---
type: "LegalText"
title: "19 U.S.C. § 1496"
description: "Examination of baggage"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 19
title_name: "CUSTOMS DUTIES"
chapter_number: "4"
chapter_name: "TARIFF ACT OF 1930"
section: "1496"
citation: "19 U.S.C. § 1496"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc19@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t19/s1496"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-19/usc19.xml"
source_hash: "3c355a02db467a7bb0348a139fb57173a2a6ca56c443138e97fbcbd0191a5e9d"
raw_snapshot_hash: "c90da65eeb9b6895d254e48af923eedc3b1275c7e88d986eb56f934bfcdfdf5c"
text_hash: "bf8f07aacf41c545619e4f914656328f6331e5d42fab7e0892b3272d77a2fd6d"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 19 U.S.C. § 1496 - Examination of baggage

## Text

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.

(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.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

Prior ProvisionsProvisions similar to those in this section were contained in act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, § 496, 42 Stat. 964. That section was superseded by section 496 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.

Amendments1970—Pub. L. 91–271 substituted reference to appropriate customs officer for reference to collector.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1970 AmendmentFor effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 91–271, see section 203 of Pub. L. 91–271, set out as a note under section 1500 of this title.