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Old 03-23-2017, 05:19 PM   #1
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Does anyone know what the law says about liquor in a Motorhome while traveling

Going on some local trips to the lake in Oklahoma and then later this summer to Canada. How do you legally keep Beer, Wine and Hard Liquor in your Motorhome while traveling?

Thank you for your insight
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Old 03-23-2017, 05:26 PM   #2
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There is limits on how much you can take into Canada, check the boarder crossing web site for how much. As to going around the states, don't know the law, but we keep ours out of reach in the bedroom closet.
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Old 03-23-2017, 05:29 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by johnridders View Post
Going on some local trips to the lake in Oklahoma and then later this summer to Canada. How do you legally keep Beer, Wine and Hard Liquor in your Motorhome while traveling?

Thank you for your insight
States is not a problem, Canada....an entirely different animal. Check Canada border rules.
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Old 03-23-2017, 05:31 PM   #4
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Can't tell you the law, but if you keep it stored away, you should not have a problem. You can carry liquor/beer/wine home, can't you? Same deal in Canada--have been thru there twice to AK and haven't had problem. Check with Canadian import rules on internet as to how much you can bring in and you need to declare what you have--pretty straight rules. And, going back out you may have to field some questions as to what you purchased in CA--and alcohol is severely taxed in CA, so buying a lot to bring in to US doesn't have a financial incentive--taking it into CA is attractive, so they will ask you about it.
As to OK, again no problem. Open container laws are everywhere now, so if you keep it put away, should not cause an incident.
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Old 03-23-2017, 06:17 PM   #5
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Every town, county, state and country will have different laws. But a little common sense will probably fill the bill in the US. Keep it out of sight and reach while traveling and limit yourself to what you will likely consume in a couple weeks; heavy drinkers excluded.
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Old 03-23-2017, 06:20 PM   #6
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Every state seems to have different laws.

For colorado there are a list of exceptions.

(II) The possession by a passenger, other than the driver or a front seat passenger, of an open alcoholic beverage container in the living quarters of a house coach, house trailer, motor home, as defined in section 42-1-102(57), or trailer coach, as defined in section 42-1-102(106)(a);
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Old 03-24-2017, 02:28 AM   #7
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As long as its closed and out of reach it shouldnt be a problem in the US

its no different than bringing it home from the store in an SUV.

Best to put it in the back, or at minimum the back seat.

Main law is against "OPEN" containers, like physically open, so no beer in the cup holder.
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Old 03-24-2017, 04:50 AM   #8
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It is also worth mentioning consumption laws. As long as you are inside your house with the engine off and the keys not in the ignition you are probably fine. Walking out the door can be an issue. Public consumption laws vary the same way purchase and possession one's do. In general sitting at your outside table with a glass will not get one hassled most places. Walking around with a drink might. Stacking a pyramid of empties on the picnic table won't play well most places.
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Old 03-24-2017, 06:02 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by wingnut60 View Post
Check with Canadian import rules on internet as to how much you can bring in and you need to declare what you have--pretty straight rules.


--and alcohol is severely taxed in CA, so buying a lot to bring in to US doesn't have a financial incentive--taking it into CA is attractive, so they will ask you about it.


That's not quite true, you can bring any amount you want for personal use, not commercial importation. You will however pay tax and possibly duty on anything more than the basic personal exemption.

From the CBSA website, "While you are permitted to import more than the amounts listed above, you will be responsible for paying duty and taxes on the additional alcoholic beverages you are importing.".

As for buying in Canada, buying at the duty-free on the way out can offer some very attractive pricing, especially if you like specialty products that are made here.
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Old 03-24-2017, 06:06 AM   #10
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Not a Canada Customs Officer, but do travel back and forth every day of the week for work.

You are legally allowed 1 case of beer or 1 - 1 lite bottle of liquor for personal consumption for each adult above the legal age of 19. For those Smokers out there, you are allowed 1 carton of cigarettes or 25 cigars per legal adult. Again for personal consumption.

Not for personal consumption, if you say you are buying it someone else you had better say its a gift, as I believe those are tax free, but at the discretion of the officer.

Also all overages are taxable with a tax of close to 80-100% of purchased price. You also will technically need a receipt or they will estimate.

Also another hint. If you claim it coming across, you can ask to be turned back to US to get rid of it. They can not refuse your request to be turned you back if it had been declared.

If you did not declare it it you are open to double duty and a fine. Don't know the fine amount. Think it is proportional to the value of the items.

Again if you say you are coming over for a three week camping trip have 3 cases of beer for personal consumption, the officer will 9 times out of ten let you thru. I've learnt that the way one treats the boarder officer make all the difference.

And yes I have been hit once before. So learnt from experience.
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Old 03-24-2017, 06:25 AM   #11
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Beer in the fridge, wine in the wine rack and liquor in the liquor cabinet is how I carry the stuff...no open alcohol while underway, we generally are parked well in advance of Happy Hour.

Because we cross the border frequently we try to keep our quantities within our personal exemption limits or slightly over. These limits are posted on both border web sites and are similar. Quite often we will cross with 3 or 4 partial bottles that add up to the neighbourhood of our personal exemption total. The border guards have never had any issues with this. In fact if we have a couple of extra bottles of wine and half a dozen beer in the fridge they won't bother us, doing paperwork for a trivial amount of tax is not worth their trouble. But, best to declare everything, getting caught lying could cost us our Nexus cards.

As stated above purchasing at the duty free shops in Canada before crossing into the USA can save a lot of cash on some of the quality stuff like Scotch, Gin etc (even with poor the CDN dollar exchange). Quite often we purchase a good bottle of Scotch and Gin and stash them for the return trip to Canada where we declare them duty free as our personal exemption (1.14 L each).
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Old 03-24-2017, 08:26 AM   #12
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When I posed that question to our NC Highway Patrol friend, he said the law here considers an RV to have a "vehicle" section (the front driver/passenger row and everything forward of that) and a "house" section (everything behind the driver/passenger seats). Alcohol in the "vehicle" section will be treated same as alcohol in your car and subject to the same laws (including open container). Alcohol in the "house" section is treated same as alcohol inside your personal residence. Seems rather logical...
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Old 03-24-2017, 08:38 AM   #13
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I have never been rousted by the law, in my RV or otherwise. I do generally have a bottle or two of wine and/or a six-pack of beer, but they're all in the refrigerator.

What Patti Brown said makes perfect sense:

Quote:
Alcohol in the "vehicle" section will be treated same as alcohol in your car and subject to the same laws (including open container). Alcohol in the "house" section is treated same as alcohol inside your personal residence. Seems rather logical...
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Old 03-24-2017, 08:54 AM   #14
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When I posed that question to our NC Highway Patrol friend, he said the law here considers an RV to have a "vehicle" section (the front driver/passenger row and everything forward of that) and a "house" section (everything behind the driver/passenger seats). Alcohol in the "vehicle" section will be treated same as alcohol in your car and subject to the same laws (including open container). Alcohol in the "house" section is treated same as alcohol inside your personal residence. Seems rather logical...
Also similar to the justification I learned for outside. If you are sitting at your outside table you are "in your house". If you are taking a walk you are "in public". Depending on the public consumption laws in the area you are in that may or may not be an issue.
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