Taiwan Customs Auction Guide 2026
How to bid on confiscated goods and overdue cargo from Keelung, Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung Customs.
Taiwan customs auctions sell confiscated private goods and overdue import cargo. Companies and individuals can bid. Download the auction list, deposit table and bidding instructions from the relevant customs office website, pay the bid deposit and inspect goods on the viewing day, then submit a registered postal bid that arrives before 12:30 on bid-opening day. The highest bid above the reserve price wins.
Contents
1. What are Taiwan customs auctions?
Customs auctions are not regular retail sales. The goods mainly come from confiscated shipments and imported cargo left undeclared beyond the legal period.
| Type | Legal status | Common goods |
|---|---|---|
| Confiscated private goods | Smuggled or non-compliant imports confiscated after customs enforcement decisions. | Clothing, underwear, polo shirts, bedding, fabric, fasteners, screws, e-bikes, furniture, tiles, luggage and hand tools. |
| Overdue undeclared import cargo | Imports not declared on time and still undeclared after 20 days of late-declaration fees, sold under Customs Act Article 73. | E-scooters, smart toilets, slabs, mirrors, aluminum foil, bedding sets and industrial parts. |
2. Legal basis
The auction system mainly depends on the Customs Act, Customs Anti-smuggling Act and the customs disposal procedure for goods and transport vehicles.
When imported goods are not declared within the time limit, late-declaration fees accrue from the next day. If goods remain undeclared after 20 days of late fees, customs may sell them. Any balance after duties and necessary expenses may be kept for the owner to claim within 5 years.
For confirmed confiscation cases, disposal should be by auction or bidding, with notice to the punished party before auction.
- Reserve price: taxable goods are roughly 50% of assessed customs value plus all taxes; duty-free goods are roughly 40% of customs or FOB value. The customs director may adjust within plus or minus 30%.
- Frequency: regular auctions should be held at least once every 2 months.
- Announcement: one week before bid opening, information is published in the Government Procurement Gazette and on official websites or notice boards.
- No-bid handling: at least 3 bidders are usually needed for opening; after repeated unsuccessful auctions, price comparison, negotiation or destruction may apply.
3. Eight-step bidding process
4. Where to find auction lists
The most complete source is the public information or auction notice section on the relevant customs office website.
| Channel | Notes / links |
|---|---|
| Customs office auction pages | Keelung, Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung Customs each maintain auction notices, usually under public information or auction notices. |
| Government Procurement Gazette | Search web.pcc.gov.tw by the relevant customs office name to find postal bidding cases. |
| Customs office news pages | Offices often publish news releases with viewing dates and list downloads. |
| On-site or by phone | You can contact or visit the legal enforcement unit of the relevant customs office for paper bidding instructions and lists. |
6. Customs offices and contacts
Bid opening usually takes place at the customs office headquarters. Goods are viewed at warehouses, container yards or express cargo areas.
| Office | Address | Main phone | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keelung Customs | No. 6, Gangxi St., Renai Dist., Keelung 200 | 02-24202951 | Northern sea freight, Keelung Port and Taipei Port |
| Taipei Customs | No. 21, Hangqin N. Rd., Dayuan Dist., Taoyuan 337 | 03-3834265 | Taoyuan airport cargo |
| Taichung Customs | No. 2, Sec. 10, Taiwan Blvd., Wuqi Dist., Taichung 435 | 04-26565101 | Central Taiwan sea and air freight |
| Kaohsiung Customs | No. 3, Jiexing 1st St., Gushan Dist., Kaohsiung 804 | 07-5613251 | Southern sea and air freight |
| Customs Administration | No. 13, Tacheng St., Datong Dist., Taipei 103 | 02-25505500 | Central authority |
7. Practical notes and differences
- Goods differ by office: Keelung and Kaohsiung see more sea freight bulk cargo; Taipei often sees air and express cargo; Taichung has mixed central Taiwan cargo.
- The process is mostly consistent: differences are mainly warehouse locations, opening rooms and contact windows.
- Tax: reserve prices generally include the tax concept, and the winning price is usually the purchase price without separate import declaration.
- As-is sale: inspect quantity, specifications and condition carefully; late payment can forfeit the bid deposit.
- Counterfeit goods are not auctioned: some goods may still need to meet CNS or other standards before circulation.
- Bargain timing: unpopular lots may become cheaper after unsuccessful rounds.
8. FAQ
They are mainly confiscated private goods from smuggling or non-compliant imports, plus overdue import cargo left undeclared after late-declaration fees. Customs does not buy goods for resale.
Yes. Both companies and individuals may bid, and no special qualification is usually required.
Check the public information or auction notice section of the relevant customs office website. The Government Procurement Gazette and customs news pages may also publish notices.
Announcement, viewing, deposit payment, postal bidding, public opening, highest bid above reserve wins, payment within 3 working days, then pickup after signing documents.
It depends on the lot deposit table. Payment is usually by cashier check or bank check payable to the relevant customs office; small deposits may be accepted in cash.
Taxable goods are roughly priced from 50% of customs value plus taxes; duty-free goods from about 40%. The winning price is generally the purchase price, with no separate import tax declaration.
Keelung Customs is in Keelung Renai District; Taipei Customs is in Taoyuan Dayuan District; Taichung Customs is in Taichung Wuqi District; Kaohsiung Customs is in Kaohsiung Gushan District.
Regular auctions are held at least once every 2 months. Lots with insufficient bids may move to price comparison, negotiation or eventual destruction after repeated failures.
直接到對應關區官網的「標售公告」專區看當期通信標售公告與看貨清單:基隆關標售公告、台北關標售公告、台中關標售公告、高雄關標售公告。也可到政府電子採購網 web.pcc.gov.tw,於招標查詢輸入機關「關務署○○關」查通信標售案。
台灣海關沒有獨立的「桃園關」。桃園機場與桃園地區的空運、快遞貨物由台北關管轄(台北關關本部就在桃園市大園區航勤北路 21 號),所以想找「桃園海關拍賣場」「桃園海關標售」,請查台北關標售公告。
Main Sources
- Customs Act Article 73
- Customs Anti-smuggling Act Article 50
- Customs disposal procedure for goods and transport vehicles
- Keelung, Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung Customs auction notice pages
- Government e-Procurement System web.pcc.gov.tw
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