Shipping Fitness Equipment from Taobao to Taiwan: What Can Be Shipped, and What Needs Attention?
Quick answer: Can fitness equipment be consolidated from mainland China to Taiwan?
Mostly yes, except EMS. The tariff codes that dumbbells, kettlebells, weight plates, yoga mats, treadmills, spin bikes and rowing machines may fall under, 9506.91 and 9506.99, are not MW0, and no commodity item for the adult fitness equipment itself was found in the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), Taiwan list of inspected items. Four things to watch: ① Massage guns (percussion massagers) are subject to BSMI inspection; personal-use items not for sale can be exempted when the same specification and model on one customs declaration totals US$1,000 or less (or exceeds that amount but is no more than 2 units); ② EMS (electrical muscle stimulation) and low-frequency (electrotherapy) devices, if classified under medical device tariff codes, are 504 MW0, and even for personal use you must apply for special approval from the Ministry of Health and Welfare (Taiwan) with a diagnosis certificate or prescription; ③ Voltage: household power in mainland China is 220V/50Hz, while Taiwan is 110V/60Hz, so check the rating plate on the unit before buying; ④ Bulky items: express consignments must have a gross weight of 70 kg or less per piece; heavier or larger equipment can go by sea freight.
HowBridge has only a Shenzhen consolidation warehouse and a Taoyuan operations warehouse, and provides consolidation only from China → Taiwan; we have no warehouses in the United States or any other country, and we do not offer purchasing-agent (buy-for-you) services.
What should you check when shipping common fitness equipment to Taiwan?
Tariff codes are determined by customs based on the actual product. The table below shows the codes items may fall under (from this site's tariff table and the ITA list, verified 2026-09-26):
| Equipment | Possible tariff code | Import rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbells, kettlebells, weight plates | 9506.91.00.00-1 | C02 | Not MW0; no BSMI item found for adult equipment; heavy |
| Treadmills, spin bikes, rowing machines | 9506.91.00.00-1 | C02 | Not MW0; check voltage and size; with Bluetooth, check NCC |
| Yoga mats, resistance bands, massage balls | 9506.99.00.90-4 | C02 | Not MW0; no BSMI item found for adult products |
| Massage guns (percussion massagers) | 9019.10.19.00-8 | C02 | Subject to BSMI inspection (electric massage appliances) |
| EMS and low-frequency electrical stimulators | 9019.10.20.10-3, 8543.70.92.00-2 | 504 MW0 | Medical device; personal use requires special approval |
| Smart spin bikes, fitness mirrors (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi) | Depends on the product | — | NCC: up to 2 units per consolidated shipment with a personal-use self-declaration |
Under 9506.91, BSMI lists only children's toy items and electric massage appliances; searches by product name for “treadmill”, “rowing machine” and “dumbbell” returned no commodity item (2026-09-26). The inspection scope can be amended, so check the search results at the time before you order.
Can EMS muscle stimulators and low-frequency devices be shipped from mainland China?
For these products, first check whether they are medical devices:
May be 504 MW0
The ITA “Summary Table of Mainland China Goods Not Permitted for Import” (version 2026-09-25, ROC 115/09/25) lists “mechano-therapy appliances … with low-frequency, high-frequency, ultrasonic or ultra-short-wave functions 504 MW0” and “transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators 504 MW0”. If customs classifies EMS ab pads or low-frequency massagers under these codes, they fall under both MW0 (import from mainland China is prohibited; exception: small quantities in Chapters 25–97 need no import permit if the whole declaration is within CIF NT$32,000 and each single product is within 24 pieces, with a 40 kg limit only for goods that cannot be counted; electric motorcycles, electric bicycles and their controllers are excluded, and Chapters 1–24 do not qualify) and the 504 medical device rule: even within the small-quantity exception, 504 (a medical device licence or Ministry of Health and Welfare consent document) must still be met separately, so they cannot be consolidated as ordinary goods.
Personal use requires special approval
Article 35 of the Medical Devices Act: for personal use, one “may” apply for special approval; it is not an automatic exemption. The Regulations Governing Special Approval for Manufacture and Import of Specific Medical Devices limit personal-use instruments to 1 unit per model, and the application must include the instructions for use, a self-declaration, and a diagnosis certificate or prescription issued by a medical institution. EMS is not among the 8 items in the expedited-clearance annex.
What research says
A 2019 viewpoint article compiled 7 cases of rhabdomyolysis after whole-body EMS, and the authors noted that whether EMS was the sole risk factor remains inconclusive; a 2023 international guideline stresses that whole-body EMS should be supervised by a qualified trainer. Follow the manufacturer's instructions before use; people with medical conditions should consult a healthcare professional.
How should you check voltage and inspection rules for treadmills and massage guns?
For plug-in and rechargeable equipment, check three things:
Voltage: 220V vs 110V
China's Rules on Power Supply Business: rated frequency AC 50 hertz, low-voltage single-phase 220 volts; Taiwan's Standards for Electricity Supply Voltage and Frequency: frequency 60 hertz, single-phase two-wire 110 volts (single-phase three-wire also provides 220 volts). Whether a unit can be used at home depends on the input voltage and frequency marked on its rating plate; for motorized machines such as treadmills, ask the seller before ordering.
Massage guns are subject to BSMI inspection
The common names for the BSMI commodity item “electric massage appliances” include massage guns and fascia guns, and the inspection standards include CNS 60335-2-32. Article 5 of the Regulations Governing Exemption from Commodity Inspection: personal-use items not for sale, where the same specification and model on one customs declaration totals US$1,000 or less, or exceeds that amount but is no more than 2 units, may be exempted after review; this does not apply to items bought for resale.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi: check NCC
Smart spin bikes, fitness mirrors and heart-rate straps with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi are low-power radio-frequency devices. Article 9 of the Regulations Governing the Manufacture, Import and Declaration of Controlled Telecommunications Radio-Frequency Devices: when imported by mail or by other means than carrying them yourself, up to 2 units per shipment may be imported for personal use with a self-declaration, limited to 10 units per person per year, and natural persons must be at least 18 years old.
How do you ship bulky items like treadmills and rowing machines?
For bulky equipment, measure the size and weight first:
Express: gross weight 70 kg or less per piece
According to the Customs Administration, express consignments must be “goods with a gross weight of 70 kg or less per piece (bag)”. A complete treadmill with packaging often comes close to or exceeds this weight; if it exceeds it, it is no longer an express consignment and must go through general cargo clearance.
Sea LCL consolidation: from NT$25/kg or NT$150/cu ft
HowBridge sea LCL consolidation starts from NT$25/kg or NT$150/cu ft, minimum NT$3,500 per shipment, charged on the greater of volumetric weight (length × width × height in cm ÷ 28316) and actual weight; actual quotes depend on the goods. Dumbbells and weight plates are small but very heavy, while treadmills and rowing machines are bulky, so calculate both first.
Duty-free allowance
A shipment with a duty-paid value of NT$2,000 or less is duty-free; if the same person has used the duty-free treatment more than 6 times within January–June or July–December, it no longer applies from the 7th time. Most large fitness equipment is priced above this allowance.
Can you buy Concept2 or Peloton in Taiwan? Are there Chinese brands to choose from?
Based on brand websites and official documents (verified 2026-09-26):
| Brand | Official channel in Taiwan | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Concept2 | Yes: officially listed Taiwan contact Gymco Sports (concept2.tw) | Mainland China has a separate official contact, concept2.cn |
| Peloton | Taiwan is not in the website's country selector | The website is available only in English and German |
| BowFlex | Available via the Johnson Health Tech Taiwan website | In 2024 a U.S. court approved Johnson Health Tech's acquisition of its principal assets |
| NordicTrack | No official or authorized distributor in Taiwan found | Part of iFIT |
| Xiaomi | Has an official Taiwan website | — |
| Yesoul, Merach, Keep | No official channel in Taiwan found | Mainland China brands |
Concept2 alternatives
Mainland China platforms carry many brands of air-resistance, magnetic-resistance and water-resistance rowing machines; resistance type, size and rated voltage vary, and this page does not compare products. If you want a Concept2 itself, there is an officially listed contact in Taiwan.
Peloton Tread+ recall (United States)
On May 5, 2021, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of about 125,000 Peloton Tread+ treadmills because users, children, pets or objects could be pulled underneath the rear of the treadmill; the announcement mentioned the death of a 6-year-old child. This is a U.S. case.
What does research say about the safety of home fitness equipment?
The established research findings mostly come from the United States:
Treadmills and children
In U.S. emergency department data for 2007–2011, 66% of injuries related to mechanical home exercise equipment involved treadmills (Graves et al., 2014); among children's home exercise equipment injuries in 1990–2008, exercise bikes, treadmills and jump ropes were the most common (Martinez et al., 2011). These are U.S. data; no comparable statistics were found for Taiwan.
Evidence on massage guns
A 2026 systematic review found that current evidence does not support a clear benefit of massage guns in reducing soreness; there is also a single case report of retinal tears after a massage gun was used around the eyes. Use according to the manufacturer's instructions and warnings.
Exercise habits in Taiwan
Sports Administration, Ministry of Sports (Taiwan), 2025 (ROC year 114) Sports Status Survey: the “7333” regular exercise population rate among citizens aged 13 and over is 35.6%; among the most common places to exercise, home accounts for 17.2%.
Steps to buy fitness equipment on Taobao and consolidate it to Taiwan
Based on the rules on this page:
1Confirm the item
Dumbbells, kettlebells, yoga mats, treadmills and rowing machines can be consolidated normally; for EMS and low-frequency devices, first confirm whether they are medical devices, and do not order them as ordinary goods.
2Check the rated voltage
For plug-in equipment, confirm whether the rating plate shows it can be used on 110V/60Hz; for rechargeable massage guns, follow the BSMI personal-use exemption conditions.
3Measure size and weight
A single piece with a gross weight over 70 kg is not an express consignment; bulky items can go by sea freight, charged on the greater of volumetric weight and actual weight.
4Combine and clear customs
Ship to the HowBridge Shenzhen warehouse for combined consolidation; equipment with Bluetooth is limited to up to 2 units per shipment with a personal-use self-declaration.
Terms used on this page
- MW0
- Tariff import-regulation code: import from mainland China is prohibited (exception: small quantities in Chapters 25–97 need no import permit if the whole declaration is within CIF NT$32,000 and each single product is within 24 pieces, with a 40 kg limit only for goods that cannot be counted; electric motorcycles, electric bicycles and their controllers are excluded, and Chapters 1–24 do not qualify).
- C02
- Import regulation code in the tariff schedule: some goods under this code are commodities that the BSMI has announced as subject to import inspection.
- 504
- Import regulation code in the tariff schedule: importers of medical devices for human use must attach a copy of the license or consent document issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (Taiwan).
- Special approval
- The case-by-case application to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (Taiwan) when importing a medical device for personal use; requires documents such as a diagnosis certificate or prescription.
- Rating plate (nameplate)
- The label on the unit showing specifications such as rated voltage, frequency and power.
- Volumetric weight
- A billing unit calculated as length × width × height (cm) ÷ 28316; charges are based on the greater of this and the actual weight.
Sources and limits of verification
The codes, inspection items, medical device rules, voltages and quantity limits on this page are based on official pages actually opened on September 26, 2026 and on queries of the tariff table on our server; each source below includes a link, verification date and key original text.
Laws, government notices and official sources
- International Trade Administration (ITA), Taiwan: Import Regulation Codes (verified 2026-09-26): MW0 “Mainland China goods not permitted for import.”; C02 “Some goods under this item are commodities that the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, MOEA has announced as subject to import inspection.”; 504, medical devices for human use: “a copy of the medical device license or consent document issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare shall be attached”.
- ITA: Summary Table of Mainland China Goods Not Permitted for Import (data updated 2026-09-25, ROC 115/09/25; verified 2026-09-26): lists “9019.10.20.10-3 mechano-therapy appliances … with low-frequency, high-frequency, ultrasonic or ultra-short-wave functions 504 MW0” and “8543.70.92.00-2 transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators 504 MW0”; 9506.91, 9506.99 and 9019.10.19 were not found.
- Medical Devices Act, Article 35 (promulgated 2020-01-15, ROC 109-01-15; verified 2026-09-26): the central competent authority “may grant special approval for the manufacture or import of specific medical devices”, in cases including “for use exclusively as samples or gifts, or for personal use”.
- Regulations Governing Special Approval for Manufacture and Import of Specific Medical Devices, Articles 7 and 17 (issued 2021-04-22, ROC 110-04-22; verified 2026-09-26): personal-use instruments are “limited to one unit per model”; the application must include proof of identity, instructions for use, a self-declaration and “a diagnosis certificate or prescription stating the name of the medical device, issued by a domestic or foreign medical institution where the person was treated”.
- Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), Taiwan: Search of Commodities Subject to Inspection (verified 2026-09-26): the common names for “electric massage appliances (including pneumatic types; inspection limited to rated voltage of 250V or less and not medical devices under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act)” include “massage gun, fascia gun”, and the inspection standards include CNS 60335-2-32; searches by product name for “treadmill”, “rowing machine” and “dumbbell” returned no commodity item.
- Regulations Governing Exemption from Commodity Inspection, Articles 5 and 6 (amended 2019-11-21, ROC 108-11-21; verified 2026-09-26): “The following personal-use items not for sale that are imported … where the total value of the same specification and model on the same customs declaration is US$1,000 or less, or where the total value of the same specification and model on the same customs declaration exceeds US$1,000 and the quantity does not exceed one of the following limits: … (5) Other commodities: 1. Personal-use items: two units.”
- Standards for Electricity Supply Voltage and Frequency, Articles 3 and 4 (amended 2017-06-12, ROC 106-06-12; verified 2026-09-26): the AC frequency “is set at sixty hertz”; “110 volts is supplied by single-phase two-wire.”
- China's Rules on Power Supply Business (Gongdian Yingye Guize), Articles 6 and 7 (in force 2024-06-01; verified 2026-09-26): “The rated frequency of power supplied by power supply enterprises is AC 50 hertz.” For low-voltage supply, “single-phase is 220 volts”.
- Regulations Governing the Manufacture, Import and Declaration of Controlled Telecommunications Radio-Frequency Devices, Article 9 (amended 2025-02-03, ROC 114-02-03; verified 2026-09-26): “For import by mail or by other means than carrying them in person, no more than two units may be imported at a time.” “The same natural person or legal entity is limited to ten units within one year. Natural persons must be at least eighteen years old.”
- Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance (Taiwan): Express Consignments (verified 2026-09-26): express consignments must be “goods with a gross weight of 70 kg or less per piece (bag)”; a shipment with a duty-paid value of NT$2,000 or less is duty-free, but this does not apply when “the same taxpayer has had goods released under the duty-free provision of the same paragraph more than 6 times within a half-year”, where a half-year “means January to June and July to December of each year”.
- Chunghwa Post: Mainland China Parcel Service (verified 2026-09-26): “Weight limit: no more than 30 kg per piece.” “Size limit: no side may exceed 150 cm”.
- Concept2 International (verified 2026-09-26): “Taiwan (All products) Gymco Sports Ltd. … Website: http://www.concept2.tw”.
- Peloton official website (verified 2026-09-26): the website's country selector lists only United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia and Austria.
- U.S. CPSC recall notice: Peloton Tread+ (2021-05-05; verified 2026-09-26 via the saferproducts.gov API): “Adult users, children, pets and objects can be pulled underneath the rear of the treadmill”; about 125,000 units recalled.
- BowFlex Inc. Form 8-K exhibit (filed 2024-04-16; verified 2026-09-26): “Court Approves BowFlex Inc. Purchase Agreement by Johnson Health Tech”.
- Johnson Health Tech About Us (verified 2026-09-26): headquarters “Taichung City 428 Taiwan, R.O.C.”; the Taiwan retail site johnsonfitness.com.tw lists BOWFLEX fitness equipment.
Academic and research literature
Home exercise equipment-related injuries among children in the United States
U.S. emergency department data for 1990–2008: among children's home exercise equipment injuries, exercise bikes, treadmills and jump ropes were the most common.
Emergency department-reported injuries associated with mechanical home exercise equipment in the USA
In U.S. emergency department data for 2007–2011, 66% of injuries related to mechanical home exercise equipment involved treadmills.
Treadmill associated head injuries on the rise: an 18 year review of U.S. emergency room visits
A review of U.S. emergency department data on treadmill-related head injuries, 1997–2014.
Side effects of and contraindications for whole-body electro-myo-stimulation: a viewpoint
Compiles 7 cases of rhabdomyolysis after whole-body EMS; the authors note that whether EMS was the sole risk factor remains inconclusive.
Position statement and updated international guideline for safe and effective whole-body electromyostimulation training
International guideline on whole-body EMS, stressing supervision by a qualified trainer and prior screening for contraindications.
Effects of percussive therapy dosages on recovery from acute exercise-induced muscle damage: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Systematic review of massage guns: current evidence does not support a clear benefit for recovery of maximal strength or reduction of soreness.
Bilateral retinal tears and dialysis: a rare complication of percussive massage gun use
Single case report: retinal tears after a massage gun was used around the eyes; the authors call for clear manufacturer warnings.
Final Report of the 2025 (ROC Year 114) Sports Participation Survey (original in Chinese)
Taiwan survey of citizens aged 13 and over, 2025 (ROC year 114): the “7333” regular exercise population rate is 35.6%, and home is the fourth most common place to exercise (17.2%).
① Tariff codes are determined by customs based on the actual product; this page lists only possible classifications; ② no official guidance was found on the classification and inspection of smart fitness mirrors; ③ no original China Post text was found on postal parcel limits from mainland China to Taiwan; ④ whether the Peloton app has a Chinese interface was not found; ⑤ no fitness equipment safety warnings or recall notices in Taiwan were found; ⑥ the injury figures in the research are U.S. data; ⑦ this page does not constitute legal, medical or training advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can a treadmill bought on Taobao be shipped to Taiwan?
Do massage guns need inspection?
Can EMS ab pads be consolidated from Taobao?
Can you buy a Concept2 rowing machine in Taiwan?
Does Peloton have a Chinese version or a Taiwan website?
Can HowBridge buy fitness equipment for me?
Further reading
Combine fitness equipment at our Shenzhen warehouse and ship it to Taiwan
Order yourself on mainland China platforms and ship to the HowBridge Shenzhen warehouse for combined consolidation; bulky equipment can go by sea freight, and for medical devices such as EMS, check the rules first.
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