Air Freight from China to Keelung
China → Keelung · via Keelung sea · clearance by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance
We move air freight cargo from South China into Keelung through Keelung sea. Keelung is northern port city with immediate quayside access, which shapes the kind of cargo that moves on this lane and how it should be packed.
The clearing authority is Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance. Historical dwell on this gateway is around 1–3 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.
What you will pay on arrival in Taiwan
Imports into Taiwan are cleared by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance. The headline position is: Business tax 5%; duty 0–30% depending on commodity. The de-minimis threshold is 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.
How this lane actually runs
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 used | TPE (Taoyuan), KHH (Kaohsiung) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 1–2 business days |
| Gateway serving Keelung | Keelung sea |
| Inland leg to Keelung | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 1–3 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Confirm the consignee in Keelung can act as importer of record — Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Put the Keelung delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Keelung.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Taiwan duty rate against it yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Keelung take?
China to the Taiwan gateway is 1–2 business days. On top of that, allow 1–3 days of clearance with Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance and a same-day inland leg to Keelung.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Keelung?
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 Keelung.
Which port or airport does cargo for Keelung clear through?
Cargo for Keelung is routed via 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 Keelung?
Yes. Delivery to a Keelung 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.
What certification do I need for Taiwan?
For regulated goods, plan for: BSMI commodity inspection mark for electrical and consumer goods; NCC approval for radio devices. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Keelung?
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.
Other delivery cities in Taiwan
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.
- Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance
- Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI)
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
- IMO — IMDG Code for dangerous goods by sea
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
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.
- Tableware Furniture & Home Products
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Umbrellas Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Solar Panel New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Prefabricated Building Building Materials & Construction Products
- Pallet Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Conveyor Belts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Hotel Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Restaurant Furniture Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Metal Fabrication Metal Products & Industrial Components
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.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name — the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.
On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.
On the origin side, export declaration and any commodity inspection requirement fall under China Customs (GACC); we handle that filing as part of the service, but the requirement is theirs, not ours.
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 Keelung. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Customs Clearance & Export/Import Procedures Explained | International Trade Made Simple — International Trade Talk. 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.
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
- Qingdao to Kaohsiung FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
- Qingdao to Taichung Container Shipping — 20GP Rates
- Shanghai to Kaohsiung FCL Ocean Freight Rates | 20GP & 40HQ
- Shanghai–Taichung Sea Freight: Container Rates and Schedule
- Ship Shanghai to Keelung — FCL Container Cost from China
- Ship Shekou to Keelung — FCL Container Cost from China