Shipping Diving and Snorkeling Gear from Taobao to Taiwan: What Can Be Shipped and What Needs Attention?
Quick answer: Can diving and snorkeling gear be consolidated from mainland China to Taiwan?
Mostly yes, except cylinders. The tariff codes that masks, fins, snorkels and regulators may fall under are all not MW0 (mainland Chinese goods not permitted for import) and carry no import regulation code, so they can go through regular consolidation. Watch three categories: ① Electronics: Bluetooth dive computers and Wi-Fi underwater cameras are regulated by the National Communications Commission (NCC), Taiwan; by mail or consolidation, up to 2 units per shipment can be imported for personal use with a self-declaration. Lithium batteries, power banks and digital cameras are commodities subject to inspection by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), Taiwan; personal-use items not for sale are exempt from inspection when the same specification and model on one customs declaration totals US$1,000 or less (or exceeds that but is no more than 2 pieces). ② Dangerous goods: filled cylinders and CO2 cartridges are prohibited from mailing under Article 37 of the Postal Regulations (Taiwan). ③ Dive knives: the law does not name this item, but a double-edged pointed knife may be deemed a controlled knife, and the China side may also refuse it. A single shipment with a dutiable value of NT$2,000 or less is duty-free, but once the same person has used this exemption more than 6 times in a half-year period, it no longer applies.
HowBridge has only a Shenzhen consolidation warehouse and a Taoyuan operations warehouse, and only provides consolidation from China → Taiwan. We have no warehouses in the United States or any other country, and we do not offer purchasing-agent (buy-for-you) services. Under Section 4.2 of the Terms of Service, lithium battery products must be declared in advance and approved before they can be shipped.
What should you check when shipping common diving and snorkeling gear to Taiwan?
Tariff codes are determined by Customs based on the actual product. The table below shows the codes each item may fall under (from our tariff table and the International Trade Administration (ITA), Taiwan list, verified 2026-09-25):
| Gear | Tariff code it may fall under | Import regulation | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diving mask (non-corrective) | 9004.90.20.90-6 | None | Not MW0; regular consolidation |
| Prescription diving mask | 9004.90.20.10-3 | 504 | Subject to the import regulation for medical devices for human use; check with the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) first |
| Fins, snorkels | 9506.29.00.00-8 | None | Not MW0; regular consolidation |
| Regulator (breathing apparatus) | 9020.00.90.90-0 | None | Not MW0; performance is judged against the manufacturer's specifications |
| Wetsuit | Determined by Customs | — | The code differs depending on the material |
| Dive computer (Bluetooth) | Watches 9102, etc. | None | NCC: up to 2 units per consolidated shipment with a personal-use self-declaration |
| Underwater camera, action camera | 8525.89.90 | C02; plus 602 if it has radio functions | BSMI inspection required + NCC |
| Dive light batteries, power banks | 8507.60.00 | C02 | BSMI inspection required; must be declared first under Section 4.2 of the Terms of Service |
| Steel cylinder | 7311.00.00.00-0 | C02 | Empty cylinders are subject to BSMI inspection; filled cylinders are prohibited from mailing |
None of the codes above were found in the ITA's “Summary of Mainland Chinese Goods Not Permitted for Import” (version 115/09/25, i.e. 2026-09-25), which means they are not prohibited for trade purposes. However, C02 (commodities subject to BSMI inspection), 602 (controlled telecommunications radio-frequency devices) and 504 (medical devices) still apply.
Dive computers, underwater cameras, dive lights: how do the NCC and BSMI rules work?
Gear with batteries or wireless functions falls under two different agencies:
NCC: personal-use quantities for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi gear
Article 9 of the Regulations Governing the Manufacture, Import and Declaration of Controlled Telecommunications Radio-Frequency Devices: for low-power radio-frequency devices imported for personal use by mail or other means than carrying them in person, up to 2 units per shipment may be imported with a self-declaration (affidavit), with a limit of 10 units per person per year; natural persons must be at least 18 years old. For 3 or more units, an import permit must be applied for, and the devices may not be transferred or used commercially. Products sold officially in Taiwan carry an approval code; for example, the Garmin Taiwan Descent G2 is labeled CCAF24LP1890T5.
BSMI: lithium batteries, cameras, empty steel cylinders
BSMI commodity lookup: “3C secondary lithium power banks”, “3C secondary lithium cells/batteries”, “digital video cameras and digital cameras” and steel compressed-gas cylinders “not filled with contents” are commodities subject to inspection. Article 5 of the Regulations Governing Exemption from Commodity Inspection: personal-use items not for sale may be exempted from inspection after review if the same specification and model on one customs declaration totals US$1,000 or less, or exceeds that but is no more than 2 pieces. Dive light bodies, dive computer bodies and diving masks returned no commodity entries in a tariff-code lookup (not found).
Declare lithium batteries first
Section 4.2 of the HowBridge Terms of Service lists lithium batteries and power banks as restricted items; they must comply with IATA rules, be declared in advance and be approved before they can be shipped. Lithium batteries can become an ignition source, so tape over the terminals or put them in a protective case before packing to prevent short circuits.
Can dive cylinders, CO2 cartridges and dive knives be shipped?
These three are the most frequently asked about, and the rules differ for each:
Filled cylinders: prohibited from mailing
A filled dive cylinder contains compressed gas. Article 37 of the Postal Regulations (Taiwan): “flammable, explosive or other dangerous articles” are prohibited from mailing; the Regulations Governing the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air provide that dangerous goods not complying with the technical instructions may not be carried by air; and China's Catalogue of Items Prohibited from Postal Delivery also lists “compressed and liquefied gases and their containers”. For empty cylinders, we found no primary-source rule on whether they can be consolidated (not found in official sources), and this page does not recommend sending them through consolidation.
CO2 cartridges: passenger baggage rules do not apply
In the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), Taiwan table “Dangerous goods that passengers and crew may carry or check in”, the limit for life-jacket CO2 cartridges of “2 per device, plus 2 spares” applies only to passengers' and crew members' personal baggage; it does not apply to mail or cargo. The CO2 cartridges in a BCD are likewise compressed gas.
Dive knives: the law does not name this item
The knives listed in Article 4 of the Controlling Guns, Ammunition and Knives Act include “daggers (as illustrated in the attached diagrams)”, but neither the law nor the official announcements name “dive knife” as an item; whether a double-edged pointed dive knife constitutes a dagger has no interpretation from the competent authority (not found). If it is deemed a controlled knife, transporting it without a permit carries criminal liability (Article 14). China's catalogue of items prohibited from mailing also lists “single-edged, double-edged and three-edged pointed knives”, so it may be refused at acceptance.
The high-pressure gas containers referred to in the Regulations for Safety Inspection of Hazardous Machinery and Equipment are those “with an internal volume of 500 liters or more”, and the rules apply to business entities; ordinary dive cylinders are outside this scope. What we could find on the import side is the BSMI inspection requirement for empty steel cylinders; aluminum cylinders returned no commodity entry (not found).
What are the main dive brands? Official websites and parent companies of Scubapro, Mares and others
When buying on mainland Chinese platforms, look for the brand's official flagship store label. Below are each brand's official website and parent company (verified 2026-09-25):
| Brand | Official website | Parent company / background | Taiwan agent or distributor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scubapro | scubapro.com | Johnson Outdoors | Jin Chuan Enterprise (its website describes itself as the general agent for Taiwan) |
| Mares | mares.com | HEAD (since 1971) | East Diving Corp. (distributor for the Taiwan area) |
| Aqualung | aqualung.com | Sold by Air Liquide to Montagu in 2016; HEAD won the bid in 2025 | Not found |
| Cressi | cressi.com | Cressi Sub S.p.A. (Italy) | Not found |
| TUSA | tusa.com | Founded in Tokyo, Japan, by Kazuo Tabata in 1952 | Not found |
| Suunto | suunto.com | Sold by Amer Sports to Liesheng in 2022 | Not found |
| Garmin (Descent) | garmin.com.tw | Garmin Ltd. | Garmin Corporation (Taiwan) |
| Shearwater | shearwater.com | Designed and manufactured in Vancouver, Canada | Not found |
Cressi or TUSA: how to choose?
Cressi is an Italian brand and TUSA is a Japanese brand; both make masks, fins, snorkels and other snorkeling products. Face and foot shapes vary widely, so it is best to try masks and fins on; this page does not compare products.
Official Taiwan products vs. platform purchases
Products sold officially in Taiwan come with local warranty and repair service; for products bought on mainland Chinese platforms, check warranty and repair with the seller or manufacturer first. Price differences vary by model and period, so please compare prices yourself.
What should you check before taking your own gear into the water?
What the regulations and research can establish:
Taiwan's diving rules
Article 17 of the Regulations Governing Water Recreational Activities: anyone scuba diving or freediving must hold a certification (diving certification card) issued by a diving organization; Article 18 requires being accompanied by a person familiar with the diving area and carrying buoyancy equipment; the “qualified diving instructor” in Article 19 is a requirement for operators taking customers diving. Snorkeling does not require a certification.
Gear is only one accident factor
Among 947 recreational diving fatalities in the United States from 1992–2003, the most common triggering factor was insufficient gas (41%), with equipment problems accounting for 15% (Denoble et al., 2008); among 126 fatalities in Australia from 2001–2013, inadequate equipment accounted for 19% of contributing factors (Lippmann and Taylor, 2020). Regulator performance is judged against the manufacturer's specifications; follow the manufacturer's instructions for servicing.
The standards are foreign
Europe has the EN 250 standard for diving breathing apparatus (including regulators); the United States has periodic inspection requirements for 6351-T6 aluminum alloy cylinders. These are foreign standards and regulations; whether Taiwan requires compliance for imports was not found in official sources.
Steps to buy diving gear on Taobao and consolidate it to Taiwan
Based on the rules on this page:
1Check the items
Masks, fins, snorkels, regulators and wetsuits can go through regular consolidation; for prescription masks, check the medical device rules first; do not order cylinders or CO2 cartridges for shipping.
2Count your electronics
Bluetooth dive computers and Wi-Fi cameras: up to 2 units per consolidated shipment with a personal-use self-declaration, 10 units per year; lithium batteries and cameras follow the BSMI personal-use inspection-exemption conditions.
3Declare lithium batteries first
Dive lights, dive computers and power banks containing lithium batteries must be declared under Section 4.2 of the Terms of Service before they arrive at the warehouse, with terminals protected against short circuits.
4Combine and clear customs
Send to the HowBridge Shenzhen warehouse for combined consolidation. A single shipment with a dutiable value of NT$2,000 or less is duty-free; once the same person has used the duty-free exemption more than 6 times in January–June or July–December, it no longer applies from the 7th time onward.
Terms used on this page
- MW0
- Import regulation code in the tariff schedule: mainland Chinese goods not permitted for import.
- C02
- Import regulation code in the tariff schedule: some goods under this code are commodities announced by the BSMI as subject to import inspection.
- 602
- Import regulation code in the tariff schedule: controlled telecommunications radio-frequency devices, to be handled under NCC rules.
- Self-declaration (affidavit)
- When an individual imports a small number of radio-frequency devices for personal use, a written statement that they are for personal use and not for resale, in place of applying for an import permit.
- Regulator
- A device that reduces the high-pressure gas in the cylinder to the surrounding water pressure so the diver can breathe it; it consists of a first stage and a second stage.
- Certification
- Proof from a domestic or foreign diving organization required by the Regulations Governing Water Recreational Activities for scuba divers and freedivers, commonly called a diving certification card.
Sources and limits of verification
The codes, inspection commodity entries, quantity limits and legal provisions on this page are based on official pages actually opened on September 25, 2026, and on lookups in our server's tariff table; each item below includes a link, the verification date and the key original text.
Laws, government announcements and official sources
- Ministry of Economic Affairs, International Trade Administration (ITA), Taiwan: Import Regulation Codes (verified 2026-09-25): C02 “Some goods under this item are commodities announced by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs, as subject to import inspection.”; 602 is controlled telecommunications radio-frequency devices; 504 is medical devices for human use.
- ITA: Summary of Mainland Chinese Goods Not Permitted for Import (data updated 115/09/25, i.e. 2026-09-25, 2513 items in total; verified 2026-09-25): the codes listed on this page for diving goggles, aquatic sports equipment, breathing appliances, steel cylinders, lithium-ion batteries, digital cameras, watches, etc. were all not found in it.
- Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), Taiwan: Lookup of Commodities Subject to Inspection (verified 2026-09-25): “3C secondary lithium power banks”, “digital video cameras and digital cameras” and “steel (iron) compressed-gas cylinders (inspection limited to cylinders with an internal volume of 500 liters or less that are not filled with contents)” are listed as subject to inspection; diving goggles, watches and flashlights returned no commodity entries in a tariff-code lookup (not found).
- Regulations Governing Exemption from Commodity Inspection, Articles 5 and 6 (amended ROC 108-11-21, i.e. 2019-11-21; verified 2026-09-25): “The following personal-use items not for sale imported… 1. Items of the same specification and model on the same customs declaration with a total value of US$1,000 or less, or with a total value exceeding US$1,000 but in a quantity not exceeding one of the following: … (5) Other commodities: 1. Personal-use items: two pieces.”
- Regulations Governing the Manufacture, Import and Declaration of Controlled Telecommunications Radio-Frequency Devices, Article 9 (amended ROC 114-02-03, i.e. 2025-02-03; verified 2026-09-25): “2. For imports by mail or other means than carrying them in person, no more than two units at a time. 3. The same natural person or legal entity is limited to ten units within one year, and natural persons must be at least eighteen years old.”
- Regulations Governing the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, Articles 3 and 5 (amended ROC 107-12-10, i.e. 2018-12-10; verified 2026-09-25): dangerous goods classes “2. Class 2: Gases.”; “Dangerous goods that do not comply with these Regulations and the technical instructions shall not be transported by air.”
- Postal Regulations (Taiwan), Article 37 (amended ROC 111-05-27, i.e. 2022-05-27; verified 2026-09-25): “The following documents or articles are prohibited from mailing: … 3. Flammable, explosive or other dangerous articles.”
- State Post Bureau of China: Catalogue of Items Prohibited from Postal Delivery (2017-02-09; verified 2026-09-25): lists “controlled knives: such as daggers… and other similar single-edged, double-edged and three-edged pointed knives” and “compressed and liquefied gases and their containers”.
- Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), Taiwan: Dangerous Goods That Passengers and Crew May Carry or Check In (updated 2025-02-11; verified 2026-09-25): the table header states that the rules cover baggage of passengers and crew “for personal use only”; the quantity limits for small CO2 cartridges do not apply to mail or cargo.
- Controlling Guns, Ammunition and Knives Act, Articles 4 and 14 (amended ROC 113-01-03, i.e. 2024-01-03; verified 2026-09-25): knives “means samurai swords, sword canes, mandarin duck knives, knuckle dusters, steel (iron) whips, flat awls, daggers (as illustrated in the attached diagrams), and other knives announced as prohibited by the central competent authority…”; the law does not list “dive knife” as an item.
- Regulations for Safety Inspection of Hazardous Machinery and Equipment, Article 4 (amended ROC 114-12-23, i.e. 2025-12-23; verified 2026-09-25): “High-pressure gas container: a container for filling high-pressure gas that is movable relative to the ground and has an internal volume of 500 liters or more.”
- Ministry of Finance (Taiwan) announcement: duty-free threshold under Article 49(2) of the Customs Act (ROC 106-09-07, i.e. 2017-09-07; verified 2026-09-25): “Where a single shipment of imported goods has a dutiable value of NT$2,000 or less, customs duty and the business tax and commodity tax collected by Customs on behalf of other agencies are exempted.”
- Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance (Taiwan): Express Consignments (updated 2026-09-24; verified 2026-09-25): the low-value exemption does not apply when “the same taxpayer has had imported goods released under this duty-free provision more than 6 times within a half-year period”; “half-year period means January to June and July to December of each year”.
- Regulations Governing Water Recreational Activities, Articles 16–19 (amended ROC 113-04-16, i.e. 2024-04-16; verified 2026-09-25): Article 17 “Persons engaging in scuba diving or freediving shall hold a certification corresponding to that diving activity issued by a domestic or foreign diving organization.”; under Article 19, guided scuba diving is limited to eight people per instructor per session.
- Garmin Taiwan Descent G2 product page (verified 2026-09-25): products sold officially in Taiwan carry the NCC approval code “CCAF24LP1890T5”.
- Mares: HEAD acquires AQUALUNG Group (2025; verified 2026-09-25): “HEAD has been declared the winning party in a bid for the troubled AQUALUNG Group”; “MARES was acquired by HEAD in 1971”.
- Amer Sports: completes Suunto transaction (2022-05-06; verified 2026-09-25): “Amer Sports divests Suunto to Liesheng.”
- Johnson Outdoors 2025 annual report (10-K) (filed 2025-12-12; verified 2026-09-25): “underwater diving products…under the SCUBAPRO brand name.”
Academic and research literature
Common causes of open-circuit recreational diving fatalities
Analyzes 947 recreational diving fatalities in the United States from 1992–2003; among triggering factors, insufficient gas accounted for 41% and equipment problems for 15%.
Scuba diving fatalities in Australia 2001 to 2013: Chain of events
The chain of events in 126 diving fatalities in Australia: inadequate equipment was a contributing factor in 19%, while health conditions and training/experience accounted for higher proportions.
The investigation of diving accidents and fatalities
Explains that regulator testing compares function and breathing performance against the manufacturer's specifications, and that diving accidents usually result from multiple factors.
SS-EN 250:2014 Respiratory equipment – Open-circuit self-contained compressed air diving apparatus
The European standard for open-circuit compressed-air diving apparatus, applicable to a maximum depth of 50 meters; it is a European standard, not a Taiwan regulation.
Hazardous Materials: Aluminum Cylinders Manufactured of Aluminum Alloy 6351-T6 Used in SCUBA, SCBA, and Oxygen Services
U.S. periodic inspection requirements addressing the neck-crack risk of 6351-T6 aluminum alloy dive cylinders; this is a U.S. regulation.
SAFO 25002: Managing the Risks of Lithium Batteries Carried by Passengers and Crewmembers
FAA guidance for airline operators (not a regulation): lithium batteries can become an ignition source, and terminals should be protected against short circuits.
Assessment of the Risks Associated with the Handling and Transportation of Air Shipments Containing Lithium-Ion Batteries
Uses FAA incident reports to assess the risks of air-shipping lithium-ion batteries, concluding that monitoring and corrective measures are needed during transport.
Risks of Recreational Diving and the Prevention of Accidents (original in Chinese)
A Taiwanese literature review: marine tourism is growing in popularity, and safety is the biggest consideration in taking part in recreational diving.
Interactions between Recreational Divers and Green Sea Turtles: An Analysis of Sustainable Tourism on Xiaoliuqiu (original in Chinese)
Uses Xiaoliuqiu as a case study to examine recreational diving and sustainable island tourism.
① Tariff codes are determined by Customs based on the actual product; this page lists only the codes items may fall under; ② whether empty air cylinders can be consolidated and whether dive knives count as daggers: no primary-source rule or interpretation was found; ③ Chunghwa Post's detailed rules on lithium batteries in international mail were not found; ④ the URLs of each brand's flagship stores on Tmall and JD.com could not be verified, so this page does not list them; ⑤ no openable source for Taiwan diving accident statistics was found; ⑥ this page does not constitute legal, medical or diving instruction advice.
FAQ
Can diving masks and fins bought on Taobao be shipped to Taiwan?
Can dive computers be consolidated?
Can dive cylinders be shipped?
Are dive knives controlled knives?
What are the official websites of Scubapro and Mares?
Can HowBridge buy diving gear for me?
Further reading
Combine your diving and snorkeling gear at our Shenzhen warehouse and ship it to Taiwan
Order yourself on mainland Chinese platforms and ship to the HowBridge Shenzhen warehouse for combined consolidation; declare lithium battery products first, and do not ship cylinders.
Sign up free and start consolidating