Customs Regulations

Customs Regulations in China

Customs regulations in China, and most every country, spells out exactly which items are prohibited from entering and leaving the country you are visiting, and which things you must declare and pay duties on.

Upon entry into China, tourists are required to fill out a baggage declaration form (in two copies) for customs officials. You should retain the carbon copy as it will need to be shown when you leave the country.

China customs regulations allow you to bring personal belongings without paying duty fees, but there are still some rules you need to abide by. For example, wristwatches, radios, cameras, and other equipment are allowed to enter the country, but they cannot be sold or transferred to others and need to be taken out when leaving the country. Gifts for relatives or friends in China, or articles carried on behalf of others, must be declared as well.

Articles prohibited from entering China:

• Various weapons including fake weapons, ammunition, and explosives
• Counterfeit money and forged securities
• Printed matters like negatives, records, films, audio and video recordings
• Laser optical video-discs, computer storage media and other articles containing materials deemed harmful to China politically, economically, culturally, or ethically
• Deadly poisons like opium, morphine, heroin, marijuana, and other narcotics
• Dangerous bacteria, harmful insects, and other harmful animals, plants, and their products
• Food, drugs, and other articles from epidemic-stricken areas if such articles may be harmful to human beings and animals 

Those items which may be brought in without having to pay a duty include:

• 5,000 RMB in duty-free items for personal use brought by Chinese residents; a 20% duty will be levied on any amount more than this.
• 2,000 RMB in duty-free items for personal use brought by non-Chinese residents
• Up to 1,500 ml (50.7 fl. oz.) in alcoholic beverages with at least 12% alcohol by volume, up to 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars, or 500 grams (17.6 oz.) of smoking tobacco

Leaving the Country

When it’s time to return home, tourists leaving China must submit the baggage declaration form (carbon copy) for customs inspection. Travelers by ship are exempted. Any items purchased in China can be taken out of China or mailed home after relevant receipts is shown to customs inspection staffs.

Articles prohibited for exiting China:

• Arms, ammunition, and explosives
• Unratified foreign currency, foreign notes, or drafts
• Any manuscripts, films, pictures, printed documents, audio recordings, etc. that are detrimental to China’s national security
• Renminbi in cash or other negotiable securities in RMB
• Radio transmitters/receivers and principle parts
• Rare or precious copies of books about the Chinese revolution, history, culture are art that are not for sale
• Valuable plants, animals, and seeds
• Precious metals and stones (things declared to the customs are exempted)
• Any other articles that are prohibited by state regulations

How much money can I bring into China?

Up to $5,000 or the equivalent in other currencies or 20,000 CNY.  You will need to fill out other forms and declare any amount over this.

Do I need to declare the gold items I purchased in China?

Hold on to receipts for any jewelry, handicrafts, calligraphy, or paintings you have purchased to present at your exit check,

Do I need to declare and pay duties on my cell phone, tablet, or laptop that I’m bringing to China?

Electronic items for personal use do not need to be declared; however, extra such items, or those unopened items intended to be gifted to another while in China will need to be declared and will be taxed.

What if I forget to declare something?

You may be punished in terms of fines or other penalties depending on the specific violations.  Consult with your travel agency or the Custom Declaration Office in the airport if you encounter any issues with declaring appropriate items.