What three checks should you complete before paying?
This is a guide to assessing cross-border shipments, not a Canadian parcel consolidation service page. HowBridge currently primarily provides consolidation from China to Taiwan. This article does not indicate that HowBridge has warehouses in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver or Toronto, and does not promise rates or delivery times for a Canadian route.
| Check | What to confirm | What you cannot assume |
|---|---|---|
| Store | Whether it accepts a Taiwanese billing address, delivery destination and forwarding address | Being able to check out does not mean the goods may enter Taiwan |
| Carrier | Destination services, size and weight limits, and rules for batteries, liquids and dangerous goods | A willing seller does not mean the postal service or courier will accept the parcel |
| Entry into Taiwan | CCC classification, import requirements, quarantine, inspection and permits | Low value, personal use or a small quantity does not guarantee release |
How do Canadian sales taxes differ from Taiwan's import taxes?
GST, HST, PST or QST charged at checkout in Canada and the customs duty, commodity tax and import business tax that may arise on entry into Taiwan apply at two different stages. Canadian rates depend on the place of supply, province and transaction circumstances. For example, British Columbia generally charges 5% GST plus 7% PST, while Ontario generally charges 13% HST. Alberta's lack of a provincial sales tax does not mean it always offers the lowest final delivered cost for every item.
Taiwan Customs explains that imported goods in the same consignment with a customs value of NT$2,000 or less are generally exempt from customs duty, commodity tax and business tax. Exceptions include tobacco and alcohol, agricultural products subject to tariff quotas, and use of the low-value exemption more than 6 times within a half-year period. Customs value is not simply the displayed product price; it generally also involves freight and insurance costs.
Above the threshold, the customs duty rate depends on the CCC tariff classification, materials, use, origin and actual goods. Import business tax is also calculated on its statutory tax base. Do not apply a blanket 5% customs duty to clothing, food and electronics, or simply add percentages together to present a fixed total tax rate.
How should you distinguish clothing, maple syrup, supplements and battery-powered goods?
Names such as Canada Goose, Mackage, lululemon, Roots and SSENSE identify brands or retail channels only. They do not imply a partnership with this site, a price guarantee or an endorsement of authenticity. Discounts, delivery areas and return terms can change; consult the official pages when checking out.
| Product type | Main risks | Before ordering |
|---|---|---|
| New clothing, shoes and bags | Materials, brand authenticity, price, and returns or exchanges | Keep the order and material details, and declare the actual transaction price |
| Maple syrup and ordinary food | Ingredients, weight, personal-use limits, food inspection and quarantine | Keep the complete label; being a Canadian specialty does not establish eligibility for shipment |
| Vitamins, food supplements and medicines | Classification as food or medicine, personal-use quantities and import permits | Check TFDA requirements first; ordinary food rules do not apply to prescription or controlled medicines |
| Electronics containing lithium batteries | Whether the battery is installed in the device, capacity, and air transport and carrier restrictions | Provide the model and battery specifications and confirm with the actual carrier |
| Cannabis, CBD, aerosol cans and dangerous goods | Export, aviation and Taiwan import restrictions | Do not send them; legality in Canada does not establish legality in Taiwan |
Identifying authorities, brands and retail channels
- HowBridge Logistics Q140309005
- Canada Post Q1032001
- Canada Border Services Agency Q532090
- Canada Revenue Agency Q1032002
- 財政部關務署 Q15899843
- 中華民國財政部 Q697099
- 衛生福利部食品藥物管理署 Q15914561
- Canada Goose Inc. Q2988422
- Mackage Q111913312
- lululemon athletica Q6702957
- Roots Canada Q7366633
- SSENSE Q48814393
- Goods and Services Tax (Canada) Q3516365
- Harmonized Sales Tax Q3516340
Do you need a Canadian forwarding warehouse?
Not necessarily. First compare direct delivery from the seller to Taiwan, Canada Post international mail, international couriers and third-party forwarders. Compare tracking, size and weight limits, fuel and remote-area surcharges, customs procedures, returns, loss claims and prohibited or restricted items, rather than only the price for the initial weight allowance.
If a third party advertises a Canadian address, verify its company name, warehouse location, terms of service, insurance limit, prohibited items, return charges and customer support channels. This article neither offers nor implies a HowBridge warehouse in Canada, and does not identify any city as a HowBridge partner warehouse location.
What should you check for Canada Post, couriers and direct delivery?
Canada Post, Canada Border Services Agency, Canada Revenue Agency, Taiwan's Customs Administration and the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration have different responsibilities. Postal acceptance does not mean customs admissibility, and tax guidance does not replace food, medicine or quarantine rules.
- Use Canada Post's International destination listing to check available services, size and weight limits, and destination restrictions for Taiwan. Check again before the shipping date.
- Give the courier or forwarder the full product name, materials or ingredients, battery details, quantity, transaction price and package dimensions. Do not substitute “gift” or vague descriptions for the actual contents.
- Confirm who handles customs clearance in Taiwan, tax notifications and returns. For express parcels, recipients generally need to complete both identity verification and advance customs authorization in EZ WAY.
- Keep the order, proof of payment, product page, labels and photographs of the outer packaging. Information must be consistent if Customs or another competent authority requests supporting documents.
What additional rules apply to food, medicines and animal or plant products?
Under TFDA's rules for food imported for personal use, food other than tablets or capsules may qualify for exemption from applying for import inspection when each individual line item on a customs declaration has a value of US$1,000 or less and a weight of 6 kilograms or less. Food in tablet or capsule form has separate limits, including 12 bottles per type and 36 bottles in total. These are not tax-exemption thresholds, and the goods must not be for sale.
Personal-use medicines are subject to requirements based on their type and quantity, and some postal imports require an application in advance. Controlled medicines must not be imported by post or courier. Meat, seeds, fresh fruit, plants, soil, timber and other animal or plant products may be prohibited or require quarantine documents. Check the current rules of Taiwan's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency as well.
What is the six-step checklist for shipping from Canada to Taiwan?
The following process is for arranging your own seller or carrier; it does not indicate that HowBridge accepts Canadian parcels. Rates, delivery times, accepted items and compensation are governed by the actual provider's written terms.
- Collect the product link, full product name, materials or ingredients, model, quantity and transaction price.
- Check whether the seller ships directly to Taiwan and whether Canada Post, a courier or a forwarder will accept the goods.
- Use the CCC tariff classification and import requirements to check taxes, food and medicine rules, animal and plant quarantine, and other permits.
- Obtain the packed weight and dimensions, then compare shipping, surcharges, insurance, returns and compensation separately.
- Declare the contents, quantity, price, country of origin and intended use accurately. Express-parcel recipients must complete both identity verification and advance customs authorization in EZ WAY.
- Monitor requests for documents and tax notifications, and keep customs and delivery records. Ask the competent authority or a customs professional directly if anything is unclear.
Frequently asked questions about shipping from Canada to Taiwan
Does HowBridge have a Canadian warehouse or dedicated Canadian route?
This page does not claim that HowBridge has a Canadian warehouse or has opened a dedicated Canadian route. HowBridge currently primarily provides consolidation from China to Taiwan. For Canadian parcels, check with the seller and the actual carrier.
Are all clothes bought in Canada subject to 5% customs duty?
No. Tariff classification depends on the materials, use, country of origin and actual goods. Import business tax may also apply. Check the CCC tariff classification; the final determination rests with Customs.
Is a parcel under NT$2,000 always tax-exempt?
Not necessarily. The threshold is based on customs value, and the consignment as a whole and excluded items must also be considered. The exemption does not apply in circumstances such as using the low-value exemption more than 6 times within a half-year period.
Can I simply mail a small amount of maple syrup for personal use?
A small quantity or sealed packaging alone is not enough. First check ingredients, weight, food import inspection, animal and plant quarantine, and carrier restrictions. An inspection exemption for personal-use food does not mean tax exemption or guaranteed release.
Can cannabis or CBD that is legal in Canada be sent to Taiwan?
Do not ship it simply because it is legal in Canada. Cannabis, THC, CBD and related products are subject to Canadian mailing rules, aviation restrictions, and Taiwan's narcotics and pharmaceutical regulations. Exclude them from shipments.
Does completing identity verification in EZ WAY mean customs clearance is complete?
No. Identity verification confirms the recipient's identity. Advance customs authorization is a separate step to confirm the declaration information and authorize customs clearance. After receiving a notification, still check the product names, quantities and amounts before confirming.
Which official sources and research support this article?
Checked: 2026-09-20. Postal services, carriage, tariffs, food and medicines, and quarantine each have their own governing rules. This article explains the order of checks and does not replace a case-specific determination by Customs or another competent authority.
Zhou Zhifeng (周志峰)'s 2021 doctoral dissertation, ‘An Evaluation Model for Overseas Warehousing and Logistics Service Providers in Cross-Border E-Commerce’ (translated title), compares overseas warehouse services through expert interviews and AHP. It identifies delivery reliability, warehouse safety and capabilities, and customs clearance services as factors to assess alongside freight costs. The research does not rank HowBridge or guarantee costs or delivery times on Canadian routes in 2026.
- Canada Revenue Agency：GST/HST calculator and rates
- Canada Revenue Agency：GST/HST place-of-supply rules
- Canada Post：Customs requirements overview
- Canada Post：Completing customs documents
- Canada Post：What items cannot be sent through the mail
- 財政部：郵包物品進出口通關辦法
- 關務署：進口貨物應繳之稅費有那些？
- 關務署：快遞貨物全面實施預先確認委任
- 食藥署：如何確認輸入產品是否需要辦理輸入查驗？
- 食藥署：入境攜帶食藥醫粧限自用
- 防檢署：網路購物應謹慎，勿觸地雷產品
- 防檢署：輸入植物檢疫一般規定及流程
- 加拿大邊境服務局：Cannabis border laws
- 周志峰：跨境電商對海外倉儲物流服務業者的評估模式，國立中央大學博士論文