Short answer: you can bring personal items, up to 1,500ml of alcohol, 400 cigarettes and RMB 20,000 in cash into China duty-free. Fresh fruit, meat, dairy, drugs, weapons and ivory are banned. Declare medicines, drones and anything above the cash limits.
updated November 2026 by the HXXC Travel team, a China inbound tour operator based in Jiangmen, Guangdong. Customs rules can change at short notice, so re-check the details below with China Customs or the Chinese embassy in your country before you fly.
Key facts at a glance
- Duty-free alcohol: up to 1,500ml per adult traveller for drinks at 12% ABV or stronger (750ml if you arrive from Hong Kong or Macau), as of November 2026.
- Duty-free tobacco: up to 400 cigarettes, or 100 cigars, or 500g of loose tobacco. Arrivals from Hong Kong or Macau get half these amounts.
- Cash: up to RMB 20,000 in Chinese yuan without declaration. Foreign currency above roughly US$5,000 equivalent must be declared.
- Banned outright: illegal drugs, weapons, fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh meat and dairy, soil, live plants, ivory and other endangered-species products, counterfeit money and counterfeit goods.
- Declare or get approval first: prescription medicines containing controlled substances, gold or silver over 50g, drones, radio transmitters and pets.
- Penalties: undeclared restricted items can be confiscated and fined. Drug offences are criminal, and trafficking can carry the death penalty.
- Same rules for everyone: customs checks apply whether you enter on a standard visa or under China's visa-free entry and transit policies.
How customs declaration works at Chinese airports
China uses a two-channel system in every international arrival hall. Pick the channel that matches what you are carrying, not the shorter queue.
- Green channel: you have nothing to declare. Walk through; officers may still X-ray your bags or pull you for a spot check.
- Red channel: you have something to declare, such as cash over the limits, restricted medicine or a drone. Speak to an officer at the declaration counter.
- Declaration can be made on the paper form handed out on most international flights, or in advance through the Customs Pocket Declaration mini-program in WeChat.
- Declaring a permitted item costs nothing. Failing to declare can mean confiscation or a fine, so when in doubt, use the red channel.
Duty-free allowances: alcohol, tobacco and personal goods
Adult travellers can bring a set quantity of alcohol and tobacco into China without paying duty, as of November 2026.
- Alcohol: 1,500ml total of drinks at 12% ABV or stronger, such as wine or spirits. Arrivals from Hong Kong or Macau are limited to 750ml.
- Tobacco: 400 cigarettes, or 100 cigars, or 500g of tobacco. From Hong Kong or Macau: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco.
- Personal goods: clothes, toiletries, a laptop, camera, phone and other items you will use on the trip go through free.
- New goods in quantity: several identical, brand-new high-value items, for example a stack of new phones, can be treated as commercial imports and taxed. Keep receipts for expensive purchases.
What you cannot bring into China
China Customs publishes a prohibited list, and these are the categories that most often catch travellers out.
- Illegal drugs of any kind. China has zero tolerance: cannabis is illegal even in small amounts, and CBD products, including oils and gummies, are banned. Never carry a package for someone else.
- Weapons, ammunition, explosives, replica firearms and controlled knives such as switchblades.
- Fresh fruit and vegetables. Officers routinely confiscate apples, oranges and similar items from hand luggage to keep pests out of local agriculture.
- Fresh meat, dairy and eggs, and most unprocessed animal products. Sealed, commercially packaged snacks such as chocolate, biscuits, instant noodles and crisps are generally fine.
- Soil, live plants and many seeds and seedlings.
- Ivory, rhino horn, tiger bone and any product made from endangered species. China banned its domestic ivory trade at the end of 2017, and border seizures are prosecuted.
- Counterfeit banknotes and counterfeit branded goods.
- Printed matter, recordings or storage devices that customs judges harmful to China's interests. This rarely affects ordinary tourists, but do not travel with bulk quantities of political or religious material.
Restricted items: declare these or get approval first
- Cash above the limits: more than RMB 20,000 in yuan, or foreign currency over roughly US$5,000 equivalent.
- Gold or silver over 50g per person. Jewellery worn in normal amounts is fine.
- Radio transmitters and walkie-talkies, which need approval before use.
- Drones, which must be registered before flight (see below).
- Pets: one cat or dog per traveller, with a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an official veterinary health certificate. Quarantine rules depend on your departure country, so confirm requirements with China Customs before booking your pet's flight.
Bringing prescription medication into China
Medication is the number one customs question we hear from first-time visitors at HXXC Travel. Follow these rules and you will clear the channel without trouble.
- Keep every medicine in its original, labelled packaging and carry the prescription or a doctor's letter stating the drug name, dose and your condition.
- Bring only a personal-use quantity, enough for your trip plus a small buffer.
- Medicines containing narcotics or strong psychotropic substances, including some codeine-based painkillers and cough syrups, certain ADHD medications, and anything containing THC or CBD, are restricted or banned outright. Check with the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country before flying; a few require prior approval.
- Herbal or traditional remedies bought abroad can contain restricted animal or plant ingredients. If you cannot verify the ingredients, leave them at home.
Drones, electronics and other gear
- Laptops, cameras, phones and tablets for personal use need no declaration.
- Drones are legal to bring for personal use, but China requires real-name registration with the Civil Aviation Administration of China before flight. Much of central Beijing, Shanghai and other big cities, plus zones near airports and land borders, is off-limits, and many scenic areas ban take-offs. Register before departure and check the rules for each stop on your route.
- Power banks must travel in carry-on luggage, and airlines typically cap them at 100Wh without approval.
- E-cigarettes for personal use are generally permitted, but vaping is banned on all flights and in many indoor public places.
What happens if you do not declare
If officers find an undeclared restricted item, they can confiscate it and impose a fine. Prohibited food is usually simply seized. Undeclared cash can be held pending investigation. Drug offences are a different category altogether: foreign nationals regularly receive long prison sentences, and trafficking can carry the death penalty. An honest declaration, by contrast, costs you nothing in the vast majority of cases.
Pre-departure checklist from HXXC Travel
- Finish fresh fruit from the plane before immigration, or hand it to a crew member.
- Leave meat snacks, dairy and fresh produce at home; keep sealed chocolate and biscuits.
- Pack medicines in original boxes with prescriptions in the same bag.
- Keep receipts for expensive cameras, jewellery and watches.
- Declare cash over RMB 20,000 or foreign currency over roughly US$5,000 equivalent.
- Register your drone before departure and download offline maps.
- When unsure about anything, use the red channel and declare it.
- HXXC Travel includes an entry and customs briefing with every itinerary we operate. Our Jiangmen-based team can review your packing list and answer questions before you fly.
FAQ
How much cash can I bring into China?
Up to RMB 20,000 in Chinese yuan without declaring. Foreign currency above roughly US$5,000 equivalent must be declared at the red channel. As of November 2026 these limits still apply, but confirm before you travel.
Can I bring snacks and chocolate into China?
Yes for sealed, commercially packaged processed foods such as chocolate, biscuits, instant noodles and crisps. No for fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and eggs, which customs confiscates.
Can I bring my prescription medication into China?
Yes, in original packaging with a prescription or doctor's letter, in personal-use quantities. Controlled substances, including some codeine painkillers, certain ADHD medications and anything with THC or CBD, are restricted or banned. Confirm with the Chinese embassy before flying.
Do I need to declare my laptop or camera at Chinese customs?
No. Personal electronics you will use on your trip go through the green channel. Declare only if you carry several identical brand-new devices that could look like commercial stock.
What is the duty-free alcohol and cigarette allowance for China?
Adults can bring 1,500ml of alcohol at 12% ABV or stronger and 400 cigarettes duty-free, or 750ml and 200 cigarettes if arriving from Hong Kong or Macau, as of November 2026.
What happens if customs finds a prohibited item in my luggage?
Officers will confiscate it and may impose a fine. Prohibited food is usually just seized, but drugs and weapons lead to criminal investigation. Never carry anything on behalf of someone else.
Guide written and reviewed by the HXXC Travel entry team in Jiangmen, Guangdong, on October 23, 2026. Customs rules are set by the General Administration of Customs of China and can change at short notice, so confirm current requirements with China Customs or the Chinese embassy in your country before departure. HXXC Travel includes a customs and entry briefing with every China itinerary.
Related private tours
- Best Of China — 20-Day Private Tour — 20 days
- Classic China — Beijing & Shanghai Highlights — 8 days · From US$800
- Golden Triangle — Beijing, Xi'an & Shanghai — 10 days · From US$1,000