Complete Guide to Consolidating and Shipping Food to Taiwan
Yes, but with conditions. To ship food from mainland China to Taiwan, first look up the import rules of the Ministry of Economic Affairs International Trade Administration using the 11-digit CCC code: items marked MW0 are generally not allowed to be imported. Only items not listed as MW0, not for sale, valued at US$1,000 or less and weighing 6 kg or less may be exempt from applying for import inspection with the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA), Ministry of Health and Welfare. Do not ship anything containing pork.
- General food that is not for sale, valued at US$1,000 or less and weighing 6 kg or less may be exempt from applying for TFDA import inspection (TFDA announcement). This does not mean the import is approved, and it does not waive MW0, quarantine, duties or any other rules.
- Meat, eggs, dairy, seafood, fresh produce, seeds and similar goods are not governed by a blanket allowed-or-banned rule. Check ingredients, origin, processing status, import method and the actual 11-digit CCC code.
- Tablet or capsule foods not intended for sale are limited to 12 bottles of each type and 36 bottles in total; all other import rules still apply.
- Infant formula and dairy products must be checked by intended use, ingredients, origin and actual 11-digit CCC code. Do not treat the general-food exemption as import approval.
- Alcohol and tobacco: HowBridge does not ship glass-bottled alcohol (fragile items); ask customer service first whether tobacco products can be accepted. Under the law, personal-use alcohol and tobacco imported by post are exempt from a tobacco and alcohol import licence up to 5 litres of alcohol, 5 cartons of cigarettes (1,000 sticks), 125 cigars or 5 pounds of tobacco (Article 14 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Imported and Exported Postal Articles); alcohol and tobacco are always taxed and do not qualify for the NT$2,000 duty-free allowance. Tobacco may not be supplied to anyone under 20 (Article 17 of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act); alcohol may not be sold, delivered or supplied to children and youths under 18 (Article 43 of the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act).
- Tax: duty-paid value ≤ NT$2,000 is duty-free (except alcohol and tobacco). Counted per recipient for postal parcels and per taxpayer for express shipments; once more than 6 duty-free releases occur in a half-year (January–June / July–December), the duty-free treatment no longer applies from the 7th onwards.
- For mainland-China goods, check ingredients, origin and the actual 11-digit CCC code for MW0/MP1. MW0 is generally not permitted unless a special approval applies; no product nickname guarantees that tea, milk powder or cheese is allowed.
- Check the clearance method for the tariff code first: under Article 12 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Cargo, express cargo "subject to import or export regulations" must be cleared with a regular import declaration (formal customs entry). B01 (animal and plant quarantine) and F01 (food import inspection) are both import-rule codes; a simplified declaration may be used only in special cases announced by Customs. How food exempt from inspection for personal use is handled in practice follows Customs announcements, so ask customer service to check before creating a consolidation order. Under HowBridge procedures, goods requiring formal customs entry that are already in the express warehouse must first be transferred to the general warehouse before they can be processed.
Sources: Taiwan FDA (TFDA), Taiwan's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA), and Taiwan Customs Administration (see “Legal Basis and Official Sources” at the end of this article).
📅 Last updated: 2026-10-28 · ✍️ HowBridge Logistics consolidation editorial team · 🛡️ Compiled from Customs announcements and current regulations ·
Taiwan Customs conducts relatively strict food inspections. This guide explains what can and cannot be shipped and how allowances are calculated to prevent products from being destroyed. Please read the entire guide before placing an order, and do not rely on word-of-mouth information.
Why Are Food Imports Strictly Regulated?
Sending food from mainland China back to Taiwan counts as “importing food”, and is jointly regulated by the Taiwan FDA (TFDA), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA) and the Taiwan Customs Administration. Why the rules are strict:
- Food safety regulations: Food adulteration and fraud, expired products, and prohibited additives may endanger consumer health.
- Quarantine risks: Meat may carry African swine fever or foot-and-mouth disease; fresh eggs may carry avian influenza; and plant products may introduce invasive pests.
- Fair commercial practices: Food that enters the market without customs duties being paid or without TFDA registration creates unfair competition.
Check Origin and MW0 First: Which Foods Are More Likely to Be Shippable Legally?
HowBridge currently handles consolidated shipping from mainland China → Taiwan only, so start with the country of origin: food originating in mainland China cannot be shipped if its 11-digit CCC code is marked MW0 (the small-quantity import permit exemption does not apply to Chapters 1–24). Not being listed as MW0 only means the item is not covered by the mainland goods ban; it must still meet F01 food import inspection, B01 animal and plant quarantine and the applicable clearance method. Originally packaged food not of mainland Chinese origin is not subject to MW0, but other import rules still have to be checked. The tariff codes and import rules below follow the MOEA International Trade Administration lookup for imports of mainland Chinese goods (fbfh.trade.gov.tw, checked 2026-10-28); the same product may fall under different codes depending on ingredients or packaging, so ask customer service to check before ordering.
Packaged Biscuits and Snacks: Most Mainland-Made Ones Are MW0
Mainland Chinese sweet biscuits (1905.31), waffles and wafers (1905.32), rice crackers (1905.90.50), cakes and other baked snacks (1905.90.90) and potato chips (2005.20.20) are all marked MW0 and cannot be shipped. Originally packaged snacks not of mainland Chinese origin (for example in original Japanese or Korean factory packaging) are not subject to MW0, but other rules must still be checked by ingredients and 11-digit CCC code; if not for sale, valued at ≤ US$1,000 and weighing ≤ 6 kg, they may be exempt from applying for food import inspection.
Coffee, Cocoa and Tea: Only Pu-erh Is Open Among Mainland Teas
Coffee beans (roasted, 0901.21), instant coffee (2101.11) and cocoa powder (1805, 1806.10) are not listed as MW0 (still listed F01); unroasted green coffee beans (0901.11) are additionally listed B01 for animal and plant quarantine. For mainland Chinese tea, only Pu'er tea is open for import (0902.30.10, 0902.40.10); pure matcha powder counts as green tea (0902.10), and mainland Chinese green, black and oolong teas are marked MW0 and may not be imported. Travellers may carry up to 1 kg of tea; for post and consolidated shipping, the general personal-use food threshold for exemption from food inspection applies: "value of US$1,000 or less and weight of 6 kg or less".
Sauces and Seasonings: Mainland Soy Sauce, Miso and Ketchup Cannot Be Shipped
Mainland-made soy sauce (2103.10), ketchup (2103.20), miso (2008.99.93) and mirin (2103.90.90.30) are marked MW0 and cannot be shipped. Mayonnaise and salad dressing (2103.90.10), curry sauce (2103.90.20), mustard (2103.30) and other sauces not elsewhere specified (2103.90.90.90) are not marked MW0 (F01 still applies), but they must not contain meat. Foreign brands such as Kewpie, Kikkoman and Maggi are free from MW0 only when they are original-packaged products not of mainland Chinese origin; the same brand may also be produced in mainland China, so check the origin printed on the package. Canned foods (vegetables 2005, seafood 1604/1605) include some codes marked MW0 or MP1 and must be checked one by one.
Dry Goods, Nuts and Grains: Mainland Shiitake, Peanuts, Rice and Noodles Cannot Be Shipped
Mainland Chinese dried shiitake mushrooms (0712.34), dried wood ear fungus (0712.32), peanuts (1202; roasted peanuts 2008.11.11/.12/.91/.92), rice and most rice products, all noodles and vermicelli under heading 1902 (including pasta and instant noodles), and roasted or seasoned seaweed (2008.99.50) are marked MW0 and cannot be shipped; peanut butter (2008.11.20) is not listed as MW0. Examples not listed as MW0: dried cashews (0801.32.20), unseasoned dried laver and dried kelp (1212.21), rolled oats (1104.12) and raisins (0806.20), which are still listed F01. Most nuts under heading 0802 (such as almonds, pistachios and macadamias) are not listed as MW0 but are additionally listed B01 for animal and plant quarantine; dried chestnuts (0802.41.20) are not listed B01. For similar rice or starch products, ask customer service to check before ordering.
Chocolate, Candy and Cakes: Check the Filling and the Origin
Mainland Chinese unfilled block chocolate (1806.32) is not listed as MW0 (still listed F01); filled block chocolate (1806.31), chewing gum (1704.10), peanut candy (1704.90.00.10) and cakes and baked snacks (1905) are marked MW0 and cannot be shipped. Other sugar confectionery not containing cocoa (1704.90.00.90) is marked MP1 with an EX note: only the listed item (pure white chocolate) is open, and it must meet the International Trade Administration rules for "mainland Chinese goods conditionally permitted for import". For foreign brands such as Godiva, Lindt, Meiji, Shiroi Koibito and ROYCE, only originally packaged products not of mainland Chinese origin are free of the MW0 restriction; cakes must be the shelf-stable type (no fresh cream or egg-yolk filling).
Drink Powders, Soup Packs and Cereals: Check the Code for Each Item
Powdered soups (2104.10), tea or tea-based preparations (2101.20), cocoa powder and rolled oats (1104.12) are not listed as MW0 (still listed F01). However, similar products may fall under other codes: other food preparations not elsewhere specified (2106.90.99.90) are marked MP1 with an EX note, so only listed items are open; preparations containing 30% or more rice (2106.90.98) and instant congee (1904.10.20) are marked MW0. We recommend choosing meat-free flavours (meat ingredients may be subject to animal quarantine), and asking customer service to check the actual tariff code before ordering.
Can miso paste be shipped or brought into Taiwan?
Miso made in mainland China (tariff code 2008.99.93) is marked MW0 and cannot be shipped (the small-quantity import permit exemption does not apply to Chapters 1–24). Only for originally packaged miso not of mainland Chinese origin do you go on to check animal and plant quarantine and F01 based on the full ingredients, processing state and actual 11-digit CCC code. The traveller reference table is for reference only and cannot be applied directly as the rule for postal parcels or express shipments; for products containing livestock or poultry ingredients in particular, confirm with the competent authority or a customs broker before ordering. Being not for sale, valued at US$1,000 or less and weighing 6 kg or less only means the item may be exempt from applying for food import inspection; it does not mean the import is approved.
- Keep the original packaging with the ingredient list visible — inspectors decide by ingredients, not by the word "miso".
- Glass jars are fragile, and HowBridge does not accept them. If the item can be shipped, it must be declared truthfully as “miso”; items whose tariff code lists import rules may require formal customs entry, so ask customer service to check first.
- Mainland-made miso is marked MW0 and cannot be shipped even in non-glass packaging; miso not from mainland China must also be checked item by item against the 11-digit CCC code, origin and current import rules.
Strictly Prohibited Food Items
What food is not allowed into Taiwan? (Quick answer)
All meat and meat products (pork, beef, chicken, duck, lamb — fresh, cooked, dried, floss, sausage, ham, meat-filled mooncakes, instant noodles with meat chunks), uncooked egg products (fresh eggs, century and raw salted eggs, balut), fresh fruit, soil and live plants cannot be mailed, couriered or consolidated into Taiwan. Pork products sent from an African-swine-fever area (including mainland China) bring the recipient a fine of NT$200,000 for a first offence and NT$1,000,000 for a second or later offence (APHIA postal ban in force since 2022-05-20; Statute for Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases).
Mid-Autumn 2026 enforcement (reported 2026-09-10): Taiwan's Central Emergency Operation Center for African swine fever said 588 illegal pork-product shipments had been seized so far this year — 413 carried by travellers, 134 in postal parcels and 41 in express shipments — about half originating from mainland China, and asked the public not to mail, courier or carry mooncakes or any gift containing meat. Not knowing what a gift box contains is not a defence; the Executive Yuan repeated the warning in its 2026-09-18 Mid-Autumn travel briefing.
- Prohibited outright: meat and meat products, uncooked egg products, fresh fruit, soil, live plants and seeds — none of these can be consolidated, whatever the quantity.
- Not prohibited by quarantine: fully cooked egg products with set yolk and white, meat-free biscuits, noodles and soups, UHT milk and milk powder, canned/pickled/roasted plant foods, and dried, cured or otherwise processed seafood.
- Separate from quarantine: items on the mainland-China MW0 list (tea other than pu-erh, fresh milk and liquid dairy) cannot be imported from mainland China at all — check the MW0 section before ordering (MW0 = import from mainland China is prohibited; the small-quantity import permit exemption does not apply to Chapters 1–24).
❌ Fresh or Processed Meat (Including Pork, Beef, Chicken, Duck, and Lamb)
Pork floss, ham, sausages, chicken jerky, ready-to-eat chicken breast, meatballs, air-dried beef and the like may be animal quarantine items. Pork products from African swine fever high-risk areas may not be imported by post in violation of the rules; other meats or highly processed ingredients must still be assessed by product form, country of origin and quarantine conditions, and are not judged simply by vacuum-packed or canned appearance. For penalties, see penalties for meat and African swine fever in postal parcels.
❌ Prepared Food Packs or Instant Noodles Containing Meat
Instant noodles and ready meals from mainland China containing ham sausage, meat chunks or meat sauce are strictly prohibited. APHIA assesses the risk of powdered meat ingredients in instant noodles as very low, but because meat-containing forms vary widely and are hard to judge, it advises against bringing or sending them (APHIA explanation); from 114-11-06, importing pork products from affected areas is fined even if the recipient did not know. The safest choice is a meat-free flavour or vegetarian version.
❌ Fresh eggs and undercooked egg products
Due to avian influenza control, fresh eggs and uncooked egg products such as century eggs and raw salted eggs may not be imported. According to APHIA's traveller quarantine reference table (105/03/08 edition), fully cooked egg products in which both yolk and white are completely set do not need to be declared for animal quarantine; eggs containing embryos, such as balut, are banned whether cooked or not. This is a reference table for travellers; for post and consolidated shipping, APHIA's actual determination prevails, and goods with unclear ingredients may be held for inspection.
❌ Live or Fresh Seafood
Seafood rules depend on species, condition, processing, origin, quarantine and the actual 11-digit CCC code. Do not treat every fresh, frozen or processed seafood product as automatically allowed or banned.
❌ Fresh Milk and Raw Milk Products
Dairy products must be checked by ingredients, processing method, origin and actual 11-digit CCC code for MW0/MP1, animal quarantine and F01. The names “fresh milk”, “milk powder” or “cheese” do not by themselves guarantee permission or prohibition.
❌ Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
Fresh fruit and vegetables such as apples, grapes, mangoes and water spinach may not be imported (risk of quarantine pests). Commercially packaged dried fruit is a processed dried product and generally needs no plant quarantine, but that does not make it shippable: mainland-made dried longan (0813.40.10), prepared dried mango (2008.99.30.90) and boxed dried plums (0813.20.10) are marked MW0 and cannot be shipped; raisins (0806.20) and dried apples (0813.30) are not marked MW0 (F01 still applies). Other dried fruit must be checked by its actual tariff code.
❌ Food Containing CBD or Cannabis Ingredients
CBD gummies, energy bars containing cannabis ingredients, hemp oil containing THC and the like. Even if legal in the country of origin, they are illegal in Taiwan: importing them yourself without a TFDA licence is treated as unauthorised import of prohibited drugs, and the importer may face up to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of up to NT$100 million under Article 82 of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act; products with THC above 10 ppm are treated as Category 2 narcotics (Taichung Customs, Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance).
For the full list, see the Taiwan import prohibition and restriction list; for quarantine rules on animal products such as meat, eggs and dairy, see the animal and plant quarantine guide.
Food Requiring Quarantine or Subject to Restrictions
⚠️ Health Supplements and Nutritional Supplements
Fish oil, glucosamine, vitamins and collagen (protein powder is general food and counts towards the 6 kg). Tablet and capsule foods not for sale may be exempt from applying for food import inspection only if there are no more than 12 bottles per type and no more than 36 bottles in total; other import rules must still be met. For the detailed calculation, see how the 12-bottle / 36-bottle limit for health supplements works.
⚠️ Infant and Young Child Food
Rules for milk powder, rice cereal, fruit purée and baby biscuits vary with the product's intended age group, ingredients, country of origin and 11-digit CCC code. Infant and follow-up formula (milk powder, liquid milk) requires an import consent document, and there are annual cumulative limits per person per item (TFDA). US$1,000 / 6 kg is only the condition for exempting general personal-use food from applying for import inspection; it does not mean MW0, quarantine or other rules are automatically cleared.
⚠️ Tea (check MW0/MP1 by tariff code)
For mainland Chinese tea, only Pu'er tea is currently open for import; green, black, oolong and all other teas may not be imported (import rule MW0; the small-quantity import permit exemption does not apply to Chapters 1–24). Travellers may carry up to 1 kg of tea; for post and consolidated shipping, the general personal-use food threshold for exemption from food inspection applies: "value of US$1,000 or less and weight of 6 kg or less".
⚠️ Honey and Royal Jelly
Mainland Chinese honey (natural honey 0409) and royal jelly (0410.90.91.10) are marked MW0 and cannot be shipped (the small-quantity import permit exemption does not apply to Chapters 1–24). Originally packaged honey not of mainland Chinese origin is general food: if not for sale and within value ≤ US$1,000 and weight ≤ 6 kg, it may be exempt from applying for food import inspection; this does not apply to commercial sale, and animal and plant quarantine and other import rules must still be checked separately.
⚠️ Alcohol and Tobacco Products
HowBridge does not ship glass-bottled alcohol (fragile items such as glass and ceramics are never accepted); please ask customer service first whether tobacco products can be accepted. Legal facts: personal-use alcohol and tobacco imported by post are exempt from a tobacco and alcohol import licence up to 5 litres of alcohol, 5 cartons of cigarettes (1,000 sticks), 125 cigars or 5 pounds of tobacco (Article 14 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Imported and Exported Postal Articles); alcohol and tobacco are always taxed and do not qualify for the NT$2,000 duty-free allowance (Article 7, Paragraph 2 of the same Regulations). Tobacco may not be supplied to anyone under 20 (Article 17 of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act); alcohol may not be sold, delivered or supplied to children and youths under 18 (Article 43 of the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act). Whether alcohol can go by air depends on airline and dangerous goods rules, so please ask customer service first.
⚠️ Traditional Chinese Medicinal Ingredients
Angelica root (danggui), astragalus, ginseng, goji berries, red dates, dried longan and the like. Arriving travellers may carry Chinese herbal materials up to 1 kg per type and no more than 12 types in total (Kaohsiung Customs). Herbal materials containing animal ingredients must be declared for animal quarantine and may not be imported without a quarantine certificate from the exporting country; ingredients from protected species additionally require approval from the Ministry of Agriculture. Items must be on the Ministry of Health and Welfare list of "Chinese herbal materials permitted for use in food".
Check before you ship: is this food opened to imports from mainland China? (MW0)
Taiwan applies a positive list to goods from mainland China: the import regulation code MW0 means goods from mainland China are not permitted for import, while MP1 means conditionally permitted. To mail food from mainland China that is not opened, you must attach a project import permit from the International Trade Administration (MOEA), and the small-quantity licence exemption does not apply (Kaohsiung Customs news release, 2025-06-04). The following common foods fall at this hurdle:
- Tea: for mainland Chinese tea, only Pu'er tea is open for import; green, black, oolong and other teas may not be imported (MW0 = import from mainland China is prohibited; the small-quantity import permit exemption does not apply to Chapters 1–24). Travellers may carry up to 1 kg of tea; post and consolidated shipping follow the general personal-use food threshold of US$1,000 / 6 kg.
- Dairy: check ingredients, origin, processing and the actual 11-digit CCC code. Milk powder, cheese and liquid dairy are not categorically guaranteed allowed or prohibited.
- Shiitake mushrooms, peanuts, vermicelli, rice: import rule MW0, import not permitted (MW0 = import from mainland China is prohibited; the small-quantity import permit exemption does not apply to Chapters 1–24). Dried shiitake mushrooms and peanuts not made in mainland China must, under import rule 465, be accompanied by a certificate of origin issued by the government of the producing country or its authorised body (not required for personal-use quantities of 6 kg or less); peanuts are also listed B01 and require plant quarantine. See our explanation of the 465 certificate of origin. For the full item list, see the 465 certificate of origin page.
- Most snacks, pastries and noodle products are not open: according to the MOEA International Trade Administration lookup for imports of mainland Chinese goods (2026-10-28), common items such as sweet biscuits (1905.31), rice crackers (1905.90.50), potato chips (2005.20.20), chewing gum (1704.10), peanut candy, filled chocolate (1806.31), soy sauce (2103.10), ketchup (2103.20) and honey (0409) are all marked MW0; all of heading 1902, covering noodles, rice noodles and pasta, is closed. Unfilled block chocolate (1806.32), coffee, most nuts and raisins are not listed as MW0; pure white chocolate (1704.90.00.90) is MP1, conditionally permitted.
- MW0 restricts only goods “originating in mainland China”: originally packaged foods from Japan, Korea and elsewhere (with a country of origin other than China) bought on platforms such as Taobao are not subject to MW0 and still qualify for the general food exemption. Customs determines this by country of origin, so keep the original packaging and origin labelling.
- How to check: before ordering, you can give the product name to our customer service to check whether it is an opened item, refer to the official sources at the end of this article, or use our tariff lookup tool to check the import regulations (MW0 marking) for that tariff number.
Key terms on this page: MW0, MP1, F01, B01, 11-digit CCC code
- MW0
- Items with the code MW0 in the "import rules" column of the Classification of Import and Export Commodities are "mainland Chinese goods not permitted for import"; unless a special permit is obtained from the MOEA International Trade Administration, products of mainland China may not be imported (MOEA International Trade Administration).
- MP1
- Items with the code MP1 in the "import rules" column are "mainland Chinese goods conditionally permitted for import"; when the tariff code carries an EX note, only goods matching the Chinese and English description are open (MOEA International Trade Administration).
- F01
- An "import rules" column code indicating that the goods fall within the import inspection scope of the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare; personal-use goods within the announced allowance may be exempt from applying for inspection, but express shipments are still cargo "subject to import or export regulations".
- B01
- An "import rules" column code indicating that animal and plant quarantine must be applied for with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, for example green coffee beans 0901.11 and most nuts under heading 0802.
- 11-digit CCC code
- The Republic of China (Taiwan) import and export commodity classification code (10-digit tariff code + 1 check digit), used to look up the goods' import rules such as MW0/MP1, F01 and B01; foods with the same common name may fall under different codes depending on ingredients or processing state.
Detailed Inspection-Exemption Rules
| Category | Inspection-Exemption or Permit-Free Allowance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Food (general processed) | Value ≤ US$1,000 and weight ≤ 6 kg | Excludes meat, fresh produce and eggs; the official 6 kg calculation method is not specified, so plan conservatively using the total for the whole declaration |
| Supplements (tablets／capsules) | 12 bottles per type, 36 bottles in total | Original packaging, not for sale |
| Infant and follow-up formula (milk powder, liquid milk) | Import approval letter required | Annual cumulative limit per person per item: milk powder ≤ 30 kg, liquid milk ≤ 200 kg (TFDA 2025-07-09) |
| Milk powder for over 1 year | Value ≤ US$1,000 and weight ≤ 6 kg | Ordinary milk powder (0402.10, 0402.21, 0402.29) and other preparations for young children (1901.10.00.90) are not marked MW0; whey, milk skin, unsweetened condensed milk and most sweetened liquid milk in the same heading are marked MW0, so check the 11-digit code. F01 still applies; within the limit the item may only be exempt from applying for import inspection |
| Honey | Mainland-made: 0409 is marked MW0 and cannot be shipped | Only originally packaged products not made in mainland China count towards the general food allowance: value ≤ US$1,000 and weight ≤ 6 kg; also check the 11-digit CCC code |
| Tea (mainland China) | Check the actual 11-digit CCC code | Travellers may carry up to 1 kg; post and consolidated shipping follow the general personal-use food threshold of US$1,000 / 6 kg |
| Alcohol | 5 litres | Always taxed; may not be sold, delivered or supplied to children and youths under 18; HowBridge does not ship glass-bottled alcohol |
| Tobacco (cigarettes) | 5 cartons (1,000 sticks), 125 cigars or 5 pounds of tobacco | Always taxed; must not be supplied to anyone under 20; excess requires an import permit |
| Chinese medicinal materials | Travellers: 1 kg per type, 12 types in total | Items with animal ingredients must be declared for animal quarantine and may not be imported without a quarantine certificate from the exporting country |
How Is the “6-Kilogram” Limit Calculated?
General food not for sale may be exempt from applying for TFDA import inspection only if valued at US$1,000 or less and weighing 6 kg or less (original TFDA announcement). The official announcement does not say whether the 6 kg applies per item or to the whole shipment, so we recommend planning conservatively with the whole declaration totalling 6 kg or less. This exemption does not replace MW0/MP1, animal and plant quarantine, duties or other import rules. For the consent document process for infant formula, see our guide to import consent documents for infant formula.
Inspection and monitoring data: for products that apply for import inspection, the general batch sampling rate is 2–10% and enhanced sampling is 20–50% (Article 8 of the Regulations of Inspection of Imported Food and Related Products, amended 114-08-21; applies to products that apply for import inspection). Postal duty-free releases are counted per recipient per half-year, and once more than 6 releases occur, duty-free treatment no longer applies from the 7th onwards (Article 12 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Imported and Exported Postal Articles). The personal-use exemption is under review: in 2024 one importer declared 3,002 food imports in a single year under the personal-use exemption (with declarations on 294 days); TFDA fined that importer twice in September 2025, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare pledged to consider amending the law (Central News Agency 2025-10-30). Please do not use the personal-use allowance frequently or in excess.
HowBridge Logistics core data on shipping food to Taiwan (citable)
Three numbers decide most food shipments to Taiwan: the personal-use TFDA exemption of ≤ US$1,000 and ≤ 6 kg, the NT$2,000 duty-free threshold with 6 releases per half-year, and the NT$200,000 / NT$1,000,000 penalty for pork products from an African-swine-fever area.
| Item | Data |
|---|---|
| TFDA personal-use exemption | Value ≤ US$1,000 and weight ≤ 6 kg (the official calculation method is not specified; plan conservatively using the total for the whole declaration); hairy crabs and banned beef excluded; tablets and capsules ≤ 12 per type and ≤ 36 in total (inspection exemption under Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation) |
| Duty-free threshold | Duty-paid value ≤ NT$2,000; counted per recipient for postal parcels and per taxpayer for express shipments. Once more than 6 duty-free releases occur in a half-year (January–June / July–December), the duty-free treatment no longer applies from the 7th onwards |
| ASF pork-product penalty | Statutory fine of NT$50,000–1,000,000 (Article 43 of the Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases); in practice NT$200,000 for the first offence and NT$1,000,000 from the second. Since 111-05-20, pork products may no longer be imported by post from African swine fever affected areas; from 114-11-06 the "first unintentional offence is not fined" rule was removed, so recipients are fined even if they claim not to have known (APHIA 2026-09-09) |
| 2026 enforcement to date (2026-09-10) | 67th meeting of the Central Emergency Operation Center for African Swine Fever (2026-09-07): the Customs Administration and APHIA apply 100% X-ray screening to luggage of arriving travellers, express cargo and international postal parcels from high-risk areas, and have raised the rate of manual opening inspections |
| Prohibited categories | All meat and meat products; uncooked egg products (fresh eggs, century eggs, raw salted eggs, balut even when cooked); fresh fruit; soil and live plants; seeds without a permit |
| No quarantine needed | Fully processed plant foods (canned, pickled, roasted, miso, soy sauce, spice powders); meat-free biscuits, noodles and soups; fully cooked eggs; processed seafood; UHT milk and milk powder (quarantine-free ≠ shippable: mainland goods must still be checked for MW0, e.g. mainland-made miso and soy sauce are MW0) |
| Mainland-China MW0 list | Check ingredients, origin and the actual 11-digit CCC code for MW0/MP1; names such as tea, milk powder or cheese do not guarantee permission. |
| HowBridge Logistics route | Mainland China → Taiwan only (Shenzhen warehouse → Taoyuan); currently compensates loss or damage up to three times the shipping fee, and optional declared-value protection (3% of the declared value, max NT$150; up to NT$5,000 once available) is coming soon; glass jars and other fragile items are not accepted (The above compensation does not apply to precious metals and jewelry: they must first be insured by an insurance company, and HowBridge bears no liability for their loss or damage in transit; see the Terms of Service.) |
| Virus detected in pork products at the border | From the start of 2026 to early September, 11.5% of pork products seized at the border tested positive for African swine fever viral nucleic acid, and mainland China accounted for 95% of positive samples (APHIA 2026-09-09) |
Figures are taken from the TFDA personal-use inspection exemption, the Customs Administration (Ministry of Finance) duty-free rules, APHIA announcements and its traveller quarantine reference table for animal and plant products, the 67th meeting of the Central Emergency Operation Center for African Swine Fever (2026-09-07) and APHIA's 2026-09-09 statement; the legal basis is listed section by section on this page. Fact-check baseline: 2026-10-28. You are welcome to quote this page with the source credited as "HowBridge 0523.tw".
4 Steps for Consolidating Food Shipments
Confirm Whether the Item Can Be Shipped Before Ordering
Check against the list in this article, or contact HowBridge Logistics customer service for help confirming. Anything containing meat, fresh produce or eggs is never shipped; for tea, dairy and similar items, first confirm whether they are opened to mainland Chinese imports (see the MW0 section). If in doubt, skip it.
Enter the Consolidation Warehouse Address When Ordering
For food from mainland China, enter the Shenzhen warehouse delivery address (we currently provide consolidation only from mainland China to Taiwan).
Notify Customer Service That the Shipment Contains “Food” Before It Reaches the Warehouse
Ask HowBridge customer service to label the shipment as “food.” The warehouse will: ① use moisture-resistant packaging ② recommend a suitable shipping method. HowBridge does not offer unboxing inspection; confirm expiration dates with the seller before ordering, or request warehouse photos to check them yourself.
Customs Clearance + Delivery
Under Article 12 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Cargo and of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Sea Express Cargo, express cargo "subject to import or export regulations" must be cleared with a regular declaration (formal customs entry); tariff codes listing B01 (animal and plant quarantine) or F01 (TFDA import inspection) are both import rules, and a simplified declaration may be used only in special cases announced by Customs. How food exempt from inspection for personal use is handled in practice follows Customs announcements, so before creating a consolidation order, ask customer service to check the product's 11-digit CCC code and clearance method. Under HowBridge procedures, goods requiring formal customs entry that are already in the express warehouse must first be transferred to the general warehouse before they can be processed. For products that apply for import inspection, border inspection uses batch sampling: 2–10% for general sampling and 20–50% for enhanced sampling (Article 8 of the Regulations of Inspection of Imported Food and Related Products). If you are not in a hurry, consider sea LCL consolidation (less impact on shelf life; ask customer service for a quote based on your goods).
Tips for Safely Consolidating Food Shipments
1. Ensure at Least 6 Months of Shelf Life Remain
Sea LCL consolidation (ask customer service for a quote based on your goods) usually takes 7–14 days to reach Taiwan (HowBridge operational experience, not an official guarantee), plus the time you need to consume the food. If the seller offers products with only 1–2 months of shelf life left, we suggest refusing them.
2. Ship Chocolate by Air During Summer
Temperatures inside sea LCL consolidation containers can become very high during summer, causing chocolate and butter-based products to melt or deform. Air freight is recommended during summer (6-9), while sea LCL consolidation can save money during winter.
3. Take Photos for Documentation
Ask the warehouse to take photos before dispatch (including the packaging and expiration date), and take photos after receiving the shipment. Preserve this evidence in case of damage or spoilage.
4. Split Different Types of Food into Separate Shipments
Customs decides whether a shipment exceeds a “reasonable personal-use range” by looking at quantity, value and how often parcels arrive; once duty-free releases exceed 6 in a half-year, the duty-free treatment no longer applies (Article 12 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance for Postal Parcels), and cases of abuse of the personal-use exemption have already prompted the Ministry of Health and Welfare to consider amending the rules (CNA, 2025-10-30). We suggest focusing each shipment on 1–2 themes, keeping the total volume moderate, and shipping different themes separately.
Legal Basis and Official Sources
The allowances and restrictions on this page are compiled from the following current laws and official government sources, and were re-checked item by item against official sources on 2026-10-28. If the rules are amended, the latest announcement by the competent authority prevails:
- Exemption from import inspection for general food for personal use (value ≤ US$1,000 and weight ≤ 6 kg): original TFDA announcement: "food and related products (excluding tablet and capsule foods) imported for personal use, valued at US$1,000 or less and weighing 6 kg or less"; the goods must not be for sale, and exemption from inspection does not mean the import is approved. The announcement does not specify how the 6 kg is calculated. TFDA announcement
- Meat, uncooked egg products, fresh produce and other animal products may not be imported (African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza control): Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA), Ministry of Agriculture. For pork products sent by post from countries with African swine fever, the recipient is fined under Article 43 of the Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases (statutory NT$50,000–1,000,000): NT$200,000 for the first offence and NT$1,000,000 for the second and subsequent offences; from 114-11-06 the "first unintentional offence is not fined" rule was removed. APHIA 2026-09-09, Statute for Prevention and Control of Infectious Animal Diseases
- Tablet/capsule foods: no more than 12 bottles of each type and 36 bottles in total; other requirements still apply.
- Infant and follow-up formula (milk powder, liquid milk) requires an import consent document; annual cumulative limit per person per item: milk powder ≤ 30 kg, liquid milk ≤ 200 kg: Taiwan Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare (2025-07-09). TFDA explanation
- Postal limits for alcohol and tobacco: up to 5 litres of alcohol, 5 cartons of cigarettes (1,000 sticks), 125 cigars or 5 pounds of tobacco without an import licence; not eligible for the NT$2,000 duty-free allowance: Articles 14 and 7 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Imported and Exported Postal Articles (amended 109-04-01). Ministry of Finance Laws and Regulations Database
- Foods containing CBD or cannabis are prohibited — Taichung Customs, Taiwan Customs Administration (2023-05-17): no CBD-containing medicine has been approved domestically, so importing without a licence is treated as unauthorised import of a prohibited drug; THC above 10 ppm is treated as a Schedule II narcotic. Taichung Customs explanation
- NT$2,000 duty-free allowance; after more than 6 releases in a half-year, no longer duty-free from the 7th onwards: counted per recipient for postal parcels (Articles 7 and 12 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Imported and Exported Postal Articles; enabling law: Article 49 of the Customs Act); counted per taxpayer for express shipments (Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, "Express Cargo" page).
- Mainland Chinese goods not open for import (MW0) require a special permit to be sent by post: Kaohsiung Customs, Ministry of Finance, press release of 2025-06-04: "For mainland Chinese tea, only Pu'er tea is currently open for import" and "sending food not open for import by post requires a special import permit from the MOEA International Trade Administration", and the small-quantity import permit exemption does not apply. Kaohsiung Customs press release; the small-quantity exemption is limited to industrial products in Chapters 25–97, see the Keelung Customs explanation; for MW0/MP1 definitions and code-by-code lookup, see the MOEA International Trade Administration lookup for imports of mainland Chinese goods (checked 2026-10-28).
- Limits on Chinese herbal materials: arriving travellers: ≤ 1 kg per type, ≤ 12 types in total (Kaohsiung Customs, Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, "Limits on medicines for personal use carried by arriving travellers"); herbal materials containing animal ingredients must be declared for animal quarantine and may not be imported without a quarantine certificate from the exporting country (APHIA traveller quarantine reference table). Kaohsiung Customs explanation
- Express cargo subject to import or export regulations must be cleared with a regular declaration: Article 12 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Cargo (amended 115-02-23): express cargo "subject to import or export regulations" must be cleared with a regular import or export declaration, except in special cases announced by Customs; the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Sea Express Cargo have the same effect. Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Cargo, Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Sea Express Cargo
- ASF positive rate for pork products seized at the border and inspection intensity: APHIA 2026-09-09: positive rate of 11.5% from the start of 2026 to early September, with mainland China accounting for 95% of positive samples; 67th meeting of the Central Emergency Operation Center for African Swine Fever (2026-09-07): 100% X-ray screening of express shipments and postal parcels from high-risk areas, with a higher opening rate. APHIA explanation, 67th meeting of the Emergency Operation Center
Official lookups: Taiwan FDA (MOHW), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (MOA), Customs Administration (MOF); to look up a product's tariff code, use the HowBridge tariff lookup tool (12,705 entries as of 2026-10-28).
Frequently Asked Questions About Consolidating Food Shipments
Related Articles
- List of Prohibited and Restricted Imports in Taiwan
- What should you know when buying goods in Japan and shipping them to Taiwan?
- What should you know when buying goods in Korea and shipping them to Taiwan?
- Complete Guide to Taobao Consolidated Shipping to Taiwan
- Complete Guide to Taiwan Tariff Lookup
- Guide to Consolidating Health Supplement Shipments
- Coffee and Tea Import Duty and Quarantine Rules
Choose HowBridge for Consolidated Food Shipping
Automatic labeling of legal items, advance warnings for products likely to raise customs concerns, and multilingual customer service (AI 24/7, human agents Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00 Taiwan time).
Register for Free and Get a Warehouse Address