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Asia Pacific

Shipping from China to Taiwan

China → Taiwan · clearance by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance

Freight forwarding from China to Taiwan, Taiwan — container and air cargo handling
Cargo handling on the China–Taiwan lane.

For buyers shipping into Taiwan, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Taiwan is served through Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung; cargo enters through TPE air / Keelung sea, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.

Clearance itself is handled by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, and typical dwell at the gateway runs 1–3 days.

Routing and transit on this lane

Taiwan is effectively an overnight air lane and a two-to-four-day sea lane from South China. The frequency-based de-minimis rule matters more than the value threshold: a consignee who receives more than two low-value parcels in six months loses the exemption entirely, which catches repeat e-commerce buyers.

Air gateways usedTPE (Taoyuan), KHH (Kaohsiung)
Air transit, China to gateway1–2 business days
Sea gateways usedKaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung
Sea transit, China to gateway2–4 calendar days
Gateway serving TaiwanTPE air / Keelung sea
Inland leg to TaiwanSame day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell1–3 days
Peak season to plan aroundSep–Nov

Delivery cities in Taiwan

Principal delivery points: Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Hsinchu. Pick a city for the gateway it uses and the inland leg beyond clearance.

Taipei Capital and headquarters market TPE air / Keelung sea · inland same day New Taipei The largest industrial and residential belt TPE air / Taipei Port sea · inland same day Taoyuan Airport city and electronics manufacturing base TPE air / Taipei Port sea · inland same day Taichung Machine tool and precision component center RMQ air / Taichung sea · inland same day Tainan Semiconductor and science park cluster TPE air / Kaohsiung sea · inland same day Kaohsiung The island's main container port KHH air / Kaohsiung sea · inland same day Hsinchu The science park at the core of the chip industry TPE air / Taipei Port sea · inland same day Keelung Northern port city with immediate quayside access Keelung sea · inland same day
Container yard operations used on the China to Taiwan (Taiwan) freight lane
Consolidation and handling before departure for Taiwan.

Import duty and tax position for Taiwan

Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Taiwan consignees. Current regime: Business tax 5%; duty 0–30% depending on commodity, with a de-minimis position of TWD 2,000, and only twice in any six-month window per consignee.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: BSMI commodity inspection mark for electrical and consumer goods; NCC approval for radio devices. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for Taiwan: Certain mainland-origin goods remain on Taiwan's restricted import list — check the commodity classification before booking. BSMI inspection applies to a wide range of consumer electronics and children's products.

Air, sea or overland into Taiwan?

ModeTransit to gatewayBest suited to
✈️ Air Freight1–2 business daystime-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo
🚢 Sea Freight2–4 calendar daysvolume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed

Transit shown is China departure to the Taiwan gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Taiwan and 1–3 days of clearance.

What to sort out before the cargo leaves China

  • Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Taiwan duty rate against it yourself.
  • Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
  • Get the conformity paperwork moving early: BSMI commodity inspection mark for electrical and consumer goods; NCC approval for radio devices.
  • Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Taiwan lane.
  • Put the Taiwan delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
  • Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Taiwan take?

China to the Taiwan gateway is 1–2 business days by air, 2–4 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 1–3 days of clearance with Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance and a same-day inland leg to Taiwan.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Taiwan?

Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance applies: Business tax 5%; duty 0–30% depending on commodity. The de-minimis position is TWD 2,000, and only twice in any six-month window per consignee. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Taiwan.

Which port or airport does cargo for Taiwan clear through?

Cargo for Taiwan is routed via TPE air / Keelung sea. Sea gateways for Taiwan are Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung; air gateways are TPE (Taoyuan), KHH (Kaohsiung). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.

Can you deliver door-to-door in Taiwan?

Yes. Delivery to a Taiwan address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.

Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Taiwan?

Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via TPE (Taoyuan), KHH (Kaohsiung). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.

Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Taiwan?

Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 2–4 calendar days by sea versus 1–2 business days by air to the Taiwan gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Taiwan change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance or your broker before you ship.

Page data last reviewed: 10 月 2026.

Shipping by industry

This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.

All 60 industry guides →

Checking the Taiwan duty position yourself

Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.

Most landed-cost surprises trace back to classification rather than freight. the WCO Harmonized System defines the heading structure every customs administration builds on, and ITC Market Access Map will show you the duty a given heading attracts in this destination.

For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.

For a wider view of how importing into Taiwan actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Taiwan customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.

Watch: the process behind this route

This guide covers routing and clearance for Taiwan. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.

Ocean Freight 101 - What Is LCL Ocean Freight — Flexport. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.

Get a rate for Taiwan

This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a rate card: the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we price it properly.

Answer these and you get a real price, not a range. These are the exact figures a carrier needs before it will quote. Fill them in once and we can price your cargo the same day — leave them out and we have to come back and ask, which is what turns an hour into a week.

kg
ctn
Carton sizeoptional
× × cm
m³
ctr
Built-in battery?* Lithium cells are dangerous goods.
Someone else's brand?* Logos you are not authorised to ship.
Magnetic product?* Speakers, motors, magnets.
Why these three decide everything

They determine whether your cargo can fly, and on which service. A declared battery changes the price; an undeclared one grounds the shipment at the airport and you pay storage while it sits. Unauthorised brands are seized at customs and the freight is lost with them. Magnetic goods need a field test — routine, but it has to be booked ahead. Telling us now costs a click; telling us later costs the shipment.

Sea or air?*
Tick both and we quote both.
When should it move?optional
Photographs of the goodsoptional
    Your details are used to prepare this quotation and nothing else.

    See the Taiwan route page →

    Customs clearance in Taiwan

    Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.

    Taiwan clearance requirements →

    Priced routes to Taiwan