Buying and exporting a Buddha statue from Sri Lanka legally what are the actual rules

Customs perspective, clear rules. (1) SMALL modern Buddha figures (typically hand-sized, up to ~30 cm) purchased at a licensed shop can be freely exported by tourists for personal use - just keep the shop RECEIPT with the shop name, address, price and material clearly stated. (2) LARGER modern statues (>30cm, especially bronze or elaborate wooden pieces) require an EXPORT PERMIT from the Department of Cultural Affairs / Central Cultural Fund, obtainable at their Colombo office or via reputable art dealers who bundle the permit into the sale price. Cost is nominal but the paperwork takes 1-3 working days. (3) ANTIQUE statues (>100 years old, or claiming to be) CANNOT be exported without a specific antiquities clearance under the Antiquities Ordinance - this is strictly regulated and rarely granted for private export. Most "antique" statues sold to tourists in "antique shops" are actually reproductions; if it were genuinely antique it could not legally leave the country. Airport customs at CMB do random-check Buddha statues in checked luggage.