Can I bring one wooden chopping board into USA in checked in bag?

Question

I have ordered one Teak wood chopping board in India and planning to take that to the US. Will I be able to take that in checked-in luggage into the US? It should be of the size 15-inch x 15 inches. Are there any customs restrictions on these?

Answer 1

The United States Department of Agriculture has a body that controls the import of plant and animal products to the United States, called the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). APHIS has extensive documentation on what cannot be brought into the United States, and which items require special permits. In 2012, APHIS published rules regarding the import of wooden products from China, effectively restricting the import of such products if they were not made from approved manufacturers in China. You can read more on that here. This list also includes wooden kitchenware, which you chopping board is.

After extensively searching the APHIS website, I was unable to find any specific rule restricting the import of a wooden product from India. However, the link above mentions that it might be best to contact APHIS to confirm whether a teak chopping board will be allowed to enter the United States. This document states the email address and phone numbers to contact to be able to check whether you can import such a product.

In short, you will most likely have no issues importing your chopping board as it is not manufactured in China. However, it is better to check with APHIS on whether the product will be restricted.