a licence can be fined up to MOP 100,000 (DSAJ article, Chinese)
Mainland China	If declared and accepted as personal use, duty on the excess. If undeclared and found, administrative penalties, or smuggling charges in serious cases
Hong Kong	Failing to declare, or declaring falsely, can lead to prosecution; in 2026 incoming travellers were jailed for possessing duty-unpaid cigarettes

3. Cash and casino winnings: when must you declare?

Taking winnings home is not illegal in itself. What matters is declaring honestly against the destination's threshold.

Place	Threshold	Direction	Basis
Macau	Cash or bearer negotiable instruments totalling MOP 120,000 or more (or equivalent)	Must declare on entry; on exit, must declare truthfully if asked by customs; transit passengers exempt	Macau Law No. 6/2017; Macau Customs form
Mainland China	RMB cash over 20,000, or foreign currency (including HKD and MOP) over USD 5,000 equivalent	Declare on entry in the red channel	Customs reminder (Guangming, Sep 2026, Chinese); GACC Announcement No. 43 of 2025
Hong Kong	Cash and bearer negotiable instruments over HKD 120,000 in total	Declare on arrival; disclose on departure if asked	Hong Kong Customs red and green channels

Common misunderstandings:

"Only if asked" on leaving Macau doesn't mean you can give a false answer. Failing to declare, under-declaring or giving false information when asked is an administrative offence, with fines of up to MOP 500,000. Macau Customs offers an online declaration platform you can fill in beforehand (Macau government news, Chinese).
Declaring is not paying tax. A cash declaration is an anti-money-laundering record and carries no charge in itself. Being caught without declaring is what brings penalties.
Taking foreign currency out of the mainland: amounts between USD 5,000 and 10,000 equivalent generally need a bank-issued permit to carry foreign currency out; larger amounts need foreign-exchange authority approval.
Keep receipts: keep the cage receipt when cashing chips. Move large sums through a bank rather than carrying them across.
Don't split cash among companions to stay under the threshold. Customs looks at travelling groups together.

4. Alcohol and e-cigarettes: quick check

Alcohol: entering Macau, 1 L of drinks over 30% ABV. Entering the mainland, 0.75 L over 12% ABV, and none duty-free on a repeat entry within 15 days. Entering Hong Kong, 1 L of spirits over 30% ABV; Hong Kong ID card holders generally need to have been away for at least 24 hours.
E-cigarettes: Macau prohibits carrying e-cigarette products in or out. Hong Kong generally prohibits importing e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and other alternative smoking products. Even though the mainland has an e-cigarette allowance (1 device, 3 pods, up to 6 ml), you shouldn't be carrying e-cigarettes through Macau at all.

See the three-region carry-on guide for full details.

5. Tips for private-car passengers

On a cross-border car via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, Gongbei or Hengqin, customs checks are just as strict as on foot, and luggage in the car can be inspected too.

Do I get out of the car? Can luggage stay in the car?

This can't be promised in advance. Between Hong Kong and Macau via the bridge, passengers generally get out once at the Hong Kong port and once at the Macau port to complete formalities. Whether luggage must go through inspection with you depends on the port, direction and on-site arrangements that day. The driver explains the known procedure before departure, and border officers' instructions always apply. See the border crossing guide.

Check before the border

Chips: all cashed in, none left in wallets, jacket pockets or handbags.
Cigars and cigarettes: check against the next border's allowance; use the lower figure if you're making repeat trips within 15 days.
Cash: check against the destination threshold, and be ready for the red channel if over.
E-cigarettes: don't carry them into or out of Macau.
Alcohol: declare if over 0.75 L entering the mainland, or on a repeat entry within 15 days.

What the driver can and can't do

The driver can remind you to check your items and explain the general checkpoint procedure.
The driver cannot carry excess tobacco, alcohol, cash or any prohibited item for passengers, or keep such items in the car through the border. Passengers are responsible for declaring their own belongings.
If you need the red channel, tell the driver in advance so waiting time can be planned. Free waiting time at checkpoints is as stated in your booking confirmation.

What if customs stops you?

Open your bags, answer honestly about what the items are and where they came from, and show purchase or cage receipts. If you are over the limit, say so and pay the duty or give up the items as customs directs. Don't argue or pass items to companions.

6. Over the limit? What to do

Before the border: if you're over, choose the red channel and declare.
After declaring: excess tobacco or alcohol for personal use is taxed under the rules. Items that can't be brought in can be abandoned, or held or returned as customs directs.
Don't: split items among companions, hide them in the car or try your luck in the green channel. Penalties for undeclared items are far heavier than the duty.

FAQ

Can you take casino chips out of Macau?

Not recommended. Mainland China prohibits gambling chips outright, including souvenirs. There is no explicit rule for Hong Kong, but chips are hard to cash once you leave Macau. Cash them in at the casino cage before leaving; see Can you take Macau casino chips home?

How many cigars can I bring from Macau into mainland China?

Travellers aged 18 or older can bring 10 cigars duty-free (or 200 cigarettes, or 250 g of tobacco, one of the three). If you've already entered once in the past 15 days, the limit is 2 cigars, once per day.

Can I bring two cartons of cigarettes from Macau into the mainland?

Two cartons is about 400 cigarettes, above the 200 allowance. If customs accepts the excess as personal use, declare it in the red channel and pay duty at the 50% combined rate. Clearly larger quantities are treated as imported goods.

Can I bring alcohol duty-free on a second trip within 15 days?

No. Travellers entering the mainland more than once within 15 days cannot bring alcohol over 12% ABV duty-free. On the first entry the allowance is 0.75 L.

How much cash can I take out of Macau?

There is no cap on leaving Macau, but if customs asks and your cash or bearer negotiable instruments reach MOP 120,000, you must declare truthfully. On arrival in the mainland, declare RMB over 20,000 or foreign currency over USD 5,000 equivalent; in Hong Kong, declare over HKD 120,000.

Do I need to declare casino winnings?

It depends on the amount, not where it came from. Entering the mainland, declare RMB over 20,000 or foreign currency over USD 5,000 equivalent; entering Hong Kong, over HKD 120,000. Keep the casino cage receipt and move large sums through a bank.

How many cigarettes can I take from Macau to Hong Kong?

Travellers aged 18 or older can bring 19 cigarettes, or 1 cigar, or 25 g of other tobacco. It doesn't matter where you bought them; anything over must be declared and taxed.

On the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, can I leave my luggage in the car?

This can't be promised. Passengers generally get out at both the Hong Kong and Macau ports, and whether luggage goes through inspection depends on that day's arrangements. The driver explains before departure. Wherever luggage is, items in the car can be inspected.

What if I'm stopped by customs in Macau?

Cooperate, answer honestly and show receipts. If you're over the limit, pay the duty or give up the items as customs directs. Don't pass items to companions or refuse to open your bags.

Bottom line

Cash in all chips before leaving the casino, and never bring chips into the mainland. Pack tobacco and alcohol for the next border: 200 cigarettes or 10 cigars into the mainland, only 40 or 2 on a repeat entry within 15 days, and 19 or 1 into Hong Kong. Check cash against the destination threshold and use the red channel if over. When unsure, declaring is always cheaper than being caught.

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Sources and last update

Last updated: 23 October 2026. Customs rules, allowances and checkpoint procedures can change. Before travelling, check with Macau Customs, Hong Kong Customs, China Customs (hotline 12360) and on-site instructions. This page is not legal advice.