What permits do agricultural inputs need to enter Taiwan? How do seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, pet food and rice work?
Can seeds, pet food or insecticides bought online be shipped to Taiwan?
Mostly not directly. Seeds are plant quarantine articles and, in principle, may not be mailed; to mail them you must apply in advance for a mail import permit and attach a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country. Dog and cat food is an animal quarantine article and may not be imported by post; even by express courier you must apply for quarantine and attach an animal health certificate from the exporting country. Pet medicines imported without approval are prohibited veterinary drugs. Household insecticides and mosquito repellents are environmental-use agents and are returned (re-exported) if there is no permit. Businesses importing formally must, depending on the category, obtain a seedling business registration certificate (over 100 grams), a fertilizer registration certificate, a pesticide permit, an environmental-use agent permit, an animal feed import registration certificate, or a veterinary drug permit, or file a pet food declaration.
This guide covers the import rules for seeds and seedlings, fertilizer, pesticides and environmental-use agents, animal feed and pet food, veterinary drugs, and rice, plus the limits on personal online purchases shipped to Taiwan. HowBridge provides consolidated shipping from mainland China to Taiwan (Shenzhen consolidation warehouse and Taoyuan Dayuan operations warehouse). It is not a customs broker and does not handle quarantine or import permits on your behalf. Before shipping any product mentioned here, check the rules first and ask customer service.
Which authority regulates each of the six categories?
First work out which category your product belongs to, then check the competent authority and the import regulation code (based on the International Trade Administration code table and HowBridge's tariff database, synced 2026-10-11):
| Category | Main laws | Common import regulation codes | Competent authority | Businesses first need |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Seeds and seedlings | Plant Variety and Plant Seed Act (Taiwan); Plant Protection and Quarantine Act (Taiwan) | Vegetable seeds 1209.91: 402 B01 | Agriculture and Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture (402); APHIA (B01) | Seedling business registration certificate (not required for 100 grams or less) |
| 2 Fertilizer | Fertilizer Management Act (Taiwan) | 3105: 403 or 403 B01 | Agriculture and Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture | Fertilizer registration certificate (import only by the original certificate holder) or a consent document |
| 3 Pesticides / environmental-use agents | Pesticide Management Act (Taiwan) / Environmental Agents Control Act (Taiwan) | Pesticides 405; environmental-use agents 552; 801 refers by intended use | APHIA / Ministry of Environment | Pesticide permit + dealer license / environmental-use agent permit + dealer license |
| 4 Animal feed / pet food | Feed Control Act (Taiwan) / Animal Protection Act (Taiwan) | Livestock and poultry feed 404 B01 MW0; retail dog and cat food 2309.10: B01 MP1 | Ministry of Agriculture, APHIA | Animal feed import registration certificate / pet food business declaration |
| 5 Veterinary drugs | Veterinary Drugs Control Act (Taiwan) | 406 (veterinary medicinal preparations are mostly 406 MW0) | APHIA | Veterinary drug dealer permit + import permit |
| 6 Rice | Grain Management Act (Taiwan); Regulations Governing the Implementation of Tariff-Rate Quotas (Taiwan) | White rice, glutinous rice 1006.30: 454 B01 F01 MW0 | Agriculture and Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture; Ministry of Finance | Grain dealer registration or a rice import consent document |
The Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance (Taiwan) explains that import regulation codes beginning with A, B, C, F, H or W are inspection or quarantine requirements, which the importer must handle on their own. B01 means you must apply for quarantine under the list of animals and plants subject to quarantine.
What happens if you buy these on Taobao or Pinduoduo and ship them to Taiwan?
This is where people most often get caught out. The table below is based on the statutes and on notices from the competent authorities. Most items cannot simply be ordered and shipped:
| Product | Rule | Consequence of not following the rule |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds, bulbs, live plants | Quarantine articles may not, in principle, be imported by mail. To mail them you must apply in advance for a mail import permit (valid 1 year), attach a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country, affix the permit document to the parcel, and apply for quarantine on arrival. Express courier, consolidated shipping and other methods likewise require a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country, the plant and its origin must be on the approved list, and you must apply for quarantine. APHIA's online-shopping guidance lists seeds capable of germination as items that cannot be bought online into Taiwan | Unpermitted mail is returned or destroyed; failing to apply for quarantine is punishable by a fine of NT$30,000–150,000 (minor cases may have the fine reduced or waived; however, the reduction rules do not apply to live plants, live plant seedlings, prohibited items, non-natural persons, or anyone who violated the rules within 3 years or has not paid a previous fine in full) |
| Dog and cat food, pet treats containing meat | Animal quarantine article: may not be imported by post. Express courier and consolidated shipping are not postal delivery, but you still must apply for animal quarantine and attach an animal health certificate from the exporting country. APHIA's list of approved dog and cat food plants for export to Taiwan does not include mainland China | Postal items are returned, confiscated or destroyed; an importer who fails to apply for quarantine faces a fine of NT$50,000–1,000,000 |
| Pet medicines (flea drops, dewormers, etc.) | A veterinary drug imported without approval is a prohibited veterinary drug. The only exception is a traveler or a crew member of a means of transport carrying it into Taiwan for their own pet, in the announced types, dosage forms and quantities (biological products such as vaccines are excluded from the exception). The exception does not apply to mail or express courier | Importing a prohibited veterinary drug is punishable by imprisonment of not less than 1 year and not more than 7 years, plus a criminal fine of up to NT$4,500,000 |
| Household insecticides, mosquito repellent, mosquito coils | Environmental-use agents: importing requires a prior permit from the Ministry of Environment. Travelers may carry up to 1 kilogram (liter); mailing requires a permit | Customs orders the duty payer to return the goods within a set period; importing without a permit counts as a counterfeit environmental-use agent, and under Article 46 the responsible person is fined NT$300,000–1,500,000 |
| Agricultural pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides) | Imports require approved registration and a pesticide permit; there is no personal-use exception | Importing without approval is a counterfeit pesticide offense, punishable by imprisonment of not less than 6 months and not more than 5 years, plus a criminal fine of NT$1,000,000–5,000,000 |
| Organic fertilizer | A fertilizer registration certificate is required to import. The only personal-use exemption covers organic fertilizer made by farmers or households themselves for their own use (Article 33); imported or online-purchased fertilizer is not included. Products containing animal or plant organic matter must also meet quarantine rules | Importing without registration is fined NT$100,000–500,000; goods failing quarantine are returned or destroyed |
| Growing media | Plant quarantine article (organic growing media): you must apply for quarantine; media with attached soil may not be imported | Failing to apply for quarantine is fined NT$30,000–150,000 |
| White rice, glutinous rice | If the whole declaration totals 6 kilograms or less, you may enter the permit-exemption clearance code and no Ministry of Agriculture consent document is needed, but the out-of-quota duty of NT$45 per kilogram still applies, and B01 quarantine and F01 food inspection still apply. Rice is a tariff-rate quota good, so express imports must clear on a regular declaration. Rice produced in mainland China carries import regulation code MW0 and may not be imported | Goods not meeting the rules are not released |
APHIA reminded the public on 2026-08-04: once you complete a customs declaration authorization through EZ WAY, you as the importer (the buyer) bear responsibility for any illegal import, so check that the product name shown in the app matches the actual contents before declaring. Seed paper and raw-wood products are also plant quarantine articles.
Since 2025-11-06, APHIA has removed the rule that "first-time, unintentional imports are not fined"; importing pork products from affected areas is now penalized whether intentional or negligent, and illegal pork parcels found to involve online shopping and consolidated shipping are fined NT$200,000 in every case. Freeze-dried pet food and treats containing pork also need care.
How do you import seeds and seedlings legally?
Under the Plant Protection and Quarantine Act, seeds are plant products and quarantine articles. A legal import broadly takes four steps:
1Check the list of plants approved for import
Use APHIA's search system for approved import plants and quarantine requirements to check the requirements for that plant and origin. If a quarantine article capable of propagation has no record of import from that exporting country or region, it must first go through a pest risk analysis (PRA) and may be imported only after approval.
2Obtain a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country
The importer must present a phytosanitary certificate issued by the plant quarantine authority of the exporting country. Seeds capable of germination are not among the items exempt from this (the exempt items are seeds that are dried or have no germination capacity, or whose seed coat has been removed or which are broken).
3Over 100 grams: attach a seedling business registration certificate
Import regulation code 402: a copy of the seedling business registration certificate must be attached; it may be omitted if the import quantity is 100 grams or less. The certificate is issued by the special municipality or county (city) competent authority.
4Apply for quarantine on arrival
When the quarantine article arrives at the port or station, apply to the plant quarantine authority for quarantine; it may not be unpacked or moved before this is completed. For mail, you must first obtain a mail import permit through the Smart Plant Quarantine Expert System, and on arrival pay the quarantine fee (one-thousandth of the duty-paid value) and the on-site fee (NT$500 per case).
Article 53 of the Plant Variety and Plant Seed Act provides that imported seedlings may not be used for purposes other than the reason for import. Vegetable seeds from mainland China (1209.91) carry no MW0, so trade-wise they may be imported, but 402 and B01 must still be met; the specific quarantine requirements for each seed are determined by the search system.
What do you need to import fertilizer?
Article 5 of the Fertilizer Management Act: fertilizer may not be manufactured, imported or sold unless a fertilizer registration certificate has been approved and issued. Import regulation code 403 states that a copy of the fertilizer registration certificate (import only by the original certificate holder) or a consent document must be attached.
- Application documents: company or business registration proof, the fertilizer registration document issued by the country of manufacture and the original manufacturer's fertilizer description (foreign-language documents with a Chinese translation), a fertilizer specification test report, and 2 label specimens. Only fertilizer made from or with added business waste additionally needs a waste reuse permit and an ingredient test report.
- Fees: a certificate fee of NT$3,000 on approval; NT$1,000 each for extension, reissue or replacement (extension must be applied for within 6 months before expiry).
- Quarantine: imported fertilizer containing animal or plant organic matter must meet animal and plant quarantine rules; goods that fail are returned or destroyed.
- The personal-use exemption covers only home-made fertilizer: Article 33 provides that the Act does not apply to organic fertilizer made by farmers or households themselves for their own use and not for sale. Imported (including online-purchased) fertilizer is not covered by this exemption; only approved samples for research, testing or registration are free of the registration requirement. Importing without registration is fined NT$100,000–500,000.
The claim online of "about 14 working days" can only be traced to the Agriculture and Food Agency's 2016 application guide, which said "within 14 days". It is not a current official notice, so this guide does not use it.
What is the difference between a pesticide and a household insecticide?
Both may be insecticides, but one used on crops is a pesticide, while one used in the home environment is an environmental-use agent. The authorities and permits are completely different:
| Comparison | Pesticide (agricultural) | Environmental-use agent |
|---|---|---|
| Use | Controlling harmful organisms on agricultural and forestry crops or their products, etc. | Insecticides, rodenticides, germicides, etc. for environmental sanitation, such as mosquito coils, cockroach bait and mosquito repellent |
| Competent authority | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency, Ministry of Agriculture | Ministry of Environment |
| Import regulation code | 405 (finished pesticide products: attach copies of the pesticide permit and dealer license) | 552 (attach copies of the environmental-use agent import permit and dealer license) |
| Required before import | Approved registration and a pesticide permit; dealer license applied for at the local county or city | Inspection registration and an environmental-use agent permit, plus a copy of the environmental-use agent dealer license |
| Permit fee | NT$1,000 per permit issued; toxicology data review fees are separate | As set by the Ministry of Environment |
| Travelers' personal use | No personal-use exception | Small amounts for personal use may be carried (no more than 1 kilogram/liter), for personal use only and not for sale |
- 801 is a referral code: the original text says pesticides follow 405, veterinary drugs follow 406, environmental sanitation agents follow 552, and toxic or concerned chemical substances follow 553; anything outside these must present a certificate from the Chemicals Administration, Ministry of Environment. For example, "other finished insecticide products" 3808.91.90 are 801 MP1 and are routed according to actual use.
- Examples from HowBridge's tariff database: other finished herbicide products 3808.93.19 are 405 MW0, mosquito coils 3808.91.30 are 552, and finished disinfectant products 3808.94.20 are 820.
Who regulates animal feed and pet food?
Feed under the Feed Control Act is limited to feed for livestock, poultry and aquatic animals, so dog and cat food is not governed by the Feed Control Act but by the Animal Protection Act:
| Item | Animal feed (livestock, poultry, aquatic) | Pet food (dogs and cats) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal basis | Feed Control Act, Articles 11, 16 and 22-2 | Animal Protection Act, Articles 22-3 to 22-5; Regulations on Declarations by Pet Food Businesses |
| Import regulation code | 404 (attach animal feed import registration certificate) + A01 import inspection or B01 quarantine | Retail dog and cat food 2309.10: B01 MP1 (quarantine + conditional import of mainland Chinese goods) |
| What businesses must do | Feed sales registration certificate (NT$400 each) + import registration certificate (expert review NT$2,000 + issuance NT$2,000, testing fees separate) | Importers file an online declaration within 30 days after the first import of each product; retail products need Chinese labeling |
| Quarantine | Inspection on import as required | Animal quarantine article: may not be imported by post |
The Ministry of Agriculture gave advance notice of a draft Pet Food Management Act on 2024-09-05; as of 2026-10-17, the Laws & Regulations Database of Taiwan contains no such law. The current legal basis remains the Animal Protection Act. Under 2309.10, the list of mainland Chinese goods conditionally allowed for import includes only 1 item, "dry dog food (beef flavor)". This only lifts the cross-strait trade restriction; B01 quarantine and the approved plant list must still be met.
What permits do you need to import veterinary drugs?
Veterinary drugs include biological products (vaccines), antibiotics, diagnostic agents and other drugs used exclusively to prevent or treat animal diseases. Under the Veterinary Drugs Control Act and import regulation code 406:
- Business qualification: apply to the special municipality or county (city) competent authority where you are located for a veterinary drug dealer permit (certificate fee NT$1,000).
- Import permit: apply for inspection registration under Article 12 of the Veterinary Drugs Control Act; you may import only after a permit is approved and issued. The permit certificate fee is NT$4,000 each.
- Vaccines and other biological products: after customs clearance and payment of duties, the business must apply batch by batch to the county or city competent authority for sampling and testing; only after passing inspection and being sealed may the products be sold (this is not a condition for customs release).
- Samples, gifts, and foreign human-use drugs needed by animal treatment facilities: these require, respectively, APHIA's "import review notice for veterinary drug samples and gifts" or the "import review notice for foreign human-use drugs needed for animals" (406, paragraph 3, effective 2026-07-01).
A 2022 APHIA press release reminded the public that veterinary drugs may not be sold online and that sick pets should be diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian. Under Article 5 of the Veterinary Drugs Control Act, pet medicines bought online by an individual and mailed or couriered to Taiwan are prohibited veterinary drugs imported without approval.
What rules apply to importing veterinary drugs (including vaccines) from mainland China into Taiwan?
In one sentence: veterinary drugs (including vaccines) may be imported only by a business holding a dealer permit, which must first apply to the Ministry of Agriculture for inspection registration and obtain a permit; anything imported without approval is a "prohibited veterinary drug", the importer faces criminal liability, and selling or transferring it is also punishable. On 2026-09-21 APHIA announced that the Yunlin District Prosecutors Office had seized 93.6 liters of illegal avian influenza vaccine, a real example of this rule. The table below is based on the current text of the Veterinary Drugs Control Act in the Laws & Regulations Database of Taiwan (amended 2016-11-09, checked 2026-10-23):
| Rule | Article | Content / penalty |
|---|---|---|
| An import permit must be obtained first | Article 12 | To manufacture or import a veterinary drug, you must submit the ingredients, a summary of the manufacturing method, analytical methods, the label and package insert, and samples, and apply to the central competent authority for inspection registration; you may import only after approval and issuance of a permit. |
| Batch-by-batch inspection of vaccines and other biological products | Article 18 | After a veterinary biological product clears customs and duties are paid, the importer must apply batch by batch to the county or city competent authority for sampling and testing; it may be sold only after passing inspection and being sealed. |
| What is a counterfeit veterinary drug | Article 4 | Inspection finds one of the following: manufactured without approval, another party's product swapped or adulterated, the expiry date altered or changed, the name of an ingredient not matching the approval, or a biological product lacking a qualified seal. |
| What is a prohibited veterinary drug | Article 5 | A drug announced by the central competent authority as banned from manufacture, dispensing, import, export, sale or display; or one imported without approval. The only exception is a drug carried into Taiwan by a traveler or a crew member of a means of transport, for use on their own pet, within the announced types, dosage forms and quantities, and not including biological products such as vaccines. |
| Manufacturing or importing counterfeit or prohibited drugs | Article 33 | Imprisonment of 1 to 7 years and a fine of up to NT$4,500,000; for negligence, imprisonment of up to 3 years, detention, or a fine of up to NT$500,000; attempts are also punished. |
| Repackaging, selling, transporting, harboring, brokering or transferring counterfeit or prohibited drugs | Article 35 | Imprisonment of 6 months to 5 years, and a fine of up to NT$5,000,000 may also be imposed; for negligence, imprisonment of up to 2 years, detention, or a fine of up to NT$300,000. |
| Livestock, poultry and aquaculture operators using prohibited drugs or drugs of unknown origin | Article 32-3, Article 40-1 | Administrative fine of NT$60,000–300,000; a repeat offense within 1 year, NT$500,000–2,500,000; if human health is endangered, imprisonment of up to 7 years. |
Illegal avian influenza vaccine seized in Yunlin, 2026-09: what did APHIA say?
APHIA press release of 2026-09-21: in February 2026 APHIA worked with the Yunlin District Prosecutors Office, which directed the Coast Guard Administration and other agencies in a task force, and seized 93.6 liters of suspected illegally imported avian influenza vaccine and other prohibited veterinary drugs at the suspect's delivery site in Yunlin County, enough for about 100,000 chickens; the Yunlin District Prosecutors Office is handling the case. APHIA stated that Taiwan has not currently approved any avian influenza vaccine, so manufacturing, importing, selling and using it are all illegal; the reporting hotline is 0800-039131, and a tip that leads to a successful bust can earn a reward of up to NT$200,000. The press release does not say which country the vaccine came from. (original press release)
What is the tariff's import regulation for veterinary vaccines and drugs from mainland China?
According to the HowBridge tariff database (synced monthly from the Customs Administration, checked 2026-10-23): 3002.42.00.90-3 other veterinary vaccines is "406 B01 MW0"; 3002.42.00.10-0 foot-and-mouth disease vaccine is "406 B01 MP1"; veterinary medicinal preparations containing antibiotics under headings 3003 and 3004 are mostly "406 MW0". Chapter 30 falls within Chapters 25–97 of the tariff, so the MW0 layer can be waived when the Ministry of Economic Affairs' small-quantity permit exemption conditions are met, but the goods must still be formally declared with a general import declaration, and 406 (veterinary drug permit) and B01 (quarantine) are not waived by this; importing without a permit is a prohibited veterinary drug under Article 5.
What situations do pet owners commonly run into when buying veterinary drugs across borders online?
① Flea-and-tick drops, dewormers and pet vaccines sold on e-commerce sites: whether something is a veterinary drug depends on its use (Article 3: used exclusively to prevent or treat animal diseases), not on the store category; an individual has no permit, and importing by post, courier or consolidated shipping does not fall under the traveler-carry exception in Article 5.
② Biological products such as vaccines and serums: even the traveler-carry exception does not apply.
③ Products marketed as "health care" but claiming to prevent or treat disease: Article 19-1 provides that products that are not veterinary drugs may not carry labeling or advertising claiming to prevent or treat animal diseases, so check such claims first.
④ Buying on behalf of friends or relatives, reselling or passing on: the acts punished under Article 35 include selling, transporting, harboring and transferring, not only importing.
⑤ Domestic online stores: APHIA's regulatory Q&A explains that even a business holding a dealer permit may not sell prescription veterinary drugs online to the general public.
1Check the permit number on the label
A lawful veterinary drug has a Chinese-language label and package insert stating its permit number ("動物藥製字／動物藥入字第○○○○號", the domestic-manufacture / import permit number on Taiwan labels), the name and address of the manufacturer or importer, the words "for animal use", the ingredient content, the batch number and the expiry date; biological products must also carry a qualified seal.
2Check on APHIA whether the permit is valid
On the APHIA veterinary drug information service website, enter the permit number, drug name, business or foreign manufacturer in the veterinary drug permit search; you can filter by target animal "companion animals" and by "valid / invalid permit". The site notes that the data is for reference only and that the permitted items are as stated on the actual permit.
3Check whether the seller has a dealer permit
Confirm the seller in the dealer permit search; under Article 19, a dealer must obtain a dealer permit issued by the county or city before doing business, and drugs displayed for sale must also have a provable source.
4If you are unsure or find a suspicious drug
A business may send APHIA an official letter asking whether a product requires inspection registration; if you find a suspected counterfeit or prohibited drug, you can call APHIA's toll-free reporting hotline 0800-039131. If a pet is sick, see a veterinarian.
HowBridge provides consolidated shipping from mainland China to Taiwan (Shenzhen consolidation warehouse and Taoyuan Dayuan operations warehouse); it is not a customs broker and does not handle veterinary drug inspection registration or import permits on your behalf. This section does not judge whether any individual product can be shipped, and does not provide information on efficacy, dosage or where to buy. The original text of the announcement on the "certain types, dosage forms and quantities" under the traveler-carry exception was not found for this article, so nothing is inferred about it. Before shipping any product, ask customer service.
A World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) policy document of 2023-12-28 states that whether to vaccinate poultry against highly pathogenic avian influenza is decided by each country's veterinary authority after a risk assessment and consultation with industry, together with surveillance that can show the virus is not circulating; on 2026-09-21 APHIA stated that it is for now continuing to gather information on vaccine use and watching later plans in Europe and the United States before assessing feasibility in Taiwan. Both are policy positions, not recommendations for the use of any individual product.
How does the tariff-rate quota for rice imports work?
Rice is subject to a tariff-rate quota (TRQ): imports within the quota get a lower duty rate, and the portion above the quota gets the general rate. Based on notices from the Agriculture and Food Agency and the Ministry of Finance:
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Annual quota | 144,720 metric tons for rice; 65% imported by the government, 35% as private-sector quota |
| How the private quota is allocated | The Ministry of Finance allocates it by auctioning tariff-rate quota rights; for 2026 (ROC year 115), the food rice quota for WTO members is 50,652 metric tons of brown rice, with a maximum bid of NT$23.26 per kilogram; bids above that are invalid |
| Eligibility | Registration with the International Trade Administration as an exporter/importer, plus grain dealer registration (with import included in the business scope) |
| Quota certificate | Issued by the Bank of Taiwan |
| Out-of-quota duty | White rice, glutinous rice (1006.30): NT$45 per kilogram |
| No consent document for 6 kilograms or less | Only for white rice and glutinous rice (code 454), with the whole declaration totaling 6 kilograms or less, using clearance code AGG98888888880; paddy rice, brown rice and broken rice (code 451) have no such exemption |
| Rice import consent document | Fee NT$100 each, rush (within 3 working days) NT$150; each consent document is valid for one use only |
| Produced in mainland China | Import regulation code MW0: paddy rice, brown rice, white rice, glutinous rice and broken rice may not be imported |
According to the Agriculture and Food Agency, food rice mailed from abroad to Taiwan should weigh 30 kilograms gross or less per parcel; a recipient without grain dealer registration must, each time, apply for a consent document with the declaration or enter the 6-kilogram exemption code. Rice products do not require an import consent document.
Can agricultural inputs made in mainland China be imported?
First check the tariff's import regulation column for MW0 (import not allowed) or MP1 (conditionally allowed), then look at the other codes:
- Chapters 1–24 are not covered by the small-quantity permit exemption: the small-value, small-quantity exemption announced by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (Taiwan) on 2022-08-19 applies only to industrial products in Chapters 25–97 that are outside the "Restricted Import Goods List". Seeds (Chapter 12), live plants (Chapter 6), rice (Chapter 10), and animal feed and pet food (Chapter 23) all fall within Chapters 1–24, so it does not apply.
- Chapters 25–97 still have to meet other rules: for fertilizer (Chapter 31), pesticides and insecticides (3808), and veterinary drugs (Chapter 30), even if the MW0/MP1 layer can be waived, the same notice states that other import regulations still apply, so 403, 405, 406, 552 and B01 must still be met.
- Examples from HowBridge's tariff database: most live plants in Chapter 6 are B01 MW0; vegetable seeds 402 B01 (no MW0); livestock, poultry and fish feed 404 B01 MW0; veterinary medicinal preparations 406 MW0; finished herbicide products 405 MW0; other finished insecticide products 801 MP1.
How do you check what your product requires?
Check in this order:
1Look up the tariff code and import regulations
Enter the product name in HowBridge's tariff search and check the import regulation column for the 11-digit code (402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 454, 552, B01, MW0, etc.).
2Check the quarantine requirements
For plants, use the search system for approved import plants and quarantine requirements; for animal products and pet food, see APHIA's online-shopping guidance section or contact the regional branch.
3Application portals for businesses
Rice consent documents and similar go through the Ministry of Agriculture's joint platform for permit review and customs clearance; pesticide permit registration goes through the pesticide registration management system; the feed-related system is the feed management system.
4Confirm before shipping
If you are not sure whether something can be shipped, ask customer service first instead of sending the product straight to the consolidation warehouse.
What new rules came in during 2025–2026?
Changes in the past year related to importing agricultural inputs and online shopping:
- 2025-11-06: APHIA removed the rule that "first-time, unintentional imports are not fined"; importing pork products from affected areas is now penalized in all cases.
- 2026-03-10: the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced the exclusion list for the small-quantity mainland Chinese goods permit exemption (electric motorcycles, electric bicycles and their controllers, 3 tariff lines in total).
- 2026-05-05: Article 5 of the Regulations on Declarations by Pet Food Businesses (importer declaration data) was amended.
- 2026-07-01: the amended import regulation code 406 (veterinary drugs) took effect, adding a review notice for foreign human-use drugs needed by animal treatment facilities.
- 2026-08-04: APHIA reminded the public that seed paper and raw-wood products are plant quarantine articles and that quarantine should be applied for in cross-border online shopping.
- 2026-09-15: the Standards for Fees for Veterinary Drug Permits and Inspections were amended.
- 2026-09-21: APHIA announced that the Yunlin District Prosecutors Office seized 93.6 liters of suspected illegally imported avian influenza vaccine and other prohibited veterinary drugs, and reiterated that Taiwan has not currently approved any avian influenza vaccine (see veterinary drug import rules).
What does research say about the risks of buying seedlings and agricultural inputs online?
The studies below provide background. None of them was conducted on HowBridge; they only illustrate general principles:
- Seedlings bought online often lack quarantine certificates: Kaminski et al. (2012, EPPO Bulletin) bought 117 consignments of plants from online sellers outside Germany; 89% did not meet phytosanitary import requirements, and all non-compliant ones lacked a phytosanitary certificate. Constable et al. (2021, Australasian Plant Disease Notes) tested cucurbit seeds bought by online mail order and found viruses in 23 of 31 lots, including the quarantine virus CGMMV. The two studies concern Germany and Australia respectively; they only show the general risk of buying seedlings across borders online and do not represent actual detection rates in Taiwan.
- Being able to buy an invasive plant online does not mean you can import it: Humair et al. (2015, Conservation Biology) monitored 10 large online auction sites daily and found more than 500 recognized invasive plant species being traded online; the authors concluded that biosecurity measures were not effectively controlling online plant trade. The study covered global auction sites, not Taiwan specifically, and only shows that "available to buy" and "legal" are two different things.
- Taiwan's border does intercept alien organisms, but the rules are fragmented: Lee et al. (2020, Insects) analyzed 439 ant interception records over 8 years at Taiwan's border, most arriving with timber imports; Liu Shu-yu (2019, master's thesis, Graduate Institute of Interdisciplinary Legal Studies, National Taiwan University) points out that Taiwan has no dedicated law on invasive alien species and that some alien species fall outside current regulations; Hsu Hua-hsin (2019, master's thesis, Graduate Institute of National Development, National Taiwan University) warns that postal and express shipments may slip past traditional border controls. Limitations: the ant study covers only ants; the two master's theses are legal and policy analyses without quantified detection rates.
- For pet food and veterinary drugs, the risks lie in labeling and prescriptions: Wang et al. (2024, PeerJ) tested 138 canned cat foods sold in Taiwan and found a mislabeling rate of at least 28.99%; García et al. (2020, Animals) found that 65% of Spanish-language websites and 55% of English-language websites sold veterinary antibiotics without a prescription. Limitations: the cat food study did not distinguish imported from domestic products, and the antibiotic study did not look at Taiwanese websites.
- Why rice can't be brought in freely: the economic logic of the tariff-rate quota: Yang Chih-kuan (2007, master's thesis, Department of Agricultural Economics, National Taiwan University) simulated the market-opening proposals of WTO negotiating groups and found that any opening beyond the current tariff-rate quota would lower domestic rice prices and expand imports. Limitation: this is a 2007 scenario simulation whose figures reflect the negotiating proposals of the time, not the current quota volume or duty amount.
What are the common terms in agricultural input imports?
- Quarantine article (plant)
- Plants, plant products or other items that the Ministry of Agriculture has announced must undergo import quarantine, such as seeds, bulbs and live plants.
- Animal quarantine article
- Animals and animal products that must undergo quarantine under the Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases (Taiwan), such as livestock and poultry meat and dog and cat food; they may not be imported by post.
- Phytosanitary certificate
- A document issued by the plant quarantine authority of the exporting country certifying that the goods meet quarantine requirements; it must be presented on import.
- Pest risk analysis (PRA)
- A risk assessment that must be submitted before import when a quarantine article capable of propagation has no record of import from that country.
- Environmental-use agent
- Insecticides, rodenticides, germicides, etc. for environmental sanitation (household insecticides and the like), regulated by the Ministry of Environment and distinct from agricultural pesticides.
- Prohibited veterinary drug
- A veterinary drug that is banned by announcement or imported without approval (a Taiwan legal term); excluded are drugs carried into Taiwan by a traveler or a crew member of a means of transport for their own pet in the announced types, dosage forms and quantities (biological products are excluded from this exception).
- Tariff-rate quota (TRQ)
- A system in which a lower duty rate applies within a set quantity and the general rate applies above it; Taiwan uses it for rice.
- Grain dealer registration
- Registration with the competent authority required before running a grain business; taking part in the private rice quota requires grain dealer registration with import included in the business scope.
What are the sources and the scope of verification?
The sources below were consulted on 2026-10-17; document dates and access dates are shown separately, and no date is invented where none is stated.
Official and government primary sources
- Plant Variety and Plant Seed Act (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2023-05-17; Art. 44: running a seedling business (including import/export) requires a seedling business registration certificate issued by the county or city; Art. 56: operating without registration is fined NT$60,000–300,000.
- Plant Protection and Quarantine Act (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2018-06-20; Art. 16: a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country is required; Art. 17: apply for quarantine on arrival, mailing not allowed in principle; Art. 14, para. 4: PRA; Art. 24: failing to apply for quarantine is fined NT$30,000–150,000.
- Fertilizer Management Act (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2002-06-19; Art. 5: fertilizer may be imported only with a registration certificate; Art. 6: approved samples for research, testing or registration are exempt; Art. 33: exempts only organic fertilizer made by farmers or households for their own use; Art. 27: fines
- Regulations Governing Application for and Issuance of Fertilizer Registration Certificates (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2010-07-29; Art. 3: documents required from importers; Art. 6: certificate fee NT$3,000.
- Pesticide Management Act (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2018-05-23; Art. 9: imported pesticides require approved registration and a permit; Art. 7 and Art. 47: importing without approval is a counterfeit pesticide offense carrying criminal liability; Art. 26: dealer licenses are issued by the county or city.
- Standards for Pesticide Management Fees (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2025-08-25; Art. 6: NT$1,000 per pesticide permit; test data review fees are separate.
- Environmental Agents Control Act (Ministry of Environment) | Document date: 2016-12-07; Art. 5: household insecticides are environmental sanitation agents; Art. 9: imports require a permit, unpermitted goods are ordered returned, and only small amounts carried by travelers for personal use are exempt; Art. 46: importing counterfeit or prohibited environmental agents, the responsible person is fined NT$300,000 to NT$1,500,000.
- Feed Control Act (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2015-02-04; Art. 3: feed is limited to livestock, poultry and aquatic animals (pet food is not covered); Art. 11: imports require an import registration certificate; Art. 22-2: imports are inspected.
- Animal Protection Act (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2021-05-19; Art. 3 and Arts. 22-3 to 22-5: the current legal basis for pet food (importer declarations, Chinese labeling).
- Regulations on Declarations by Pet Food Businesses (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2026-05-05; Art. 2 and Art. 5: businesses importing dog and cat food must declare each product within 30 days of its first import; Art. 5 amended on 115-05-05 (ROC calendar).
- Veterinary Drugs Control Act (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2016-11-09; Art. 5: importing without approval = prohibited veterinary drug (the only exception is medicines brought into Taiwan by travelers or crew members of a means of transport for their own pets, within the announced types, dosage forms and quantities; biological products are not covered by the exception); Art. 33: imprisonment of 1–7 years; Art. 18: batch testing of biological products; Art. 19: dealer permits are issued by the county or city.
- Standards for Fees for Veterinary Drug Permits and Inspections (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2026-09-15; Art. 3: manufacturing or import permit certificate fee NT$4,000 each; Art. 4: dealer permit NT$1,000.
- Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2019-12-13; Art. 34, para. 3: animal quarantine articles (including dog and cat food) may not be imported by post; Art. 43, item 11: an importer who fails to apply for quarantine is fined NT$50,000–1,000,000.
- Grain Management Act (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2019-07-17; Art. 7: in-quota rice is imported by the government or by businesses with grain dealer status; for out-of-quota rice, persons without grain dealer status need the competent authority's consent.
- Regulations Governing the Implementation of Tariff-Rate Quotas (Ministry of Finance) | Document date: 2011-09-27; Arts. 2–4: definition of tariff-rate quotas; allocation by the Ministry of Finance; allocation may be made by auctioning tariff-rate quota rights.
- Regulations Governing Trade between the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (Ministry of Economic Affairs) | Document date: 2024-02-19; Art. 7: mainland Chinese goods may not be imported except where allowed by announcement, etc.; this is the legal basis of MW0/MP1.
- Rules allowing small quantities of mainland Chinese goods to be imported without an import permit (Ministry of Economic Affairs notice of 111.8.19 [ROC date], Jing-Mao-Zi No. 11104603570) | Document date: 2022-08-19; the small-quantity permit exemption covers only mainland Chinese industrial products in tariff Chapters 25–97, and other import regulations still apply; agricultural products in Chapters 1–24 are not covered.
- Import regulation codes for goods (International Trade Administration open data) | Document date: 2025-07-11; original definitions of codes such as 402 (no seedling business registration certificate needed for 100 grams or less), 403, 404, 405, 406, 451, 454 (6-kilogram exemption), 801, 552, B01, MW0 and MP1.
- Mainland Chinese goods conditionally allowed for import (International Trade Administration open data) | Document date: 2025-02-14; for dog and cat food under 2309.10, only "dry dog food (beef flavor)" is listed; under 3808.91.90, only 8 environmental sanitation EX items are listed.
- Notice on tariff-rate quota imports of food rice produced by WTO members for 2026 [ROC year 115] (Ministry of Finance, Tai-Cai-Guan-Zi No. 11410168892) | Document date: 2025-07-29; private quota of 50,652 metric tons of brown rice, allocated by auctioning tariff-rate quota rights; quota certificates issued by the Bank of Taiwan; participants must have grain dealer registration.
- Artificial trees and other unprocessed wood products, and seeds, are "quarantine articles"! Declare them in cross-border online shopping (APHIA, Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2026-08-04; plant quarantine articles must be declared for quarantine whatever the import method; after authorizing a customs declaration (EZ WAY), the buyer bears responsibility for violations.
- Rules and explanations for importing plant quarantine articles by mail (APHIA, Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: not stated; mailing seeds requires a prior mail import permit and a phytosanitary certificate from the exporting country; the quarantine fee is one-thousandth of the duty-paid value and the on-site fee is NT$500; failing to apply for quarantine is fined NT$30,000–150,000.
- FAQ on rice export and import consent documents: imports (Agriculture and Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: not stated; annual quota of 144,720 metric tons, 65% government and 35% private; no consent document needed for white rice and glutinous rice of 6 kilograms or less; MW0 means import not allowed; out-of-quota duty NT$45 per kilogram.
- Advance notice of the draft Pet Food Management Act (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2024-09-05; the Pet Food Management Act exists only as a draft under advance notice; as of 2026-10-17, the Laws & Regulations Database of Taiwan contains no such law.
- Restrictions on bringing in and mailing environmental-use agents (Chemicals Administration, Ministry of Environment) | Document date: 2026-09-29; mailed imports of household mosquito-repellent and insecticide products need a permit, otherwise they are returned; travelers may carry up to 1 kilogram (liter), for personal use only.
- Regulations on Quarantine Procedures for Plant Quarantine Articles Exported or Imported by Mail (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2019-05-30; importing plant quarantine articles by mail requires a prior permit, valid 1 year, with the permit document affixed to the parcel
- Standards for Determining Minor Cases and Reducing or Waiving Penalties for Illegal Imports of Plant Quarantine Articles (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2023-09-25; criteria for reducing or waiving fines in minor cases of failing to apply for quarantine, and the cases where they do not apply
- Standards for Fees for Testing Feed or Feed Additives and Issuing Certificates (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2015-07-27; feed import registration expert review and issuance NT$2,000 each; sales registration certificate NT$400
- Standards for Fees for Rice Export and Import Consent Documents (Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2022-10-27; rice export/import consent document NT$100 each, rush NT$150
- Buying dog and cat food online? Beware of products illegally imported from abroad (APHIA, Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2021-12-07; dog and cat food bought online from abroad without applying for quarantine is fined NT$50,000 to NT$1,000,000
- List of approved dog and cat food plants for export to Taiwan (APHIA, Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: not stated; the countries on the approved list do not include mainland China
- Preventing African swine fever: inspection and control of international parcels (APHIA, Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2026-09-09; from 2025-11-06 the "first-time unintentional import not fined" rule was removed, and illegal pork parcels involving online shopping and consolidated shipping are fined NT$200,000 in every case
- Notice of items excluded from the small-quantity mainland Chinese goods permit exemption (Ministry of Economic Affairs, Jing-Mao-Zi No. 11550200230) | Document date: 2026-03-10; the exclusion list covers electric motorcycles, electric bicycles and their controllers, 3 tariff lines in total
- Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Consignments (Ministry of Finance) | Document date: 2026-02-23; Art. 12: goods subject to import/export regulations, tariff-rate quota goods, etc. must clear on a regular declaration
- Illegal avian influenza vaccine found by Yunlin District Prosecutors Office; APHIA urges poultry farmers not to sell, transfer or use it illegally (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency, Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: 2026-09-21; 93.6 liters seized, Taiwan has not currently approved any avian influenza vaccine, reporting hotline 0800-039131; accessed 2026-10-23.
- Veterinary drug permit search (Veterinary Drug Information Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency, Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: not stated; searchable by permit number, drug name, business, target animal, and valid / invalid permit; accessed 2026-10-23.
- Veterinary drug regulations FAQ (Veterinary Drug Information Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency, Ministry of Agriculture) | Document date: not stated; required label particulars of lawful drugs, definitions of counterfeit and prohibited drugs, penalties under Articles 33 and 35, reporting rewards, limits on online sales of prescription drugs; accessed 2026-10-23.
Research literature
農產品跨境電子商務之動植物防疫檢疫風險治理分析與策進
The author argues that postal and express shipments in cross-border e-commerce may slip past the traditional border control system, increasing risk uncertainty, and cites red imported fire ants and pinewood nematodes introduced via wooden packaging as historical cases. Supports the point that small online parcels must also follow animal and plant quarantine rules. A qualitative policy analysis with no quantitative data.
Global internet trade of plants – legality and risks
Of 117 consignments of plants bought online from sellers outside Germany, 89% did not meet phytosanitary import requirements (all lacked a phytosanitary certificate), 68% had missing or incorrect customs data, and harmful organisms were found in 13%. The study concerns Germany and can only be applied by analogy; it supports the point that seedlings bought online often come without quarantine certificates.
Viruses in cucurbit seeds from on-line mail-order providers
In cucumber, melon and zucchini seeds obtained by online mail order, one or more target viruses were detected in 23 of 31 lots, and the quarantine virus CGMMV (cucumber green mottle mosaic virus) was confirmed several times. The study concerns Australia and can only be applied by analogy; it supports the point that seeds bought online may bring viruses in.
E‐commerce trade in invasive plants
Automated daily monitoring of 10 large online auction sites (including eBay) found more than 500 recognized invasive plant species traded online worldwide every day, with invasive species offered for sale at a markedly higher rate than non-invasive ones; the authors concluded that biosecurity measures were not effectively regulating online plant trade. The study covers global auction sites, not Taiwan, and can only be applied by analogy.
Analysis of Recent Interception Records Reveals Frequent Transport of Arboreal Ants and Potential Predictors for Ant Invasion in Taiwan
Analyzing 439 ant interception records over 8 years at Taiwan's border, the study found that intercepted ants mostly arrived with timber imports, and noted that interception data alone are not enough to predict which species will establish in Taiwan. Supports the point that border quarantine does intercept alien organisms and that quarantine is necessary; covers ants only.
探討台灣外來入侵種的管制規範
Points out that Taiwan has no dedicated law on invasive alien species, that import control rules are driven mainly by international pressure and economic considerations, that some alien species cannot be covered by the current legal system, and that penalties are somewhat unbalanced. Supports the background point that import controls are spread across several laws.
DNA mini-barcoding reveals the mislabeling rate of canned cat food in Taiwan
DNA barcoding of 138 canned cat foods sold in Taiwan found a mislabeling rate of at least 28.99%, mostly tuna substituted by other fish species; all tested products contained unlabeled ingredients, and 1 contained shortfin mako shark, listed in CITES Appendix II. Supports the point that pet food labeling and origin matter and that a regulatory system is needed; it did not distinguish imported from domestic products.
The Online Sale of Antibiotics for Veterinary Use
65% of veterinary antibiotic websites found by searching in Spanish and 55% of those found in English did not require a valid prescription; the authors concluded that it is easy to obtain veterinary antibiotics illegally online. The study covers Spanish- and English-language websites (mainly in South America and the United States), not Taiwan, and can only be applied by analogy.
國際上對農藥的管理方法與現狀
Reviews the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions and the international code of conduct on pesticide management, identifies pesticide registration as the most critical step in US pesticide management, and states that Taiwan's ten-year action plan to halve chemical pesticide use has performed poorly. Supports the international comparison that pesticides must be registered before they can be imported and used.
台灣稻米關稅配額政策調整分析
Builds a rice supply and demand model to simulate the proposals of WTO negotiating groups, finding that any opening beyond the current tariff-rate quota would inevitably lower domestic rice prices and expand imports, and estimates that a 1% cut in the out-of-quota duty has a price effect equivalent to a 3.85% quota expansion. Supports the explanation that rice is under a tariff-rate quota with a high out-of-quota duty; a 2007 simulation, included as a classic exception.
Avian influenza vaccination: why it should not be a barrier to safe trade
Explains that whether to vaccinate poultry against avian influenza is decided by each country's veterinary authority on the basis of risk assessment, that surveillance must show the virus is not circulating, and argues that vaccination alone should not be a reason to close trade. It supports the background point that whether a vaccine may be used is a national policy decision; it is an international organization's policy position, not about Taiwan or any individual product.
Statutory text follows the full texts in the Laws & Regulations Database of Taiwan as of 2026-10-17, and import regulation codes follow International Trade Administration open data. The specific quarantine requirements for each kind of seed from mainland China must be looked up item by item in APHIA's system, which this guide has not done for each one. A Q&A from the competent authority on importing small amounts of fertilizer for home gardening, the announced types and quantities of pet medicines travelers may carry, the content of the food rice quota notice for 2027 (ROC year 116), and whether seeds sent by express courier are barred from simplified declaration: this guide found no explicit provision on these and draws no inference. None of the studies cited was conducted on HowBridge.
What are common questions about importing agricultural inputs?
Can seeds bought on Taobao be shipped to Taiwan?
Do you need a seedling business registration certificate even for seeds of 100 grams or less?
Can cat or dog food bought online be shipped to Taiwan?
Can you buy flea medicine for pets abroad and ship it to Taiwan?
Can mosquito coils, mosquito repellent or cockroach bait be bought online and shipped to Taiwan?
Does fertilizer for growing flowers at home also need registration?
How much does a fertilizer registration certificate cost?
Is pet food covered by the Feed Control Act?
Can rice be mailed to Taiwan from abroad?
How do you obtain a private rice quota?
What do you need to import pesticides?
How can I tell whether a pet vaccine or flea medicine bought online is a lawful veterinary drug?
Further reading
Plant and seed quarantine rules
How animal and plant quarantine works
Pet food and pet supplies import rules
465 certificate of origin for agricultural products
Trade Administration import permits for mainland Chinese goods (MW0)
Overview of import permits by agency
List of goods banned from import into Taiwan
What is a CCC code and how do you look it up?
Check the import regulations before you ship
Enter the product name in HowBridge's tariff search and check the import regulation column. For products with 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 454, 552, B01 or MW0, please do not send them to the consolidation warehouse before you have the permit or quarantine documents.
Check tariff code and import regulations