🇨🇳How to import into China
To import into China, most goods clear customs freely, but specific sectors need a permit, product registration or import licence from a named regulator before the shipment lands. A legitimate importer of those goods holds the current document, ask for it and check it at the source.
Sector import rules
These sectors carry their own import requirement in China. For each, a legitimate importer holds the document named below, issued by the named regulator. Ask for it, then verify it at the source.
- telecom/radio equipmentImport permit required
conformity certificate from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
Importer must secure a Network Access License (NAL) and a Radio Transmission Equipment Type Approval Certificate from MIIT.
Official source - cosmeticsRegistration required
product registration from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).
Importer must file a notification for general cosmetics or obtain a registration certificate for special cosmetics via NMPA.
We could not confirm a live official link for this regulator, so no source is shown. Search the regulator name on the China government domain to reach it.
- meatImport permit required
sanitary/veterinary import permit from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).
Importer must ensure the foreign facility is registered with GACC and apply for an Automatic Import License and health release.
We could not confirm a live official link for this regulator, so no source is shown. Search the regulator name on the China government domain to reach it.
- medical devicesRegistration required
product registration from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).
Importer must register the device with NMPA and secure a Medical Device Registration Certificate before customs clearance.
We could not confirm a live official link for this regulator, so no source is shown. Search the regulator name on the China government domain to reach it.
- pharmaceuticalsRegistration required
product registration from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).
Importer must secure an Import Drug License (IDL) or marketing authorization certificate through the NMPA registration system.
We could not confirm a live official link for this regulator, so no source is shown. Search the regulator name on the China government domain to reach it.
- used goodsProhibited
import licence from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).
Importer must verify the national catalog as the vast majority of used mechanical and electronic products are completely banned.
We could not confirm a live official link for this regulator, so no source is shown. Search the regulator name on the China government domain to reach it.
This is a factual pointer to public rules, not legal advice, and the list is not exhaustive.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a licence to import into China?
- It depends on the product. General goods clear China customs without a sector licence, but regulated sectors (cosmetics, meat, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, telecom/radio equipment) require a specific permit, registration or licence from the regulator named on this page.
- How do I check an importer in China is allowed to bring in my product?
- Ask the buyer for the import permit or product-registration number for the sector, then confirm it with the named regulator. A genuine importer of regulated goods already holds one; a buyer who cannot produce it may not clear customs.
- Is importing a specific product into China ever banned?
- Yes. Some goods are prohibited or tightly restricted; those are marked "Prohibited" or "Restricted licence" below with the controlling regulator.
Importing for the first time? Read the first-time importer sequence (country choice, maker checks, landed cost, a survivable first order).