China Customs Regulations

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Before heading to the airport for your flight to China or to your home country from China, make you sure know that everything in your luggage can be legally brought into or out of China, as well as the items you must declare and pay duty on. Here is the information on China Customs Regulations to help you prepare for your trip to China.

However, this article of China Customs Regulation only serves as a reference for international passengers. Please visit the official website of General Administration of Customs People’s Republic of China or consult the Customs bureau for updated information, in case the list of prohibited articles changes.

China Entry Regulations

Everyone arriving in China has to clear Customs. When entering China, usually inward passengers will go through the following procedures for the international arrivals: Choose a Channel → Customs Declaration → Customs Examination

Choose a Customs Channel

There are two customs channels to choose from:

  • “Nothing to Declare Channel” (Green Channel): if you have nothing to declare
  • “Goods to Declare Channel” (Red Channel): if you have anything to declare

    • Personal articles within the limitation set by the Customs are exempted from duty. If you are unsure about your duty-free allowance, consult the customs officers or just choose the Red Channel.

    China Customs Declaration

    If you carry anything to be declared, you must fill out a China Customs Baggage Declaration for Inward Passengers and declare to the Customs. Inward passengers with the following items shall choose the “Good to Declare Channel”:

    1. Personal articles valued at RMB 2,000 or above.
    2. 20,000 RMB cash or above, or its equivalent in other currencies equivalent to US $5,000 or more.
    3. Alcoholic drinks of 1,500 ml or more (containing 12% or above alcoholic content).
    4. 400 sticks of cigarettes or more; 100 sticks of cigars or more; 500g of tobacco or more.
    5. Radio transmitters, radio receivers, and communication security equipment.
    6. Animals and plants, animal and plant products, biological products, microbes, human tissues, blood and blood products.
    7. Goods of commercial value, samples, advertisements.
    8. Other articles prohibited or restricted from being brought into the territory in accordance with the law of China.
    9. Unaccompanied luggage.

    China Customs Examination

    The customs official will examine your personal articles to verify whether the contents of your Declaration Form are accurate and if there are any prohibited items. Items will be levied duty, exempted from duty, withdrawal or released, according to related regulations.

    What You Can’t Bring into China

  • Arms, ammunition, and explosives of all kinds.
  • Counterfeit currencies and counterfeit negotiable securities.
  • Manuscripts, printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and videotapes, which are detrimental to China's national security.
  • Deadly poison of all kinds.
  • Opium, morphine, heroin and other habit-forming drugs and psychotropic substances.
  • Animals, plants and products thereof infected with or carrying germs and insect pests.
  • Unsanitary foodstuffs and germ-carrying foodstuffs from infected areas.
  • Other articles which are prohibited by state regulations.

    • China Exit Regulations

    Everyone geting out of China also has to clear Customs. The procedures for outward passengers are the same as those for inward passengers: Choose a Channel → Customs Declaration → Customs Examination

    Choose a Customs Channel

    Choose “Nothing to Declare Channel” (Green Channel) or “Goods to Declare Channel” (Red Channel)

    China Customs Declaration

    If you have things to declare, you must fill out a China Customs Baggage Declaration for Outward Passengers and declare to the Customs. Outward passengers with the following items shall choose the “Good to Declare Channel”:

    1. RMB 20,000 cash or above, or its equivalent in other currencies equivalent to US $5,000 or more.
    2. Camera, video camera, laptop or other trip necessities valued each at more than 5,000 RMB.
    3. Gold, silver and other precious metals.
    4. Cultural relics, endangered animals or plants, animal and plant products, biology species resources.
    5. Radio transmitters, radio receivers, communication security equipment.
    6. Goods of commercial value, samples, advertisements.
    7. Other articles prohibited or restricted from being brought out of the territory in accordance with the law of China.

    China Customs Examination

    The Customs will examine your personal items to verify whether the contents of your Declaration Form are accurate. Items will be levied duty, exempted from duty, withdrawal or released accordingly.

    What You Can’t Bring out of China

  • All articles enumerated as articles prohibited from Importation to China.
  • Valuable cultural relics and other relics prohibited from Exportation.
  • Endangered and precious rare animals and plants (including their specimens), their seeds and reproducing materials.
  • Other articles which are prohibited by state regulations.


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