US Customs: Prohibited Items & Import Duties

To ship items from China to the United States, you need to understand US customs regulations on prohibited items and related tariffs. In particular, since 9/11 the US has implemented the AMS (Automated Manifest System) anti-terrorism manifest mechanism, imposing stricter controls on goods entering the US, with customs inspections becoming increasingly frequent. Violating US regulations may result in your prohibited items being confiscated; whether you are a permanent resident or a non-resident, you may face hefty fines, penalties, or even criminal detention.

Below is Seapoe's guide to US customs prohibited items and tariffs, summarized based on relevant US customs regulations and our company's years of experience in carrying personal effects.

China to the US: US Customs Prohibited Items and Tariffs

US Customs Restricted/Dutiable Items

• Plants and seeds (require an import permit and a plant and plant product declaration form)
• Soil (requires an import permit)
• Meat and meat by-products (such as broth)
• Medications
• Fruits and vegetables
• Game and hunting trophies
• Gold
• Goods from embargoed countries (require corresponding permits)
• Certain animal species
• Textiles and clothing
• Alcohol (very complicated)
• Food (requires a detailed list and duties apply)
• Weapons

US Customs Prohibited Items

• Narcotics, marijuana, dangerous drugs, absinthe
• Meat and meat products
• Fish
• Wildlife, fish and endangered wildlife, subject to specific regulations
• Dairy products and eggs from specific countries are prohibited
• Cuban cigars from any country are prohibited

Seapoe recommends not shipping the following items from China to the US: liquids, powders, food, medications, and products with built-in batteries.

US Tariff Policy

According to relevant US customs regulations, eligible individuals may import household and personal items (Personal Effects) such as furniture, tableware, books, and artwork duty-free.

Both of the following documents can be used for duty-free clearance of a full container of furniture or LCL/group-shipped furniture/luggage:

• Chinese passport + US green card (permanent resident, PR)
• US passport, a passport for those who have converted from Chinese to US citizenship, or persons of US nationality who have worked or lived in China may also qualify for duty-free status

The following document can be used for duty-free clearance of small LCL/group-shipped items:

• Chinese passport + F1 student visa; F1 is a student visa, F2 is a dependent or family visa

For individuals who do not meet the conditions for duty-free personal effects, or for items outside the scope of personal effects, duties are generally paid according to the commodity import tariff rates specified by US customs.

● China Customs prohibited items and tariffs:
China Customs: Import & Export Prohibited Items & Duties

● Learn more about US customs policies:
US Customs and Border Protection