Instructions for Shipping Personal Shipment to Mainland China
Concept of Individual Article
(I)Definitions
According to Article 12 of the Administrative Measures of the Customs of the People's Republic of China on the Supervision of Inbound and Outbound Express Shipments (General Administration of Customs Order No. 273), personal shipments refer to inbound and outbound express items that are classified as personal belongings within reasonable quantities as stipulated by customs regulations. These include unaccompanied baggage of travelers, gifts exchanged between relatives and friends, and other personal items.
Article 21 further stipulates that when declaring personal shipments, the carrier must submit the People's Republic of China Declaration Form for Personal Shipments of Inbound and Outbound Express Items to customs, along with the sub-waybill for each shipment, a photocopy of the recipient’s (for inbound shipments) or sender’s (for outbound shipments) identification card, and any other documents required by customs.
Based on these regulations, both the sender and recipient of personal shipments must provide a photocopy of their identification card and other required clearance documents to the courier company, which will handle the customs clearance process and final delivery.
(II)Basic Requirements
1. Eligible Items for Personal Shipments
The recipient must be an individual. The items must be new and within reasonable quantities for personal use. The items should primarily be those for which an official electronic purchase invoice can be provided as proof of purchase.
2. Declared Value
The total declared value of a single shipment must not exceed RMB 2,000 (please do not under declare the value). The applicable import duties shall be subject to the latest tariff announcements by the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC).
If an item is a single, indivisible unit, it may exceed the RMB 2,000 limit.
3. Quantity Declaration
The quantity of items must comply with personal use regulations.
4. Product Description
The shipping label must clearly specify the item name, brand, material, price, model, and specifications. Vague or generic descriptions are not allowed; otherwise, customs may require the recipient to provide a purchase screenshot, delaying clearance. Do not use broad category names as the declared item name.
5. Customs Declaration Documents
Since personal shipments require customs declaration, shippers must provide supporting documents reflecting the true value of the shipped items. These documents include, but are not limited to: (A) A detailed official invoice or (B) A screenshot showing the most recent retail market price of the same item. A copy of the sender’s identification document is also required for customs clearance procedures.
(1) Proof of Item Value:
(Choose either A or B below) Shippers must present the supporting documents during pickup for on-site verification. Once verified, the sender must upload the required documents to the SF Express website.
1. For sales transactions: A printed electronic invoice must be provided, including a detailed itemized purchase list. The transaction date must be within 1–2 months prior to the shipping date. If no official invoice is available for online purchases, a transaction screenshot must be submitted. The screenshot must include at least one verifiable detail, such as the transaction number, payment reference number, total amount, or sender/recipient details.
2. For gifted items: A screenshot showing the most recent market retail price of the same item from the same place of origin must be provided.
(2) A scanned copy of the recipient’s valid identification document must be uploaded to the SF Express website.
Acceptable identification documents (choose one):
Mainland China residents: Resident Identity Card, Military ID, Officer ID, or Civilian Cadre ID
Hong Kong/Macau residents in Mainland China: Mainland Travel Permit or Residence Permit
Taiwan residents in Mainland China: Mainland Travel Permit (Taiwan Compatriot Permit) or Residence Permit
Foreign residents in Mainland China: Passport
The identification document must be valid and within its expiration date.
*Actual import requirements are subject to local customs regulations.
6. Shipment Restrictions
A recipient can only receive one shipment per day if any of the following details match: Phone number/Name/Identification number/Address
7. Declared Currency
The declared value must clearly indicate the currency used.
(III) Special Item Reminder
Books
(1) Books containing content prohibited under General Administration of Customs Order No. 161 (Administrative Measures of the People's Republic of China on the Supervision of Printed Materials and Audiovisual Products Entering and Exiting the Country, Article 4) cannot be shipped.
(2) For single-volume publications (including but not limited to books, newspapers, or periodicals): A maximum of 10 different titles (including volumes) per person per shipment is allowed. For book sets: A maximum of 3 complete sets per person per shipment is allowed.
(3) Shipments exceeding 10 titles or 3 sets but within 50 titles or 10 sets are still considered personal-use printed materials. However, they will be subject to customs duties before clearance.
(4) Shipments exceeding 50 titles or 10 sets must undergo formal customs import declaration.
(5) Product Description: The shipping label must specify "Book: Book Title."
(6) Quantity: The number of books or sets must be clearly stated.
(7) Declared Value: Must not exceed RMB 2,000.
**Audiobooks and Educational Materials (e.g., Benesse early learning kits) may be imported as personal shipments under book classification.**
Final clearance is subject to customs on-site inspection requirements.
