Can You Import Baby Formula to Taiwan for Personal Use? The Import Permit and 30 kg Limit
Quick answer: Can I buy baby formula myself and ship it back to Taiwan?
Yes for personal use, but you must apply first. Infant formula for babies up to 1 year old (tariff code 1901.10.00.11-3, import requirement 501 F01) is classified as a special nutritional food. Even for personal use, you must apply to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) for an import permit. Per person, per year, total powder formula imports may not exceed 30 kg, and liquid formula may not exceed 200 kg. The commonly cited “exempt at 6 kg or less and US$1,000 or less” rule is for general food personal-use import-inspection exemptions — it does not exempt infant formula from the permit requirement. Infant formula has no MW0 restriction, but among the 106 TFDA-registered products in Taiwan, none is made in mainland China. Infant formula made in mainland China is not registered for sale in Taiwan; importing it for personal use and then reselling it may violate the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. Enfamil, Similac, and Aptamil all have TFDA-registered products in Taiwan — look for the identification mark on the outer packaging when buying.
HowBridge operates only a Shenzhen consolidation warehouse and a Taoyuan operations warehouse, providing consolidation service only for China → Taiwan; we have no warehouses in the United States, Germany, or any other country, and we do not offer purchasing-agent service or import-permit application service. Please consult a physician about choosing infant formula — this page only explains the import rules.
What Do You Need to Apply for to Import Baby Formula for Personal Use? How Much Per Year?
First, figure out which category the product falls into. Customs determines the tariff code based on the actual product:
| Product | Tariff Code | Import Requirement | What to Do for Personal Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant formula for babies up to 1 year old (including follow-on formula) | 1901.10.00.11-3 | 501 F01 | Apply for an import permit first; per person, per year, cumulative total within 30 kg |
| Liquid infant formula (including follow-on liquid formula) | 1901.10.00.12-2 | 501 F01 | Same as above; per person, per year, cumulative total within 200 kg |
| Other infant or toddler formula preparations (formula for children aged 1–3 may fall here) | 1901.10.00.90-7 | F01 | General food, personal use: exempt from import inspection if the same declaration line item is US$1,000 or less and within 6 kg |
| General milk powder (non-infant formula) | 0402.21.00.90-0 and similar | F01 | Same as above |
The Ministry of Health and Welfare's ROC 108 (2019) announcement — “value of US$1,000 or less and weight within 6 kg” — is a condition for exemption from F01 import inspection; infant formula also carries 501 (requires a Ministry of Health and Welfare consent document), and the code's definition has no personal-use exemption clause. 30 kg is the annual cumulative cap, not a threshold below which no application is needed.
Can I Buy Baby Formula on Taobao or Tmall and Ship It to Taiwan?
There's no regulatory ban, but there are three things to watch for:
No MW0, But You Still Need a Permit
None of the tariff codes under 1901.10 for infant formula carry MW0 (mainland-China-origin goods barred from import), so it's not banned under trade rules. But 501 and F01 still apply — even for personal use, you must apply for an import permit first. The TFDA application page doesn't state an origin restriction, but that doesn't mean approval is guaranteed.
Express Shipments Must Use the Standard Customs Declaration
Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Cargo, Article 12: express cargo subject to import/export requirements must be cleared using the standard import/export declaration. Infant formula, carrying codes 501 and F01, falls under this rule and cannot use the simplified declaration. For postal parcels, the recipient applies for the permit using the international parcel pickup notice or customs notification.
Products Made in Mainland China Cannot Be Sold in Taiwan
Of the 106 registered infant and follow-on formula products in TFDA's open dataset, none is made in mainland China. Infant formula made in mainland China has no registration in Taiwan and cannot be sold; importing it for personal use and then reselling it may violate the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.
TFDA's Guidance on the Management of Melamine Detected in Food sets action levels: 1 mg/kg for powdered infant formula and 0.15 mg/kg for liquid formula. These apply to products from all sources, not only mainland China.
Are Enfamil, Similac, and Aptamil Sold in Taiwan? What About German Formula?
Infant formula approved through registration carries the Ministry of Health and Welfare's “identification mark” on the outer packaging. Per TFDA open data (downloaded 2026-09-25):
| Brand | Parent Group | Taiwan Registration |
|---|---|---|
| Enfamil | Mead Johnson, part of Reckitt since 2017 | Yes: Taiwan's registered products are the Netherlands-made ENFA / ENFAMIL A+ line |
| Similac | Abbott | Yes |
| Aptamil | Nutricia (Danone Group) | Yes |
| HiPP, Holle | — | Not found in the registration list |
Origins of Registered Products
Among the 106 registered products, most originate from the Netherlands, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, and France — none from mainland China. The same brand's formula sold in different countries may differ; for how national standards vary, see the recommendations of an international expert panel (Koletzko et al., 2005). Please consult a physician about choosing or switching formulas.
Can Formula Imported for Personal Use Be Resold?
No. Infant formula is classified as a special nutritional food:
Registration Is Required to Import and Sell
The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) explains: “Infant formula for babies up to 1 year of age is classified as a special nutritional food. Under Article 21 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, it must undergo registration and receive a permit from the Ministry of Health and Welfare before it may be manufactured, imported, or placed on the market.”
Penalties
Per an MOHW press release: selling formula that exceeds the inspection-exemption scope without completing import inspection violates Article 30, Paragraph 1 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, punishable by an administrative fine of NT$30,000–NT$3,000,000; non-compliant products may be confiscated and destroyed. The purpose of the import permit is to prove the product is not intended for sale.
How Do I Apply for an Import Permit for Personal-Use Baby Formula?
TFDA accepts applications online. Per the “My e-Government” portal and the TFDA application page:
1Confirm the Product and Quantity
Confirm that the product is infant formula or liquid formula for babies up to 1 year old, and calculate the cumulative amount of the same product for the current year: within 30 kg for powder or 200 kg for liquid formula.
2Prepare the Documents
For personal use, attach: the import permit application form (not needed for online applications), product information (including ingredients), copies of both sides of your national ID card, and the import declaration or the post office pickup notice. If someone applies on your behalf, a letter of authorization is also required.
3Apply Online with TFDA
Submit the application through the TFDA online application platform. Once you receive the permit, use the approved quantity to clear the goods with customs.
4Declare with the Standard Declaration at Customs Clearance
Express cargo subject to import requirements must use the standard declaration and include the permit; for postal parcels, the recipient handles it with the pickup notice.
Terms Used on This Page
- Import Permit
- A document issued by TFDA certifying that an imported product is not intended for sale; required for products under import requirement code 501, such as infant formula and capsule/tablet foods.
- 501
- Import requirement code: requires an accompanying Ministry of Health and Welfare consent document.
- F01
- Import requirement code: requires applying to TFDA for import inspection under the Regulations Governing Import Inspection of Food and Related Products.
- Special Nutritional Food
- A food category regulated under Article 21 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation; infant formula for babies up to 1 year old falls into this category and must be registered to obtain a permit.
- Identification Mark
- A mark printed on the outer packaging of infant formula that has been registered and approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
- Standard Declaration
- The standard import/export declaration; when express cargo is subject to import requirements, the simplified declaration cannot be used, and clearance must go through the standard declaration.
Sources and Verification Limits
The codes, limits, application documents, and registration data on this page are based on official pages actually accessed on 2026-09-25 and cross-checked against our internal customs tariff-code lookup system; each source below includes a link, verification date, and key excerpt.
Laws, Government Announcements, and Official Sources
- International Trade Administration (ITA), Ministry of Economic Affairs: Import Requirement Codes (verified 2026-09-25): “501, requires an accompanying Ministry of Health and Welfare consent document.”; F01 requires applying to TFDA for import inspection under the “Regulations Governing Import Inspection of Food and Related Products”; none of the tariff codes under 1901.10 for infant formula carry MW0.
- TFDA, Ministry of Health and Welfare: Import Permit Application Form (Capsule/Tablet Foods, Infant Formula, Special Nutritional Foods, and Food Additives) (2025-07-09; verified 2026-09-25): “Infant and follow-on formula (powder and liquid) require an import permit. For powder products, cumulative imports per person per year for the same item may not exceed 30 kg; for liquid products, they may not exceed 200 kg.”
- My e-Government: Application for Import Consent for Infant Formula and Special Nutritional Foods (verified 2026-09-25): eligible applicants are “companies/organizations and individuals for personal use”; personal-use applications must attach “copies of both sides of the national ID card” and “the import declaration or post office pickup notice”; “if the application is not made by the applicant in person, a letter of authorization must be attached.”
- MOHW Announcement of 2019-04-16 (ROC 108-04-16): Conditions for Exemption from Import Inspection of Food and Related Products (effective 2019-05-01, ROC 108-05-01; verified 2026-09-25): for personal use, goods “valued at US$1,000 or less and weighing within 6 kg” are exempt from import inspection — this exempts F01 inspection only; it does not exempt the 501 permit requirement.
- MOHW: Infant Formula Is a Special Nutritional Food (verified 2026-09-25): “Infant formula for babies up to 1 year of age is a special nutritional food. Under Article 21 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, it must be registered with and issued a permit by the Ministry of Health and Welfare before it may be manufactured, imported, or placed on the market.”
- Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, Articles 21, 30, 47, and 52 (verified 2026-09-25): special nutritional foods must be registered; selling them without the required inspection is subject to an administrative fine and confiscation and destruction of the goods.
- MOHW News: Food Brought In or Mail-Ordered from Abroad Must Be Inspected — Sale Without Inspection Is Prohibited (verified 2026-09-25): selling goods that exceed the inspection-exemption scope without completing inspection “may be subject to an administrative fine of NT$30,000 to NT$3,000,000.”
- TFDA Open Data: Infant and Follow-on Formula Dataset (downloaded 2026-09-25): 106 registered products in total; none originates from mainland China. HiPP and Holle are not found in the dataset.
- MOHW: Look for the Identification Mark When Choosing Infant Formula (verified 2026-09-25): buy from a reputable retailer infant formula that is “registered and approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, with an 'identification mark' on its outer packaging (or container).”
- Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Cargo, Article 12 (amended 2026-02-23, ROC 115-02-23; verified 2026-09-25): express cargo “subject to import/export requirements” “must be cleared using the standard import/export declaration.”
- Regulations Governing the Declaration, Inspection, Duty Levy and Release of Baggage and Goods Carried by Inbound Passengers, Schedule (amended 2026-01-30, ROC 115-01-30; verified 2026-09-25): for goods from the mainland China area, “other foods: 6 kg (total)”; the schedule has no specific entry for infant formula.
- TFDA: Guidance on the Management of Melamine Detected in Food (2022-05-24, ROC 111-05-24; verified 2026-09-25): action levels are “powdered infant formula: 1” and “liquid infant formula: 0.15” (mg/kg), applicable to products from all sources.
- Mead Johnson Nutrition (verified 2026-09-25): "Mead Johnson Nutrition Company was acquired by Reckitt Benckiser Group plc in June 2017."
Academic and Research Literature
Consumer confidence and consumers' preferences for infant formulas in China
Analyzes Chinese consumers' confidence in and preferences for infant formula after the 2008 melamine incident.
Mediating Roles of Perceived Quality and Perceived Behaviour Control in Shaping Chinese Consumer's Purchase Intention for Domestic Infant Milk Formula (IMF)
Studies Chinese consumers' quality perceptions of and purchase intent for domestically produced infant formula.
How entrepreneurial behaviors manifest in non-traditional, heterodox contexts: Exploration of the Daigou phenomenon
Examines cross-border purchasing-agent trade (including infant formula) as a non-traditional trade behavior.
Global standard for the composition of infant formula: recommendations of an ESPGHAN coordinated international expert group
An international expert panel's recommendations on infant formula composition standards, illustrating how national specifications may differ.
The Effect of Product Knowledge of Infant Formula on Product Attitude and Purchase Intention: Information Source as a Moderator (original in Chinese)
A study of Taiwanese consumers' product perceptions of and purchase intent for infant and toddler formula.
① The TFDA application page does not state an origin restriction, but that does not mean products from mainland China are guaranteed approval; ② which tariff code toddler formula for children aged 1–3 falls under is determined by customs; ③ “formula does not require an animal quarantine declaration” was found only in a 2016 (ROC 105) reference table from the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine — not found in the current version; ④ the inbound-passenger quantity-limit schedule has no specific entry for infant formula; ⑤ differences in national formula standards are background information only and do not constitute feeding advice; ⑥ this page does not constitute legal or medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is baby formula of 6 kg or less for personal use exempt from application?
How much baby formula can I import per year?
Can I ship baby formula bought on Taobao to Taiwan?
Is Enfamil sold in Taiwan?
Are Germany's HiPP and Holle sold in Taiwan?
Can HowBridge apply for the formula import permit on my behalf?
Related Reading
Ship General Items to Taiwan via the Shenzhen Warehouse
Order baby and toddler items yourself on mainland China platforms and ship them to HowBridge's Shenzhen warehouse for consolidation; for infant formula, make sure you have obtained the import permit first.
Sign Up Free to Start Consolidating