Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 5. FX and capital controls › Cash in the Dominican Republic: US$10,000 at the border, US$15,000 reporting and banned cash payments

Cash in the Dominican Republic: US$10,000 at the border, US$15,000 reporting and banned cash payments

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Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Stable

Anyone entering or leaving must declare cash or bearer instruments of US$10,000 or more to customs. Financial institutions report cash operations of US$15,000 or more to the financial intelligence unit. Separately, cash payment is banned above fixed amounts for property, vehicles, shares and luxury goods.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar for 29 October 2026, as shown on its home page on the verification date, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Cash declaration at the border	10000 USDLey 155-17 art. 65, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Cash transaction report	15000 USDLey 155-17 art. 52, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Limit on cash carried across the border	None found, declaration only textLey 155-17 art. 65, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Cash limit on real estate	1000000 DOPLey 155-17 art. 64 literal a, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Cash limit on share transfers	250000 DOPLey 155-17 art. 64 literal f, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. Every person entering or leaving the country by air, sea or land must file a customs declaration saying whether they carry money, electronic purses, securities or bearer negotiable instruments equal to or above US$10,000 or the equivalent, with identity, origin, destination, amount, source and use.Ley 155-17 contra el Lavado de Activos, art. 65, 2017-06-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. A person entering or leaving, or sending by public or private mail, money or bearer securities above US$10,000 without declaring, or declaring falsely, faces six months to one year of prison, confiscation of the undeclared amount and a fine of 40 to 60 minimum wages.Ley 155-17 contra el Lavado de Activos, art. 4 numeral 12, 2017-06-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Obligated subjects record and report as cash transactions all client operations equal to or above US$15,000 or the equivalent. Casinos report from US$3,000.Ley 155-17 contra el Lavado de Activos, art. 52 and paragraph, 2017-06-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. Records for the prior month go to the Unidad de Análisis Financiero within the first 10 calendar days, and copies are kept for at least 10 years.Ley 155-17 contra el Lavado de Activos, art. 53, 2017-06-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. Multiple cash transactions at one entity that together reach US$15,000 in 24 hours, for the same person, are treated as one transaction.Ley 155-17 contra el Lavado de Activos, art. 54, 2017-06-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. Banks and exchange intermediaries report separately purchases and sales of cash and other means of payment of US$15,000 or more, with names, addresses and purpose, and must ask clients for the information.Reglamento Cambiario, Primera Resolución JM 250911-01, art. 59 and paragraph, 2025-09-11 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. Paying or accepting payment in cash, in pesos or any other currency, or in precious metals, is prohibited above the amounts in the table. The amounts can be indexed by resolution of the Comité Nacional contra el Lavado de Activos.Ley 155-17 contra el Lavado de Activos, art. 64 and paragraph I, 2017-06-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. Notaries and registrars must not process banned cash operations without proof of the means of payment, and can face six months to one year of prison.Ley 155-17 contra el Lavado de Activos, art. 64 paragraph II and art. 4 numeral 11, 2017-06-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. Breach of art. 64 by an obligated subject is listed as a very serious administrative infraction.Ley 155-17 contra el Lavado de Activos, art. 69 literal i, 2017-06-01 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Operation	Cash banned above	About
Rights over real estate	RD$1,000,000	US$16,420.17
Vehicles, aircraft and boats	RD$500,000	US$8,210.09
Watches, precious jewellery, art	RD$450,000	US$7,389.08
Betting tickets and prizes	RD$250,000	US$4,105.04
Playing in casinos and lotteries	RD$250,000	US$4,105.04
Shares or company interests	RD$250,000	US$4,105.04
Use rights over real estate, vehicles or valuables	RD$250,000	US$4,105.04

Cash payment limits under Ley 155-17 art. 64 (statutory amounts; no indexation resolution found)

Worked example

A traveller carrying US$12,000, about RD$730,808 at the reference rate, declares it on the customs form and may carry it through. Leaving it out risks confiscation of the full undeclared amount, a fine and prison.

Step by step

Declare at customs when you reach US$10,000 in total, counting bearer instruments.
Carry proof of source and intended use.
Close property and share deals by wire or check, and keep proof for the notary.
Expect your bank to ask about any cash operation near US$15,000.

Common traps

Art. 65 says equal to or above US$10,000 while the offence in art. 4 says exceeding it. Declare at exactly US$10,000 as well.
Splitting cash deposits inside 24 hours does not avoid reporting.
The fine is stated in minimum wages, not pesos, so check the amount that applies at the date.
Art. 64 applies to all persons, not only to obligated subjects.

Sources

Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X · where Argentina is involved, see The Argentine Thread guide

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