The Official Gazette of Cuba published a package of three regulations on Monday that establishes precise limits and reference values for the importation of various products for the first time. One of these resolutions specifically details the limit on mobile phones, computers, and household appliances for individuals.
The new regulation establishes a legal mechanism allowing those who exceed these limits to pay tariffs in dollars instead of losing their goods.
The provisions are: the , the , and the . They come into force on October 12, 2026, seven days after their publication.
In terms of technology, Resolution 340/2026 states that each traveler may bring up to five mobile or smart phones, with a reference value of 80 dollars per unit.
In the case of desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and similar devices, the limit is three units in total, regardless of the type or model, with reference values of 200 dollars for a desktop computer, 250 dollars for a laptop, and 100 dollars for a tablet.
In household appliances, Customs allows up to two items of the same type, provided that the total value does not exceed the general import limit.
The reference values include 300 dollars for a domestic refrigerator, 350 dollars for a freezer, between 250 and 500 dollars for flat-screen televisions depending on their size, and between 150 and 200 dollars for air conditioning units of up to one ton.
One of the main changes in the regulatory package is the creation of an alternative route to confiscation. According to Decree-Law 132, when Customs detects that an import exceeds the established limits or has a commercial nature, "the individual may opt for formalizing the commercial import of the goods in question before the customs authority." Payment is mandatory in dollars.
The tariff rates for that formal commercial import are progressive: 15% on the value up to 2,000 dollars, 20% on the excess up to 4,000 dollars, 25% up to 6,000 dollars, and 30% above that amount.
For goods arriving via postal shipments, the fee is a fixed 30%. Payment can be made with international or national cards in dollars; cash is only accepted at airports.
Those who do not pay or request the re-shipment of the goods will be subject to administrative sanctions. Additionally, Customs may restrict the right to import for those who repeatedly engage in commercial imports disguised as personal ones.
The Resolution 340/2026 repeals Resolution 175 of 2022 and its amendments, and establishes a comprehensive list of reference values for eleven categories of products, ranging from miscellaneous items and construction materials to vehicles and tools. For items valued by weight, it sets the equivalence of one kilogram equal to 10 dollars.
This regulatory package is the legislative implementation of one of the 176 economic transformations announced by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz before the National Assembly on June 18, 2026, when the regime authorized individuals for the first time to import for commercial purposes, aiming to regulate the activities of those who bring goods from abroad for informal resale on the island.
At the end of September, Marrero stated that the country had already implemented 89% of those measures and published 197 legal norms. Gazette No. 83 represents one of the final links in that process.
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