Can You Ship an Electric Scooter to Taiwan? The Full Regulatory Breakdown

Import-eligibility verdict: three scenarios at a glance

Complete electric scooters manufactured in China cannot be imported into Taiwan, regardless of whether you buy them on Taobao, AliExpress, or a U.S. website — customs looks at country of origin, not point of purchase, and complete units from mainstream brands such as Segway-Ninebot, Xiaomi, and Niu are almost all manufactured in China. Complete units not made in China can legally be imported (18% tariff), but very few actually exist on the market. Some parts can be shipped through standard consolidation.

Why can China-made complete units not get in? MW0 plus the exclusion announcement

Taiwan manages mainland Chinese goods under a "positive list" system: a tariff code marked MW0 means "mainland goods, import prohibited." Ordinary MW0-classified industrial goods normally still have one narrow path in — the "waiver of import license for small quantities of mainland goods" rule (CIF value up to NT$32,000, no more than 24 units per item) — and a lot of small items get through on that basis.

But electric scooters are exactly the kind of item that has been specifically named and excluded by announcement: as of 2026-03-10, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced that complete electric scooter units (8711.60.10.00-9), electric-assist bicycles (8711.60.20.00-7), and their controllers (8543.70.99.50-4) are entirely excluded from the small-quantity waiver. Keelung Customs has explicitly stated that these goods require a project import license from the International Trade Administration before customs will assess duty and release them.

• Country of origin matters, not point of purchase: a China-made scooter bought from a U.S. or Japanese website still has China as its country of origin, and MW0 still applies
• Not even a single unit: after the exclusion announcement, there is no waiver even for personal use, single-unit imports
• The controller is treated the same way: "shipping it disassembled" does not work either — the controller's tariff code was excluded in the same announcement
• Consequences of violation: under the Customs Anti-smuggling Act, a fine of up to 3 times the value of the goods may be imposed, and the goods may also be forfeited

Source: Customs Administration import tariff open data (first-column duty rate and import requirement for the two 8711.60 tariff headings); Keelung Customs clearance guidance for "imported electric scooters" and its 2026 exclusion announcement; verified 2026-08-31.

The truth about lithium battery shipping limits

Even setting the MW0 restriction aside, an electric scooter's large-capacity lithium battery is itself a shipping problem: air cargo carriers universally refuse to accept standalone lithium batteries (UN 3480), and a complete unit shipped by sea is classified as Class 9 dangerous goods (UN 3171), requiring dangerous-goods declaration, packaging, and acceptance by the shipping line — "if it cannot fly, just ship it by sea" is not as simple as it sounds.

• The 100Wh/160Wh tiers are passenger carry-on baggage rules (Civil Aeronautics Administration), not a cargo threshold — do not use them to guess whether a shipment is allowed
• Standalone lithium batteries (UN 3480): air cargo carriers refuse them regardless of capacity; a scooter battery typically runs 400–2,000Wh, far beyond any cabin-baggage standard
• Complete units shipped by sea (UN 3171, "battery-powered vehicles"): classified as Class 9 dangerous goods, requiring declaration, labeling, and acceptance by the shipping line — not treated as an ordinary parcel
• Why the rules are so strict: U.S. fire-department data shows lithium battery thermal runaway is a real risk — New York City alone recorded 277 lithium-battery-caused fires in 2024 (FDNY press release, January 2025)

Taiwan road rules: can you actually ride an electric scooter?

In principle, no. Under Article 69 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, electric scooters are classified as a "personal mobility device," and riding one is not permitted on any road section unless a local government has issued an announcement opening it up — violators face a fine of NT$1,200–3,600 and are prohibited from continuing to ride. As of the verification date, no county or city has opened any ordinary road to this use.

Many older guides (including the previous version of this page) describe electric scooters as a "micro electric two-wheeler that you can ride once registered" — this mixes up two completely different categories. A micro electric two-wheeler is a type-approved two-wheeled "vehicle" (commonly known as an electric bicycle) that must be registered and carry compulsory insurance. An electric scooter, by contrast, is a "personal mobility device" (a self-balancing or stand-on device designed to carry one person, powered electrically, with a maximum speed of 25 km/h or less), classified as "other slow-moving vehicle," and there is no registration system for it at all.

The international trend points the same direction: the ITF/OECD "Safe Micromobility" report finds that roughly 80% of fatal crashes involving cyclists and e-scooter riders involve a motor vehicle, which is why many countries now use a speed-tiered framework — treating low-speed devices like bicycles and higher-speed ones like light mopeds. Taiwan's current approach, by contrast, keeps scooters in an exception regime that is "prohibited unless a local government specifically opens it up."

• Legal basis: Article 69 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (defines personal mobility devices); riding on a road section without an opening announcement carries a fine of NT$1,200–3,600 (the penalty applies to the rider)
• Current status: as of the 2026-08-31 verification date, no county or city has announced any ordinary road section as open; both the Taipei City and New Taipei City transportation departments have issued press statements reaffirming that roads and sidewalks remain off-limits
• Where you CAN ride: private property, enclosed parks, and enclosed venues offered by operators (such as some park-based shared-scooter services)
• Worth watching: usage guidelines being planned by the Institute of Transportation, Ministry of Transportation and Communications (reported in the press, not yet a binding regulation — the official announcement governs)

Source: Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China, Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act Articles 69 and 32-1; Taipei City and New Taipei City transportation department press releases; verified 2026-08-31.

Tariffs and fees (applicable to non-China-made complete units)

Electric scooters fall under tariff heading 8711.60.10.00-9, with an 18% tariff; 5% business tax; exempt from commodity tax (per a Ministry of Finance ruling from 2001 that classifies them as recreational equipment). Once the dutiable value exceeds NT$2,000, the full amount is taxed — and a scooter will almost always exceed that threshold.

Three points that older guides commonly get wrong: (1) The "17.5%" figure seen in older guides has no documented basis — the correct rate is 18% (for stand-on units without a seat); electric-assist bicycles with pedals fall under a separate heading, 8711.60.20.00-7, at 20%. (2) Electric scooters are exempt from commodity tax — Ministry of Finance ruling No. 0900456894 of 2001-11-08 classifies them as recreational equipment not permitted for road use and therefore not a taxable good (2025 customs clearance guidance still cites this ruling); but electric mopeds and electric-assist bicycles are subject to an 8.5% commodity tax — do not conflate the two. (3) BSMI: currently not subject to mandatory inspection (CNS 15979 is a voluntary national standard) — follow the latest BSMI announcement.

• 18% tariff: 8711.60.10.00-9 (stand-on, without a seat); electric-assist bicycles under 8711.60.20.00-7 are 20%
• 5% business tax: assessed on (dutiable value + tariff)
• Exempt from commodity tax: per the 2001-11-08 ruling (scooters = recreational equipment); electric mopeds/electric-assist bicycles are taxed at 8.5%
• NT$2,000 threshold: once exceeded, the full amount is taxed (not just the excess); tax-free clearance more than 6 times within a six-month period forfeits the exemption

Tariff rates taken directly from Customs Administration import tariff open data (2026-08-31); the commodity-tax ruling is cited in Keelung Customs / Ministry of Finance clearance guidance from March 2025.

What happens if you buy and ship anyway?

"Customs probably will not catch it" is the most expensive bet you can make. Real-world consequences when a China-made complete unit is caught:

1. Cannot be imported: returned or forfeitedMW0 goods without an import license cannot clear customs, and are handled either through return shipment (shipping costs paid by the shipper) or forfeiture by customs — losing both the money and the goods is the typical outcome.
2. Customs Anti-smuggling Act penaltiesKeelung Customs has explicitly stated: anyone who fails to apply for the required project license may, under the Customs Anti-smuggling Act, be fined up to 3 times the value of the goods, in addition to forfeiture of the goods. For a NT$30,000 scooter, the fine alone could reach as much as NT$90,000.
3. Even if it gets through, you still cannot ride itRoads and sidewalks are prohibited in principle (fine of NT$1,200–3,600, plus a riding ban); with no registration and no compulsory insurance, you have zero protection if an accident happens.

Legal alternatives

If you want an electric scooter or a similar experience, here are the routes that are actually legal:

Parts shippability chart

The complete unit cannot be shipped — but what about the parts? Here is the breakdown by tariff code and shipping rules:

Whether a given item can actually be shipped should be confirmed with customer support before ordering; customs classification is based on the actual goods.

Frequently asked questions

Note: this page is regulatory/educational content; HowBridge does not carry complete electric scooter units (China-made units fall under a prohibited-import category), and the U.S. route has not yet launched.