Transportation of Currency 
or Monetary Instruments(p49)

FinCEN Form 105 (formerly Customs Form 4790), Report of International Transportation of Currency or Monetary Instruments, must be filed by each person who physically transports, mails, or ships, or causes to be physically transported, mailed, or shipped, currency or other monetary instruments in a total amount of more than $10,000 at one time from the United States to any place outside the United States, or into the United States from any place outside the United States. The filing requirement also applies to each person who receives in the United States currency or monetary instruments totaling more than $10,000 at one time from any place outside of the United States.

The term "monetary instruments" means the following:

• Coin and currency of the United States or of any other country,
• Travelers' checks in any form,
• Investment securities or stock in bearer form or otherwise in such form that title to them passes upon delivery,
• Negotiable instruments (including checks, promissory notes, and money orders) in bearer form, endorsed without restriction, made out to a fictitious payee, or otherwise in such form that title to them passes upon delivery, and
• Checks, promissory notes, and money orders which are signed but on which the name of the payee has been omitted.

However, the term does not include:

• Checks or money orders made payable to the order of a named person which have not been endorsed or which contain restrictive endorsements,
• Warehouse receipts, or
• Bills of lading.

A transfer of funds through normal banking procedures (wire transfer) that does not involve the physical transportation of currency or bearer monetary instruments is not required to be reported on FinCEN Form 105.

FinCEN Form 105 filing requirements follow.

Each person who receives currency or other monetary instruments in the United States must file FinCEN Form 105 within 15 days after receipt, with the Customs officer in charge at any port of entry or departure, or by mail at the following address.

Commissioner of Customs  
Attention: Currency Transportation Reports 
Washington, DC 20229

If the currency or other monetary instrument does not accompany the person entering or departing the United States, FinCEN Form 105 can be filed by mail at the above address on or before the date of entry, departure, mailing, or shipping.

Travelers must file FinCEN Form 105 with the Customs officer in charge at any Customs port of entry or departure, when entering or departing the United States.

Civil and criminal penalties are provided for failing to file a report, filing a report containing material omissions or misstatements, or filing a false or fraudulent report. Also, the entire amount of the currency or monetary instrument may be subject to seizure and forfeiture.

More information regarding the filing of FinCEN Form 105 can be found in the instructions on the back of the form.