Cash reporting thresholds by country
What gets reported, at what amount, by whom, for the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Australia. Every row links to its official source.
As of August 2026: Thresholds and rules on this page change. Each row was checked against the linked official source on the date shown; always confirm against the source before relying on a figure.
Australia
| Report / rule | Threshold | Who files | Regulator | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspicious Matter Report (SMR) | No threshold | All reporting entities (incl. tranche-2 professions since 1 July 2026) | AUSTRAC | Due within 3 business days (24 hours for terrorism financing). Lawyers, accountants, and real estate professionals became reporting entities on 1 July 2026. | AUSTRAC: AML/CTF reform as of August 2026 |
| Threshold Transaction Report (TTR) | A$10,000 or more | Reporting entities handling physical currency | AUSTRAC | Due within 10 business days. New report forms apply from 1 July 2026 under the AML/CTF reforms. | AUSTRAC: transaction reporting changes as of August 2026 |
Canada
| Report / rule | Threshold | Who files | Regulator | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Funds Transfer Report | C$10,000 or more | Banks, MSBs (international transfers) | FINTRAC | International EFTs initiated or received; 24-hour rule applies. | FINTRAC: 24-hour rule guidance as of August 2026 |
| Large Cash Transaction Report (LCTR) | C$10,000 or more | Banks, casinos, MSBs, other reporting entities | FINTRAC | Includes the 24-hour rule: multiple cash amounts totalling C$10,000+ within 24 hours are reported together. | FINTRAC: LCTR guidance as of August 2026 |
| Large Virtual Currency Transaction Report | C$10,000 or more (equivalent) | Reporting entities receiving virtual currency | FINTRAC | Same 24-hour aggregation rule as cash; due within five working days. | FINTRAC: LVCTR guidance as of August 2026 |
| Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) | No threshold | All reporting entities | FINTRAC | Filed on reasonable grounds to suspect money laundering or terrorist financing, at any amount. | FINTRAC: reporting overview as of August 2026 |
European Union
| Report / rule | Threshold | Who files | Regulator | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash border declaration | €10,000 or more | Anyone entering or leaving the EU with cash | National customs (Reg. 2018/1672) | In force since June 2021; covers currency, bearer instruments, certain prepaid cards, and gold. | Regulation (EU) 2018/1672 as of August 2026 |
| Union-wide cash payment limit | €10,000 (cap, not a report) | Traders in goods and services | EU AML Regulation 2024/1624 | A prohibition on larger cash payments, not a reporting duty. Applies from 10 July 2027; member states may set lower limits. | Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 as of August 2026 |
United Kingdom
| Report / rule | Threshold | Who files | Regulator | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash border declaration | £10,000 or more | Anyone carrying cash into or out of Great Britain | HMRC / Border Force | Group totals count. Northern Ireland keeps the €10,000 declaration for non-EU movements and arrivals from GB. | GOV.UK: Take cash in and out of the UK as of August 2026 |
| High Value Dealer registration | £10,000 (cash, per transaction or linked) | Businesses accepting large cash for goods | HMRC | Converted from €10,000 to £10,000 by SI 2026/621, in force 30 June 2026. Registration and AML controls, not a payment ban. | Money Laundering Regulations 2017, reg. 14 (as amended) as of August 2026 |
| Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) | No threshold | Regulated firms (and anyone via voluntary SARs) | National Crime Agency (UKFIU) | The UK has no routine currency-transaction report; SARs under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 are the core mechanism. | NCA: Suspicious Activity Reports as of August 2026 |
United States
| Report / rule | Threshold | Who files | Regulator | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 8300 (cash in trade or business) | More than US$10,000 | Any trade or business receiving cash | IRS / FinCEN | Single or related transactions; related receipts within 24 hours are aggregated; due within 15 days. | IRS: Form 8300 and Reporting Cash Payments as of August 2026 |
| CMIR (FinCEN Form 105) | More than US$10,000 | Anyone moving currency across the US border | FinCEN / CBP | Carrying more is legal; failing to report invites seizure, fines, and up to 10 years' imprisonment. | CBP: Money and Monetary Instruments as of August 2026 |
| Currency Transaction Report (CTR) | More than US$10,000 | Banks, credit unions, casinos, MSBs | FinCEN | Cash in one business day; same-day transactions by or for the same person are aggregated across branches. | 31 CFR 1010.311 as of August 2026 |
| Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) | US$5,000 (banks) / US$2,000 (MSBs) | Banks, MSBs, casinos, brokers | FinCEN | Suspicion-based, not automatic; some conduct is reportable at any amount. Filing is confidential; tipping off the customer is prohibited. | 31 CFR 1020.320 / 1022.320 as of August 2026 |
| Southwest Border GTO (MSBs) | US$1,000–$10,000 | MSBs in designated AZ, CA, NM, TX areas | FinCEN | Temporary geographic targeting order; current order runs March 7 – September 2, 2026. The initial April 2025 order used a $200 floor. | FinCEN Geographic Targeting Order, March 2026 as of August 2026 |
How to read this table
Three different kinds of rule appear above. Transaction reports (CTR, LCTR, TTR) are filed automatically by institutions above a fixed amount: routine, not accusations. Declarations (border cash rules) are filed by the person carrying the money. Suspicion reports (SAR, STR, SMR) have low or no thresholds and are confidential. Deliberately splitting transactions to duck a threshold is structuring, a crime in itself in the United States and a red flag everywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to carry more than $10,000 in cash?
No. In the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, and Australia, carrying large amounts of cash is legal. What the law requires is a report or declaration above the threshold. Failing to declare is the offence, and it can mean seizure of the money.
Do banks tell customers when a report is filed?
Currency reports (CTR, LCTR, TTR) are routine and not secret. Suspicious activity reports are the opposite: the customer is never told, and warning them (tipping off) is itself a crime in most jurisdictions.
Does keeping deposits under the threshold avoid scrutiny?
No. Deliberately splitting transactions to stay under a reporting threshold is structuring, a crime in itself in the US and reportable as suspicious everywhere. Banks aggregate same-day and 24-hour activity and monitor for near-threshold patterns.