Bringing purchases from China: what must I declare?
Declare purchases or presents from China if they exceed your personal allowance, and declare banned or restricted goods regardless of value. For other goods, the allowance is £390, or £270 by private plane or boat. You cannot pool allowances. Cambridge China Bridge helps buyers plan separate business purchases.
Separate personal shopping from business goods
Personal allowances cover purchases you carry yourself for your own use or to give away as presents. Goods for resale or use in your business have no personal allowance and must be declared. Before packing, make separate lists of personal purchases, presents and business goods.
For factory samples, follow our suitcase samples guide. If you are buying cosmetics to sell, our beauty and personal care guide covers the commercial responsibilities. This guide deals with shopping you bring home for yourself or as presents.
Check the allowance for your arrival
For arrival in Great Britain from China, the allowance for other goods is £390, reduced to £270 if you arrive by private plane or boat. The same other-goods values apply when arriving in Northern Ireland from China. Add together your purchases and presents in this category; the allowance is not a separate limit for each item.
Alcohol and tobacco have their own allowances. Great Britain also lists a separate vaping-products allowance, while Northern Ireland includes vaping products within other goods. Check the GOV.UK guidance for your arrival destination before packing these products. A duty-free shop purchase still falls under the traveller rules.
An indivisible item cannot share allowances
You cannot combine your allowance with a travelling companion’s. For an indivisible item, such as a watch or handbag, this means you cannot split its value between travellers to avoid exceeding the allowance. If your other-goods total exceeds the allowance, tax and duty apply to the total value in that category, rather than just the excess.
Keep the receipt and payment record for an expensive purchase, and check the declaration service before buying. For a separate factory order shipped commercially, use our import duty and VAT guide; its commercial shipment calculations serve a different purpose from traveller allowances.
Declare online and keep the confirmation
Open GOV.UK’s traveller declaration service through its bringing-goods guidance. You can declare from 5 days before your expected arrival. Prepare the exact purchase prices in the currencies paid, quantities or volumes, passport number, arrival date and time, and a payment card. The service lets you declare and pay tax or duty before arrival.
Online customs and excise duty calculations use simplified rates. Keep the email receipt or note the reference number, because customs may ask for it. After completing the online declaration and payment for ordinary personal purchases, you can use the green channel. You can update the declaration online if you buy more.
Use the red channel when declaration is outstanding
If you have not declared online, use the red channel or red-point phone on arrival to declare. This route also allows declaration when you do not want the online service’s simplified rates. Keep purchases accessible and have your receipts ready to explain what you bought and its intended use.
Banned or restricted goods must be declared even when their value is below the allowance. Do not treat payment of tax as permission to import them. Check GOV.UK’s banned-and-restricted-goods guidance before buying unusual gifts, food or plant products. At the border, you may be asked to surrender banned goods or produce licences or permits for restricted goods.
Frequently asked questions
Do presents from China count towards my allowance?
Yes. Presents you carry home count towards the relevant personal allowance. Calling a purchase a gift does not give it a separate allowance.
Can we combine allowances for an expensive handbag?
No. Travellers cannot combine personal allowances. An indivisible handbag cannot have its value split between companions to fit their allowances.
Do I pay tax only on the amount above £390?
No. If you exceed the other-goods allowance, tax and duty apply to the total value of goods in that category, rather than just the excess.
Do I still use the red channel after paying online?
For ordinary personal purchases declared and paid for online, you can use the green channel. Keep your receipt or reference number. Banned or restricted goods still require declaration.