Sea Freight from China to New Taipei
China → New Taipei · via TPE air / Taipei Port sea · clearance by Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance
For buyers shipping into New Taipei, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. New Taipei is the largest industrial and residential belt; cargo enters through TPE air / Taipei Port sea, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
On the destination side, Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance handles clearance; budget 1–3 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
What you will pay on arrival in Taiwan
Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for New Taipei 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.
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.
| Sea gateways used | Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung |
|---|---|
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 2–4 calendar days |
| Gateway serving New Taipei | TPE air / Taipei Port sea |
| Inland leg to New Taipei | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 1–3 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Before you book: New Taipei checklist
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Check the de-minimis position (TWD 2,000, and only twice in any six-month window per consignee) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: BSMI commodity inspection mark for electrical and consumer goods; NCC approval for radio devices.
- Put the New Taipei delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to New Taipei take?
China to the Taiwan gateway is 2–4 calendar days. On top of that, allow 1–3 days of clearance with Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance and a same-day inland leg to New Taipei.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into New Taipei?
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 New Taipei.
What documents does Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (BSMI commodity inspection mark for electrical and consumer goods; NCC approval for radio devices). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for New Taipei?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
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.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into New Taipei?
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.
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.
- Pipe Fittings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Generators New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Ceramic Tiles Building Materials & Construction Products
- Paper Packaging Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Packaging Materials Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Laboratory Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Fabric Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Compressors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electrical Cabinets New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
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.
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.
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 New Taipei. 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.
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