Legal Question in Constitutional Law in California

Re: carrying cash

There is no law against carrying cash, in any amount. If you cross a US border in either direction with $10,000 or more you must file a report with US Customs. In using your judgment on whether carrying X amount of cash is or is not a good idea under any particular set of circumstances, be aware that police officers have sometimes seized lawfully-possessed cash claiming it is "drug money." The person in possession of the cash is then in the position of having to hire a lawyer to fight to get his or her own money back. If you have a legitimate reason for carrying the cash, for example you won it gambling in Las Vegas, it will be helpful to carry documentation of some sort (such as a letter from the casino saying this was a verified win).