How much cash can I bring into Lebanon, and do I have to declare it?

Also asked as: “How much money can I bring into Lebanon?” · “How much cash can I carry from Dubai to Lebanon?” · “How much cash can I carry out of Lebanon?” · “Do I need to declare cash at Beirut customs?”

What you declare, and to whom#

The rule covers cash and negotiable instruments together, in any currency, once their total value is above USD 15,000^[1] or the equivalent. On arrival you make the declaration in writing to Lebanese Customs. The sources we read do not name the form or describe the counter. Ask the customs officer for the declaration form and keep a copy of what you sign.

You may see other figures online. Entrybrief gives LBP 15,000,000, "approx. USD 10,000". Those two numbers do not match each other, and neither matches the law, so this page follows the law's USD 15,000^[1]. The law only sets a point above which you must declare. Entrybrief says there is no limit on how much you can bring, but that undeclared amounts can be seized^[2].

The Investment Development Authority of Lebanon (IDAL) says in an undated investor FAQ that foreigners may bring capital in and take it out freely^[3]. Since 2019, though, banks have restricted deposits made before 2019, and cash you carry out still falls under the declaration rule. If you plan to take money out after a sale, read taking sale proceeds out of Lebanon first.

What happens if you do not declare#

Customs may search you and your bags. If a declaration is missing or false, or the money looks illicit, customs can hold the cash and notify the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation. The prosecutor decides within two days whether to keep or release it, and customs also informs the Special Investigation Commission^[1].

The fine for not declaring, or for declaring falsely, is up to LBP 10 million^[1]. Criminal prosecution under the anti-money-laundering law remains possible. That pound figure has lost most of its value since 2019, so the bigger problem is having your money held while the prosecutor decides. Under Law 44/2015, using illicit funds to buy property in order to hide where they came from is money laundering, punishable by 3 to 7 years in prison.

Carrying cash to pay for a property#

Lebanese banks are not writing home mortgages, as reported in autumn 2026^[4,5]. According to Assukna, a property venture, most purchases are funded with dollars moved through exchange houses, couriers or sometimes international wires. Assukna advises planning the method with a lawyer and keeping records of it^[6]. Compare the options in cash or bank transfer for a property and the ways to send money to Lebanon.

Under Law 44/2015, notaries, lawyers and brokers have due-diligence duties when they handle a property sale^[1]. The law does not list which documents a buyer must show, and practice varies by notary and bank. Your customs declaration and your bank's withdrawal record from abroad give you a paper trail from the start. See proof of the source of funds for more.

Hand over cash only against a signed receipt, as explained in getting proof when you pay a seller in cash. Paying does not make you the owner. Ownership passes only when the sale is registered at the Land Registry^[7].

Taking cash out of Lebanon#

The same above USD 15,000^[1] threshold applies when you leave. For outgoing cash, the law says that disclosing it to customs when asked may be enough instead of a written declaration. That works under implementing procedures that we could not find. If you plan to carry sale proceeds out, ask Lebanese Customs before you go. This page covers only Lebanon's side, so also ask the customs of the country you fly to, such as the UAE, about its own rules.