19 USC § 1496 - Examination of baggage

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t19/s1496"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "19 USC § 1496 - Examination of baggage"
title_number: 19
title_name: "CUSTOMS DUTIES"
section_number: "1496"
section_name: "Examination of baggage"
chapter_number: 4
chapter_name: "TARIFF ACT OF 1930"
part_number: "III"
part_name: "Ascertainment, Collection, and Recovery of Duties"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 496, 46 Stat. 727; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, § 301(b), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 287.)"
---


# § 1496. Examination of baggage

The appropriate customs officer may cause an examination to be made of the baggage of any person arriving in the United States in order to ascertain what articles are contained therein and whether subject to duty, free of duty, or prohibited notwithstanding a declaration and entry therefor has been made.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 496, 46 Stat. 727; Pub. L. 91–271, title III, § 301(b), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 287.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in , . That section was superseded by section 496 of act , comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

### Amendments

1970— substituted reference to appropriate customs officer for reference to collector.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

For effective date of amendment by , see , set out as a note under .