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ONVOYO

Shipping boxes to and from South Korea

South Korea clears personal parcels quickly when the paperwork is right. Every receiver needs a Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC), and from 2026 it must be renewed each year. Personal-use goods with a price of USD 150 or less (USD 200 for boxes from the US) usually pay nothing, and people moving to Korea can bring used household goods free of duty and VAT.

Typical transit
2-5 business days from Europe or North America; 1-3 from elsewhere in Asia
Currency
KRW
Duty-free up to
Personal-use goods received by a resident of Korea with a goods price of USD 150 (about KRW 206,000) or less are free of duty and VAT
Receiver ID
PCCC: Personal Customs Clearance Code (개인통관고유부호)

Price a shipment to South Korea

Box size

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

What it costs to ship boxes from the US to South Korea

  • 1 medium box (16 × 16 × 16 in, 20 lb)$136.94delivered in 4 to 7 business days
  • 5 medium boxes (30 lb each)$684.69 totalabout $136.94 a box

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

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Sending to South Korea

Duties and taxes156789

Duty-free threshold
Personal-use goods received by a resident of Korea with a goods price of USD 150 (about KRW 206,000) or less are free of duty and VAT. Boxes shipped from the United States get USD 200 (about KRW 275,000) when they qualify for list clearance; boxes that need a full declaration (for example because they hold food or medicine) get USD 150. Gifts follow the same limit. The goods price leaves out international shipping and insurance when they are shown separately. Boxes on one waybill are added together, and above the limit duty and VAT apply to the whole value, not just the excess.
Import tax
VAT (부가가치세) at 10%, charged on the customs value plus duty and any excise taxes. Duty depends on each item's tariff line. Alcohol and tobacco pay their excise taxes even under the duty-free limit.
How value is worked out
CIF for duty and VAT: the customs value includes international shipping and insurance to Korea. The USD 150 (or USD 200) duty-free test uses the goods price, which leaves out international shipping and insurance when they are shown separately. Customs converts foreign-currency values at a weekly rate that KCS sets from the average of the previous week's base rates. For September 27 to October 3, 2026 it was KRW 1,376.03 per US dollar. Declare an honest current value for used items. False value declarations can be punished under the Customs Act.
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?
Foreigners and overseas Korean permanent residents moving to Korea for at least a year (6 months with family), and Korean nationals returning after living abroad for at least a year (6 months with family), can bring used household goods free of duty and VAT. Items must have been used for at least 3 months before you arrive, and boxes sent separately must reach Korea within 6 months of your entry. Cars (unless exported from Korea), items used under 3 months, jewelry and similar pieces worth KRW 5 million (about USD 3,600) or more each, and furniture or appliances beyond set quantities are taxed. Declare the goods on a Moving-Goods Declaration in your own name.

Worked example

Illustrative: a box of used clothing and household items with a goods price of USD 400, plus USD 100 of international shipping and insurance, so a customs value of USD 500 (about KRW 688,015 at KCS's rate of KRW 1,376.03). Not moving goods. Assumes a duty rate of 8%; the real rate depends on each item's tariff line.

Duty: 8% x KRW 688,015 = KRW 55,041. VAT: 10% x (KRW 688,015 + KRW 55,041) = KRW 74,306. Total KRW 129,347.

About KRW 129,000 (about USD 94), plus any courier fee. The same kind of box with a goods price of USD 150 or less would owe nothing.

How customs clearance works in South Korea168

Every express parcel goes through Korea Customs Service. Personal-use goods up to USD 150 (USD 200 from the US) clear on the courier's clearance list with no import declaration, using the receiver's PCCC. Goods over that and up to USD 2,000 go on a simplified import declaration, which customs can accept without inspection when the details look accurate.

Formal entry
A general import declaration is needed above USD 2,000, and for goods excluded from list clearance: medicines, herbal medicines, supplements, food, alcohol, tobacco, quarantine items, wildlife products, certain cosmetics, suspected fakes, and weapons. Split shipments that add up to more than USD 150 also lose list clearance. Moving goods go on a Moving-Goods Declaration.
How long it takes
Often 1-2 business days after arrival when the PCCC, name, and values match. Longer for general declarations, quarantine, or goods that need approval.
Inspections
Every express parcel is X-rayed, with random physical checks. Goods split across shipments to stay under the limit can be added together and taxed, even after delivery. Quarantine items, medicines, and supplements are checked against their own rules before release.
If duties go unpaid
Parcels wait in a customs storage area. By law, goods can stay in a designated storage area for up to 6 months as KCS sets, and customs can extend this by up to 3 months. After that, customs can sell them after a public notice. The courier's own holding period can be much shorter, so pay or respond quickly.

Moving to South Korea: claiming duty relief279

  1. 01

    Check you qualify

    Foreigners and overseas Korean permanent residents moving to Korea for at least a year (6 months with family), or Korean nationals returning after living abroad that long. Foreigners staying 3 to 6 months get relief only for personal effects used for 3 months or more, not cars.

  2. 02

    Prove your stay

    Foreigners use the alien registration card (or the visa before it's issued) or a Korean employment contract. Overseas permanent residents returning for good use a passport validity certificate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Returning Koreans should keep proof of their time abroad.

  3. 03

    Check what's covered

    Household goods used at least 3 months before you arrive. Furniture and appliances are limited by family size: 1 of each for 1-2 people, 2 for 3-4, 3 for 5-8, and 4 for 9 or more. Cars (unless exported from Korea), items used under 3 months, and jewelry worth KRW 5 million or more each are taxed.

  4. 04

    Ship on time

    Boxes sent separately must reach Korea within 6 months of your entry, counted to the day the plane or ship carrying them arrives. Naturalized citizens and people restoring Korean nationality count from that date instead. Death or illness can waive the residence period.

  5. 05

    Declare in your name

    File the Moving-Goods Declaration in your own name with the packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, passport, and ID documents. Use the power of attorney form if a broker or the courier files for you. Customs may ask for a clearance statement of the main items you carried in, from the customs office where you entered.

Documents to have ready123458

  • Receiver's Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC), valid and registered in the same name as on the waybill
  • Itemized packing list with a precise description and fair value for each item, marked as used personal effects or gift
  • For moving goods: Moving-Goods Declaration, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, passport, and alien registration card or visa with a Korean employment certificate (foreigners), or proof of your time abroad (returning Koreans)
  • Power of attorney if a customs broker or the courier files the moving-goods declaration for you
  • A Korean doctor's prescription for medicines prone to misuse, or a doctor's opinion for more than 6 bottles of supplements

PCCC: Personal Customs Clearance Code (개인통관고유부호): A code of P plus 12 digits that Korea Customs Service issues in place of a resident registration number to identify the receiver. Apply on the KCS e-commerce customs portal after an identity check. Foreigners need an alien registration card (or residence certificate) and a Korean mobile phone or certificate in their own name, or can apply in person at a customs office. From 2026 each code is valid for one year; codes issued before 2026 expire on the holder's birthday in 2027. If the receiver has no alien registration card yet, sort this out with the courier 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 forms2511

What you can pack, category by category168912

What you can pack, by category
CategoryStatusWhat to know
Clothing and shoesMore on clothesAllowedUsed clothing for personal use is fine. Boxes with a goods price up to USD 150 (USD 200 from the US) clear free of duty and VAT.
Books and papersMore on booksConditionsBooks for personal use are fine, and books can be exempt from import VAT. Materials that threaten the constitutional order, public safety, or public morals are banned.
ElectronicsMore on electronicsConditionsPersonal quantities only, with batteries installed in the device.
MedicationMore on medicineConditionsUp to 6 bottles in total, or a 3-month supply at the labeled dose. Medicines prone to misuse only as prescribed by a Korean doctor. Expect a full declaration.
FoodMore on foodConditionsSealed, shelf-stable food in personal amounts (for example 5 kg per item). No list clearance, and quarantine items must pass inspection. Leave out meat and fresh produce.
Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmeticsConditionsPersonal quantities. No aerosols or nail polish. Cosmetics with placenta, steroids, or unidentified ingredients need a full declaration.
Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobaccoNot allowedCouriers generally refuse them. If carried, the self-use limit is 1 bottle (1 liter) of alcohol or 200 cigarettes, and excise taxes apply even under USD 150.
Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gearConditionsClean gear well. No fuel canisters or gas cartridges. Firearms, swords, and gunpowder need customs confirmation.
Children's items and toysMore on toys and baby gearAllowedUsed toys are fine. Remove loose batteries.
Documents and photosMore on documents and photosAllowedRecords, documents, and other papers can enter free of duty. Photos and albums are fine.
OtherConditionsSeeds need a phytosanitary certificate. Plants, wildlife products, antiques, and weapons face extra checks. Declare them clearly.

Quantity limits1578

Quantity limits for South Korea
ItemLimit
Personal shipmentsGoods price up to USD 150 (about KRW 206,000), or USD 200 (about KRW 275,000) for qualifying boxes from the US: no duty or VAT. Boxes on one waybill are added together.
MedicinesUp to 6 bottles in total, or a 3-month supply at the labeled dose. Medicines prone to misuse only as prescribed by a Korean doctor.
Health supplementsUp to 6 bottles in total without extra checks; more needs a Korean doctor's opinion or approval.
Alcohol (shipments)1 bottle (1 liter or less) as a self-use shipment. Liquor and education taxes apply even under USD 150.
Tobacco (shipments)200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 20 ml of nicotine liquid, or 250 g of other tobacco. If you send two kinds, the limit covers only one. Excise taxes always apply.
Perfume (shipments)60 ml as a self-use shipment.
FoodPersonal amounts such as 5 kg each of honey, sesame oil, mushrooms, walnuts, or seafood, 1 kg of pine nuts, and 300 g of ginseng. Quarantine items must still pass inspection.
Travelers onlyUSD 800 (about KRW 1.1 million) of duty-free goods in a traveler's own baggage, plus separate alcohol, tobacco, and perfume allowances. Baggage sent separately may share it if it arrives within 6 months; ordinary courier boxes use the USD 150 limit.

What you can't send to South Korea1267812

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
  • Books, films, recordings, and other materials that threaten the constitutional order, public safety, or public morals
  • Items that leak government secrets or are used for espionage
  • Counterfeit or altered currency, bonds, and securities
  • Narcotics and other controlled drugs, unless licensed under Korea's narcotics law

Allowed with conditions

Medicines
Up to 6 bottles in total, or more if needed for a 3-month course at the labeled dose. Medicines prone to misuse only in the amount on a Korean doctor's prescription. Medicines can't use list clearance, so the box needs a full import declaration.
Health supplements
Up to 6 bottles in total without extra checks. More can clear with a Korean doctor's opinion; otherwise it needs approval. Products with CITES ingredients such as musk, products the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has banned or flagged as harmful, unclear ingredient labels, and single medicines with ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, ergotamine, or ergometrine need approval first.
Food and farm products
Personal amounts only, for example 5 kg each of sesame oil, honey, mushrooms, walnuts, jerky, or seafood, and 1 kg of pine nuts. Anything covered by plant, animal, or aquatic-animal quarantine laws must pass quarantine even within these amounts, and food can't use list clearance.
Ginseng and herbal medicines
Ginseng (fresh, white, or red) up to 300 g in total, sanghwang mushroom 300 g, deer antler 150 g after quarantine, and other herbal medicines 3 kg each. Larger amounts need approval.
Seeds and pollen
Since September 5, 2026, seeds and pollen sent by mail, by courier, or in moving goods must come with a phytosanitary certificate.
Alcohol, tobacco, and perfume
Self-use limits for a shipment: 1 bottle of alcohol (1 liter or less), 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, and 60 ml of perfume. Alcohol always pays liquor and education taxes, and tobacco pays excise taxes, even under USD 150.
Cosmetics
Cosmetics with placenta or steroids, and those with unidentified ingredients, can't use list clearance and need a full declaration.
Firearms, swords, and gunpowder
Customs must confirm the clearance requirements under Article 226 of the Customs Act before release.
Wildlife products
Items made from animals or plants protected under CITES, such as ivory or musk, are restricted by separate laws and can be refused even in small amounts. They can't use list clearance.
Suspected counterfeits
Goods suspected of infringing trademarks or other IP rights can't use list clearance and go through a full declaration.
Jewelry and valuables in moving goods
Jewelry, pearls, coral, amber, ivory, and tortoiseshell items worth KRW 5 million (about USD 3,600) or more each are taxed even as moving goods.

Sending from South Korea

Shipping boxes out of South Korea61011

Sending your own used belongings out of Korea by express courier is simple: the courier files the export declaration from your packing list. The main rule to know is for antiques and old art. Anything that could be mistaken for cultural heritage needs a free confirmation from the Korea Heritage Service before it leaves.

Documents

  • Itemized packing list with fair values, marked as used personal effects or gift
  • Sender's passport or alien registration card
  • Confirmation for exporting non-designated heritage (비지정유산 국외반출 확인서) for antiques, old paintings, ceramics, or old books

Can't leave the country

  • Movable cultural heritage can't be exported, except for museum exhibitions and research exchanges approved by the Korea Heritage Service
  • Items that could be mistaken for cultural heritage need Korea Heritage Service confirmation before they leave
  • Materials that threaten the constitutional order or public morals, counterfeit currency and securities, and espionage items can't be exported either
  • Narcotics and other controlled drugs need a license to leave Korea
  • Couriers won't carry cash or negotiable instruments

Before pickup

  • Apply for the heritage confirmation online with a 15 x 10 cm photo of each item. There is no fee.
  • Buying antiques or antique-style pieces to take home? Keep receipts and ask the seller about heritage confirmation.
  • Describe contents precisely. Vague lists slow checks at both ends.
  • Check the destination's rules for red ginseng, kimchi, and other Korean foods before packing.

Addresses, delivery and timing

Writing the address

Use the road-name address with the five-digit postal code. Write it in Korean if you can, or in English from the apartment and building number up to the district and city. Include the receiver's mobile number and give the courier the receiver's PCCC.

Minji ExampleApt 502, 12 Example-ro 34-gilMapo-gu, Seoul 04000Republic of KoreaMobile: +82 10 0000 0000PCCC: P000000000000

Example only; not a real address.

Delivery coverage

Fastest to: Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan, Suwon.

Remote areas: Jeju and smaller islands such as Ulleungdo can take an extra day or more and may carry surcharges.

Delivery is fast across the mainland. Most delays come from a missing, expired, or mismatched PCCC.

When things slow down

Seollal (Lunar New Year, January or February) and Chuseok (September or October) close much of the country for several days and cause parcel backlogs. Online shopping peaks in November and December also slow customs.

Advice for your situation

Students

Foreign students need an alien registration card and a PCCC before boxes arrive. Apply for the PCCC online with a Korean mobile phone in your name, or at a customs office. Students staying a year or more may qualify for moving-goods relief; otherwise keep the goods price at USD 150 or less where that is honest.

Returning home

Koreans who lived abroad for at least a year (6 months with family) can bring used household goods free of duty and VAT, if the goods were used for 3 months or more and arrive within 6 months of your return. Overseas permanent residents follow the foreigners' rules. Check the documents with customs before you ship.

Expats and relocations

Moving to Korea for a year or more? Ship used household goods to arrive within 6 months of your arrival and file a Moving-Goods Declaration. Get your alien registration card and PCCC early, and renew the PCCC every year from 2026.

Tips for a smooth delivery

  • Get the receiver's PCCC before you book, and check the name matches. From 2026 the code must be renewed every year.
  • Keep the goods price at USD 150 or less (USD 200 from the US) where that is honest. Show shipping separately, and remember boxes on one waybill are added together.
  • Leave out food, medicines, and supplements if you can. Any of them takes the box out of list clearance and into a full declaration.
  • Moving? Ship so boxes arrive within 6 months of your entry, and keep proof the items were used for at least 3 months.
  • Sending seeds? Since September 5, 2026 they need a phytosanitary certificate.
  • Describe each item precisely. Vague or wrong descriptions lose list clearance.

Shipping to and from South Korea: questions

What is a PCCC and how do I get one?

It's the Personal Customs Clearance Code: a P plus 12 digits that Korea Customs Service issues in place of a resident registration number. Apply on the KCS e-commerce customs portal after an identity check. Foreigners need an alien registration card and a Korean mobile phone or certificate in their own name, or can apply at a customs office.

Does the PCCC expire?

Yes, from 2026. New codes are valid for one year, and codes issued before 2026 expire on the holder's birthday in 2027. Renew within 30 days before or after the expiry date, or the code is canceled automatically. Updating your details or getting a new code resets the year.

How much can I send to South Korea duty-free?

Personal-use goods with a price of USD 150 or less, or USD 200 for boxes from the US that qualify for list clearance. Gifts follow the same limit. Above it, duty and 10% VAT apply to the whole value, including shipping.

Do several boxes count separately?

Not if they travel on one waybill. Customs adds together goods that arrive on one air waybill, so a multi-box shipment is judged on its total value. Splitting goods to stay under the limit can be taxed later.

Can I send medicine or vitamins to Korea?

Yes, in personal amounts: up to 6 bottles of medicine (or a 3-month supply) and 6 bottles of supplements. They need a full import declaration, and medicines prone to misuse need a Korean doctor's prescription.

Can I bring my household goods duty-free when moving to Korea?

Yes, if you're a foreigner moving for a year or more (6 months with family), or a Korean returning after that long abroad. The goods must have been used for at least 3 months and arrive within 6 months of you, declared on a Moving-Goods Declaration.

How long does shipping boxes to South Korea take?

Express usually takes 2-5 business days from Europe or North America and 1-3 from elsewhere in Asia, plus customs time. A missing or expired PCCC is the most common cause of delay.

How do I ship my things out of South Korea?

Book an express courier with an itemized list and fair values. For antiques or old art, get a confirmation from the Korea Heritage Service first. It's free and takes about 4 working days for mail and cargo.

Official help in South Korea

Official sources

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

  1. 1.

    Korea Customs Service

    Express Cargo Clearance (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  2. 2.

    Korea Customs Service

    Customs Clearance for Moving Household Effects to Korea [for foreigners] (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  3. 3.

    Korea Customs Service

    개인통관고유부호, 2026년부터는 매년 갱신해 주세요 (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  4. 4.

    Korea Customs Service

    Personal Customs Code (PCC) issuance FAQ (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 26, 2026

  5. 5.

    Korea Customs Service

    주간 환율 | 관세청 전자상거래 통관포털 (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  6. 6.

    Korean Law Information Center (Ministry of Government Legislation)

    관세법 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  7. 7.

    Korean Law Information Center (Ministry of Government Legislation)

    관세법 시행규칙 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  8. 8.

    Korean Law Information Center (Korea Customs Service notice)

    수입통관 사무처리에 관한 고시 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 26, 2026

  9. 9.

    Korean Law Information Center (Ministry of Government Legislation)

    부가가치세법 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  10. 10.

    Korean Law Information Center (Ministry of Government Legislation)

    문화유산의 보존 및 활용에 관한 법률 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  11. 11.

    Government24 (Korea Heritage Service procedure)

    비지정유산 확인 | 민원안내 및 신청 | 정부24 (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 27, 2026

  12. 12.

    Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency

    종자류, 수분용 화분 식물검역증명서 의무화 안내 (opens in a new tab)

    Biosecurity · checked September 26, 2026

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