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ONVOYO

Shipping boxes to and from China

China taxes boxes of personal belongings as personal articles, at one combined rate of 13%, 20%, or 50% depending on the item. Since December 2024, each parcel can be worth up to RMB 2,000 (about $296), and if the tax comes to RMB 50 or less, nothing is due. Give the courier the receiver's ID, list every item honestly, and leave out meat, dairy, eggs, fresh produce, and seeds.

Typical transit
3-6 business days from Europe or North America; 2-4 from elsewhere in Asia
Currency
CNY
Duty-free up to
There is no value-based duty-free limit
Receiver ID
Chinese resident ID card number, or passport number for foreigners

Price a shipment to China

Box size

Choose where it's from and where it's going.

What it costs to ship boxes from the US to China

  • 1 medium box (16 × 16 × 16 in, 20 lb)$164.26delivered in 4 to 7 business days
  • 5 medium boxes (30 lb each)$821.31 totalabout $164.26 a box

Includes pickup at your door, express delivery, fuel and prepared customs paperwork. Import duties and taxes, if any, are set by China and paid by the receiver. Prices updated November 2, 2026.

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Sending to China

Duties and taxes1235612

Duty-free threshold
There is no value-based duty-free limit. Instead, if the tax due on a personal parcel is RMB 50 (about $7) or less, customs waives it. Each parcel taxed as personal articles must be worth RMB 2,000 (about $296) or less, unless it holds a single indivisible item that customs accepts is for personal use. The old limits of RMB 1,000 per parcel, and RMB 800 from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, ended on December 1, 2024.
Import tax
One combined rate replaces customs duty, VAT, and consumption tax on personal articles. 13%: books, newspapers, and educational media; computers, cameras, and other IT products; food and non-alcoholic drinks; gold and silver; furniture; toys and games; medicines. 20%: textiles and clothing, sports and fishing gear (except golf), bicycles, and anything not listed in the other two tiers. 50%: tobacco, alcohol, precious jewelry and gems, golf balls and equipment, high-end watches, high-end cosmetics, and batteries.
How value is worked out
Neither CIF nor FOB. Customs taxes personal articles on a taxable price based on what the goods actually cost. The rules don't add shipping or insurance to it. Tax is worked out in RMB, converting other currencies at the customs rate on the day the declaration is completed. Customs can ask for receipts before release. If it doubts the price, can't establish it, or there is no purchase price, it uses its official taxable price table. If the item's price is at least double or at most half the table figure, customs uses another reasonable method instead, preferring the latest retail price of the same item from the same origin. The published rules have no separate discount for second-hand goods. USD figures here use the official central parity of about CNY 6.75 per USD (September 24, 2026).
Who pays
Shipments are sent DAP. The receiver pays any duties and taxes before or on delivery. The courier may add a clearance or disbursement fee.
Moving there?
There is no general duty-free allowance for household goods sent by courier. Returning Chinese residents can have unaccompanied baggage count toward their RMB 5,000 (about $741) duty-free allowance if they declare it when they land and it arrives within 6 months. Foreigners and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan residents staying a year or more can declare personal effects once they hold a residence permit valid for at least a year: the first declared shipment is duty-free, except vehicles and 20 kinds of taxable goods such as TVs, cameras, computers, appliances, and furniture. Later shipments are taxed.

Worked example

Illustrative: a box of used clothes declared at RMB 1,200 and books at RMB 500, total RMB 1,700 (about $252). Assumes customs accepts the declared values rather than using its own price table.

Clothes: RMB 1,200 x 20% = RMB 240. Books: RMB 500 x 13% = RMB 65. Total tax RMB 305, which is above the RMB 50 waiver, so it is payable.

The receiver pays about RMB 305 (about $45), plus any courier fee. A box of RMB 250 of clothes would owe RMB 50, which is waived.

How customs clearance works in China145

Express carriers declare personal-article parcels to customs with a personal-articles declaration form, the waybill for each parcel, and a copy of the receiver's ID. Customs classifies each item, sets its taxable price, and applies the combined rate. Tax must be paid before release, though couriers can get parcels released first against a tax guarantee and then collect from the receiver.

Formal entry
Parcels over RMB 2,000 (about $296), unless they hold one indivisible personal item, fall outside the personal-articles tax, as do goods beyond reasonable personal quantities. They may be returned, or clear as imported goods with normal duty, VAT, and any consumption tax on a full goods declaration.
How long it takes
Often 1-3 business days after arrival when the receiver's ID and item list are in order. Longer if customs asks for receipts or holds items for quarantine or content checks.
Inspections
Customs can open any express parcel, with the courier present to unpack and repack it. Expect closer checks on food and other plant or animal products, printed matter and media, medicines, and anything that looks commercial or undervalued.
If duties go unpaid
Nothing is released until the tax is paid. Under the passenger baggage rules, goods refused release must be returned within 3 months, and goods left uncleared for 3 months are disposed of by customs. Couriers usually return or abandon unpaid parcels sooner.

Moving to China: claiming duty relief156

  1. 01

    Find the rules that fit you

    Returning Chinese residents use the RMB 5,000 baggage allowance. Foreigners and Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan residents staying a year or more use the rules for non-resident long-term residents. People approved to settle in China use the settlement rules.

  2. 02

    Returning residents: declare on arrival

    List your unaccompanied baggage on your arrival declaration when you land. With customs approval it can arrive within 6 months, and its value is added to what you carried for the RMB 5,000 (about $741) allowance.

  3. 03

    Long-term residents: get your permit first

    You can declare personal effects only once you hold a residence permit valid for at least a year. Fill in the Personal-Use Articles Declaration Form and attach your passport, residence permit, waybill, and packing list.

  4. 04

    Know what is taxed

    Your first declared shipment is duty-free, except vehicles and 20 taxable kinds of goods, such as TVs, cameras, computers, appliances, and furniture. Later shipments are taxed.

  5. 05

    Settling in China

    People approved to settle, such as overseas Chinese, can bring used personal effects within 6 months of approval, with the settlement certificate. Reasonable quantities are duty-free, except items on a taxable list. If they leave to live abroad again within 2 years, the goods must go back or be taxed.

  6. 06

    Keep duty-free goods for 2 years

    Items released duty-free that are sold, rented, or given another use within 2 years need customs approval and owe the tax.

Documents to have ready345

  • Receiver's full name, mobile number, and ID number: Chinese resident ID card, or passport for foreigners (the courier gives customs a copy of the receiver's ID)
  • Itemized packing list with a clear description, quantity, and value for each item, marked as used personal effects or gifts
  • Purchase receipts for newer or valuable items, since customs can ask for proof of price before release
  • Returning residents: passport and the arrival declaration on which you listed your unaccompanied baggage
  • Foreigners staying a year or more: the Personal-Use Articles Declaration Form, passport, residence permit valid for at least a year, waybill, and packing list (Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan residents also need a local residence certificate)

Chinese resident ID card number, or passport number for foreigners: When an express carrier declares a personal-articles parcel, it must give customs a copy of the receiver's identity document along with the declaration and waybill. Collect the receiver's ID details and mobile number before you ship. We ask for it during booking.

Onvoyo prepares the commercial invoice from your contents list. You print three copies, sign them, and send them with your boxes.

Official forms24510

What you can pack, category by category1789

What you can pack, by category
CategoryStatusWhat to know
Clothing and shoesMore on clothesAllowedUsed clothing and textiles in personal quantities. Taxed at 20%, unless the tax on the whole parcel is RMB 50 or less.
Books and papersMore on booksConditionsPersonal quantities, taxed at 13%. Material judged harmful to China's politics, economy, culture, or morals is prohibited.
ElectronicsMore on electronicsConditionsComputers, cameras, and other IT products for personal use are taxed at 13%. Keep batteries installed; batteries on their own are in the 50% tier.
MedicationMore on medicineConditionsPersonal, reasonable quantities, taxed at 13%. No narcotic or psychotropic drugs, and no traditional medicines made from animal parts.
FoodMore on foodConditionsSealed, shelf-stable food, taxed at 13%. No meat, dairy, eggs, fresh produce, or uncanned bird's nest.
Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmeticsConditionsPersonal use. Everyday cosmetics are taxed at 20% and high-end cosmetics at 50%. No aerosols or nail polish.
Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobaccoNot allowedRestricted, taxed at 50%, and generally refused by express carriers. Traveler allowances don't apply to shipments.
Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gearConditionsSports and fishing gear are taxed at 20%, golf balls and equipment at 50%. Clean off all soil, which is banned.
Children's items and toysMore on toys and baby gearAllowedToys and games are taxed at 13%. Remove loose batteries.
Documents and photosMore on documents and photosAllowedPersonal papers and photos are fine. Media judged harmful to China is prohibited.
OtherConditionsFurniture and gold or silver items are taxed at 13%; jewelry, gems, and high-end watches at 50%; most other goods at 20%. Keep each parcel within RMB 2,000.

Quantity limits15911

Quantity limits for China
ItemLimit
Personal parcelsUp to RMB 2,000 (about $296) per parcel under the personal-articles tax. Tax of RMB 50 (about $7) or less is waived.
Returning residentsGoods acquired abroad worth up to RMB 5,000 (about $741) enter duty-free, counting unaccompanied baggage declared on arrival and arriving within 6 months. Non-resident travelers: RMB 2,000 (about $296) for goods staying in China.
Tobacco (travelers only)400 cigarettes (including heated tobacco), or 20 cigars, or 500 g of tobacco, plus 2 e-cigarette devices and 6 pods with up to 12 ml of liquid. Half these amounts when arriving from Hong Kong or Macao, and none under 18. Does not apply to shipments.
Alcohol (travelers only)1.5 liters of drinks with 12% alcohol or more, or 0.75 liters when arriving from Hong Kong or Macao. None under 18. Does not apply to shipments.
Narcotic and Class I psychotropic medicines (travelers only)A person may carry up to one prescription's maximum amount with a medical diagnosis certificate and ID, and customs releases reasonable personal amounts at the border. These can't be shipped in a box.
Cash (travelers)Declare RMB 20,000 (about $2,960) or more in cash, or foreign cash worth USD 5,000 or more, when entering China. Never pack cash in a box.

What you can't send to China12789

Not allowed

  • Aerosols, spray cans, and compressed gas cylinders
  • Flammable liquids and solids: fuel, lighter fluid, paint, nail polish, matches
  • Loose or spare lithium batteries and power banks not installed in a device
  • Cash, gift cards, checks, and other negotiable items
  • Firearms, ammunition, replicas, and weapon parts
  • Perishable food, and meat, dairy, or fresh produce
  • Cannabis, CBD, and THC products, even where they are legal at origin
  • Counterfeit currency and counterfeit securities
  • Printed matter, films, photos, recordings, discs, and storage media judged harmful to China's politics, economy, culture, or morals
  • Highly toxic poisons, and opium, morphine, heroin, cannabis, and other addictive narcotic or psychotropic drugs
  • Live animals and animal genetic material. A pet dog or cat can enter only with its owner, one per person, with official health and vaccination certificates
  • Meat and meat products, raw or cooked, including offal, and raw seafood
  • Animal fats, hides, raw wool, and bones, hooves, teeth, or horns and their products (clean, processed crafts excepted)
  • Milk and dairy products, including cheese, butter, cream, and condensed milk
  • Eggs and egg products, including preserved and salted eggs and mayonnaise
  • Fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh cut flowers, tobacco leaf, and seeds, seedlings, or other plant material that can grow
  • Bird's nest (unless commercially sterilized and canned), and animal-origin feed, fertilizer, and traditional medicine ingredients
  • Soil and organic growing media, animal specimens and carcasses, pathogens, pests, blood and tissue products, and GMO material

Allowed with conditions

Parcels worth more than RMB 2,000
The personal-articles tax covers parcels up to RMB 2,000 (about $296), or one indivisible item worth more. Above that, a parcel may be returned or have to clear as imported goods with full duty and VAT, so split belongings across boxes with honest values.
Medicines
Personal, reasonable quantities only, taxed at 13%. Narcotic and psychotropic medicines can't go in a box: addictive drugs are on China's prohibited list, and even within China, mailing these medicines needs a provincial drug regulator's permit.
Books, printed matter, and media
Personal quantities are fine and taxed at 13%. Customs applies separate rules to printed and audiovisual items, and material judged harmful to China is prohibited.
Food
Only sealed, shelf-stable food outside the quarantine ban, taxed at 13%. Seafood is allowed only if dried, cooked, or made into a fermented sauce. No meat, dairy, eggs, fresh produce, or uncanned bird's nest.
Animal and plant products on the quarantine list
Can enter only with an import permit from the Chinese authorities and an official quarantine certificate from the country of export.
Crafts made of bone, horn, hoof, shell, or eggshell
Allowed only when processed and free of blood, muscle, and fat.
Alcohol, tobacco, and e-cigarettes
On China's restricted list and taxed at 50%. Express carriers generally refuse them in personal boxes, and the traveler allowances don't apply to shipments.
Radio transmitters, encryption devices, and endangered species
Radio transmitters, communication security equipment, and endangered or rare animals and plants (including specimens) are restricted imports that need approval.
Goods beyond personal use
Anything in commercial quantities, or for sale, is taxed as imported goods rather than personal articles.

Sending from China

Shipping boxes out of China24810

Sending used belongings out of China is simple when each box is personal and honestly valued. Customs limits outbound personal parcels to RMB 1,000 (about $148) each, or RMB 800 (about $119) to Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan. Cultural relics need an exit permit, and anything made in 1911 or earlier can't leave at all.

Documents

  • Itemized packing list with a value for each item
  • Sender's ID card or passport (the courier gives customs a copy of the sender's ID)
  • Cultural relics exit permit, with the review body's exit mark on the item, for any cultural relic such as an antique or older artwork
  • Any permit needed for restricted items, such as precious metals, valuable Chinese medicinal materials, or radio equipment
  • Foreigners re-exporting declared personal effects: the Personal-Use Articles Declaration Form, passport, and residence permit

Can't leave the country

  • Cultural relics made in 1911 or earlier can't be exported, relics of value made in 1949 or earlier are barred in principle, and representative ethnic minority relics made in 1966 or earlier are barred
  • Manuscripts, printed matter, and storage media involving state secrets are prohibited
  • Rare and precious animals and plants, including specimens, seeds, and propagation material, are prohibited
  • Precious metals, valuable Chinese medicinal materials, radio equipment, RMB, foreign currency and securities, and other cultural relics are restricted
  • Outbound personal parcels are limited to RMB 1,000 each, or RMB 800 to Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan

Before pickup

  • Don't pack anything that could pass for an antique unless it has an exit permit, or you can show it is a modern piece.
  • Split belongings into several boxes to stay within the outbound value limit.
  • Check the destination's rules before packing tea, dried food, or herbal medicines.
  • Describe every item clearly and value it honestly. The receiving country decides duties.

Addresses, delivery and timing

Writing the address

Write the address in Chinese characters if you can, with a pinyin version. Chinese addresses run from largest to smallest: province, city, district, street, building, and unit. Always include the receiver's mobile number and six-digit postal code.

Li Example (李示例)Room 1203, Building 5, 88 Example RoadChaoyang District, Beijing 100020ChinaMobile: +86 138 0000 0000

Example only; not a real address.

Delivery coverage

Fastest to: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuhan, Nanjing, Xi'an, Chongqing.

Remote areas: Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, and remote parts of Inner Mongolia, Gansu, and Yunnan take longer and may carry remote-area surcharges.

Large coastal cities usually get the fastest service. An accurate item list, the receiver's ID, and a reachable mobile number keep customs checks short.

When things slow down

Chinese New Year (late January or February) closes much of the country for a week or more. The National Day holiday (October 1-7) and the Labor Day holiday in early May also slow customs and delivery. November online shopping festivals cause parcel backlogs.

Advice for your situation

Students

Foreign students with a residence permit valid for a year or more count as non-resident long-term residents and can declare personal effects under those rules. Chinese students returning home are resident travelers: declare unaccompanied baggage when you land so it counts toward the RMB 5,000 allowance, and ship it to arrive within 6 months. Recognized high-level returning scholars have separate rules.

Returning home

Chinese residents coming home can bring goods acquired abroad worth up to RMB 5,000 (about $741) duty-free, including unaccompanied baggage declared on arrival that arrives within 6 months. Boxes sent outside that route are taxed as ordinary personal parcels, up to RMB 2,000 each.

Expats and relocations

Foreigners staying a year or more can declare personal effects once they hold a residence permit valid for at least a year. The first declared shipment is duty-free except vehicles and 20 taxable kinds of goods; later shipments are taxed. Plan one well-packed shipment rather than several.

Tips for a smooth delivery

  • Keep each box at RMB 2,000 (about $296) or less, with honest values. A box holding one indivisible item worth more can still qualify.
  • Get the receiver's ID card or passport number and mobile number before you book. The courier files a copy of the ID with customs.
  • Describe every item specifically. Customs taxes each item by its category, so vague lines like "personal items" cause holds.
  • Leave out meat, dairy, eggs, fresh produce, seeds, and soil. China's quarantine list bans them in parcels.
  • Coming home? Declare your unaccompanied baggage when you land, and ship it so it arrives within 6 months.
  • Avoid shipping around Chinese New Year and the October National Day holiday, when clearance and delivery slow down.

Shipping to and from China: questions

Is there a tax-free limit for parcels to China?

Not a value limit. Instead, if the tax on a personal parcel works out to RMB 50 (about $7) or less, customs waives it. Each parcel must also be worth RMB 2,000 (about $296) or less, unless it holds one indivisible item.

Is the parcel limit still RMB 1,000?

No. Since December 1, 2024, the limit for personal parcels from anywhere abroad, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, is RMB 2,000. The RMB 1,000 and RMB 800 limits now apply only to parcels leaving China.

How much tax will the receiver pay?

Personal articles pay one combined rate of 13%, 20%, or 50%, depending on the item. For example, RMB 1,200 of clothes (20%) and RMB 500 of books (13%) come to RMB 305 (about $45).

Does the receiver in China need an ID number?

Yes. The courier must give customs a copy of the receiver's ID, so have a Chinese resident ID card number, or a passport number for foreigners, ready before you ship.

Can I ship my belongings tax-free when I move to China?

Foreigners staying a year or more can declare personal effects once they hold a residence permit valid for at least a year. The first declared shipment is duty-free, except vehicles and 20 kinds of goods such as TVs, cameras, computers, appliances, and furniture.

Can I send food or medicine to China?

Sealed, shelf-stable food and personal medicines can go, taxed at 13%. Meat, dairy, eggs, fresh produce, seeds, and narcotic or psychotropic drugs can't.

How do I ship boxes from China to another country?

Pack personal items with an itemized, valued list, and keep each box to RMB 1,000 (about $148), or RMB 800 (about $119) to Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan. The receiver pays any import charges at the other end.

Can I ship antiques out of China?

Only with a cultural relics exit permit issued after an official review. Relics made in 1911 or earlier can't leave China at all.

Official help in China

Official sources

Every section above is checked against these official pages. Rules change, and customs in China makes the final decision on every shipment. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

  1. 1.

    Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council (published by the Ministry of Finance)

    进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  2. 2.

    General Administration of Customs (reprinted by the Ministry of Commerce)

    中华人民共和国海关总署公告2024年第176号 (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  3. 3.

    General Administration of Customs (reprinted by the Ministry of Commerce)

    中华人民共和国海关总署公告2024年第175号 (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  4. 4.

    General Administration of Customs (Ministry of Commerce laws database)

    中华人民共和国海关对进出境快件监管办法（2024修正） (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  5. 5.

    General Administration of Customs (State Council Gazette)

    中华人民共和国海关总署令（第235号）海关总署关于修改部分规章的决定 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  6. 6.

    General Administration of Customs (State Council Gazette)

    中华人民共和国海关总署令（第194号）海关总署关于修改《中华人民共和国海关对非居民长期旅客进出境自用物品监管办法》的决定 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  7. 7.

    Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and General Administration of Customs

    中华人民共和国农业农村部、中华人民共和国海关总署公告第470号 (opens in a new tab)

    Biosecurity · checked September 27, 2026

  8. 8.

    General Administration of Customs (gov.cn policy library)

    《中华人民共和国禁止进出境物品表》和《中华人民共和国限制进出境物品表》 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  9. 9.

    State Council (Ministry of Justice national database of laws and regulations)

    麻醉药品和精神药品管理条例 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  10. 10.

    Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau

    5.文物出境许可 (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 27, 2026

  11. 11.

    General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China

    Customs Clearance Guide for International Passengers (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  12. 12.

    State Administration of Foreign Exchange

    人民币汇率中间价 (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 27, 2026

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