EZ WAY advance mandate: fully in force from 2026/3/1
The advance mandate is a system in which “the customs broker pushes first, you confirm first, and only then can the goods be declared”. It has been fully in force since 2026-03-01: under Article 17(2) of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Consignments and Article 18(2) of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Sea Express Consignments, if the customs mandate has not been completed as required and recorded in the customs clearance information system, Customs may refuse to accept the declaration. What you do: after receiving the push notification in the EZ WAY app, tap into that house bill of lading number, check that everything is correct and tap “Declaration matches”. If you don't respond, or tap “Declaration does not match”, those goods cannot be declared and imported.
Last verified: 2026-10-12 (legal provisions checked against the current texts in the National Laws & Regulations Database; official explanations based on the advance mandate page of the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, and its 2026-01-29 clarification; the waiting time is only a customs broker's website statement; the overseas IP restriction is based on the Central News Agency report of 2025-06-18; the LINE notification feature is based on the 2026-08-15 announcement on the EZ WAY app home screen)
What should I do if Taobao shows “advance mandate error” or “awaiting advance mandate”?
“Awaiting advance mandate” means the advance mandate for this parcel in the EZ WAY app has not yet been completed. First open the app’s “Customs real-name mandate import goods inquiry” page and look for the house bill of lading number: if it is there, tap into it, check the details and press “Declaration matches”; if not, ask the e-commerce customer service or the customs broker to send the notification again. According to the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, if you do not reply, or reply with a mismatch, the goods cannot be cleared for import.
How long must I wait after tapping “Declaration matches”?
Tapping “Declaration matches” completes the advance mandate for that parcel, after which you wait for the customs broker to transmit the declaration to Customs. The only figures available are broker statements: Jiefeng International Logistics states in the Q&A on its website that after tapping Declaration matches you “need to wait a further 5-10 working days”. This is a single customs broker’s statement, not a time limit announced by the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance.
What if I did not receive the EZ WAY advance mandate notification?
According to the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, the customs broker must first submit the pre-arrival data to EZ WAY before the app sends a notification. You do not have to wait for the notification; open the app’s “Customs real-name mandate import goods inquiry” page directly, and if it is still not there, ask the e-commerce customer service or the customs broker to send it again. For Shopee cross-border orders, if the parcel mandate is not completed within seven days, the system changes the order to not established.
| Date of full implementation | 2026-03-01 (ROC year 115) Proviso on the effective date: Air Regulations §29 / Sea Regulations §32 |
| Legal basis | Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Consignments §17 II / Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Sea Express Consignments §18 II Amendment promulgated 115-02-23 |
| Consequence if not completed | Customs may refuse to accept the declaration; the goods cannot be imported Not a fine, but non-acceptance |
| Deadline for remedy | Before the goods are released from the warehouse: within 7 working days from the day after warehouse entry or declaration The express operator applies to correct the duty payer and the goods are then returned abroad; this is not release after tapping late |
| Where to tap | EZ WAY app → tap into the house bill of lading number → Declaration matches Not on the home screen; you must tap into that specific shipment |
| Notification channels | EZ WAY app push + LINE notification (new, only for some customs brokers) Confirmation must still be completed inside the app; for customs brokers that support LINE notifications, follow the announcement in the EZ WAY app |
| Who is charged | Customs brokers, not the general public Customs Administration clarification of 2026-01-29 |
What is the advance mandate? What does “awaiting advance mandate” on Taobao mean?
“Awaiting advance mandate” is a parcel status shown by Taobao and Pinduoduo logistics, meaning the EZ WAY advance mandate for that parcel has not yet been completed. According to the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, the sequence is: the customs broker first submits the pre-arrival data to EZ WAY → the app sends a push notification → you tap into the house bill of lading number and press “Declaration matches”. If the app sends no notification, first confirm whether the broker has already submitted the data; if you have already tapped “matches”, go by the status of that parcel inside the app.
How long does it take, and what if it is stuck for a long time? The four stuck states compared
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Taobao/Pinduoduo status “Awaiting advance mandate”, with no push at all from EZ WAY | The customs broker must first submit the pre-arrival data to EZ WAY before EZ WAY can send a notification; if the app shows no data, first confirm whether the broker has submitted it. | Open the app’s “Customs real-name mandate import goods inquiry” page and confirm that there really is nothing there; if there is nothing, ask the e-commerce customer service or the customs broker to send the notification again. Shopee cross-border orders have their own platform rule: if the parcel mandate is not completed within seven days, the system changes the order to not established (Shopee Help Centre). |
| You have tapped “Declaration matches”, but the status still shows “Awaiting advance mandate” | The e-commerce status may not have been updated yet; go by the status of that parcel inside the EZ WAY app. | Go to the app’s “Customs real-name mandate import goods inquiry” page and confirm that the house bill of lading number already shows Declaration matches; if so, ask the e-commerce customer service or the customs broker to check. Do not switch to “Declaration does not match”: according to the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, replying with a mismatch means that parcel cannot be cleared for import. |
| EZ WAY shows “This is an advance mandate case; the customs broker has not yet transmitted to Customs” | The mandate is complete, but the customs broker has not yet transmitted the declaration to Customs. | No repeat action is needed. One customs broker (Jiefeng International Logistics) states in the Q&A on its website that after you tap Declaration matches you need to wait a further 5-10 working days; this is a single broker’s statement, not an official time limit. |
| Taobao shows “Advance mandate error” | This page found no publicly stated reason from any e-commerce platform for “advance mandate error”, and the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, materials contain no definition of this term either. | First check that the recipient name and mobile number on the e-commerce order match your EZ WAY registration, then look in the app’s inquiry page for a notification for that parcel; if you still cannot resolve it, ask the e-commerce customer service to escalate. |
For more customs terms, see the cross-border consolidation customs glossary
Why is there an extra confirmation step before customs declaration? According to the 2026-01-29 clarification of the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, as of 30 November 2025 more than 3,000,000 people had joined the advance mandate and over 80% of declarations already used it, so it was written into the regulations and fully implemented from 1 March 2026.
Zhong Zheng-qi and Li Mu-wu, “A Study of the Express Cargo Clearance Management System” (Taxation Research, Vol. 51, No. 1, 2022, pp. 118-143), point out that the volume of simplified import express declarations grew rapidly, exceeded the processing capacity of the existing clearance facilities, and led to containers piling up.
Legal definition: Article 17 of the Air Regulations, Article 18 of the Sea Regulations
Under Article 17(1) of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Consignments, when imported express goods are declared by a customs broker on a simplified declaration, the customs mandate must be completed in one of the following ways: 1. a case-by-case or long-term mandate in writing; 2. an online case-by-case or long-term mandate through the Customs-Port-Trade Single Window; 3. an online case-by-case mandate through a real-name authentication platform set up by a clearance network operator. For sea express goods, the same wording appears in Article 18(1) of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Sea Express Consignments.
The “real-name authentication platform” in item 3 is EZ WAY. Paragraph 2 of the same article is the core of the new system: if the customs mandate has not been completed in one of the ways in the preceding paragraph and recorded in the customs clearance information system, Customs may refuse to accept the declaration. In other words, it used to be that “the customs broker could declare first and you only found out afterwards”; now it is “if you don't confirm first, the goods cannot be declared”.
This paragraph was amended and promulgated on ROC 115/2/23 (2026-02-23) and, under the proviso on the effective date in Article 29 of the Air Regulations and Article 32 of the Sea Regulations, has been in force since ROC 115/3/1 (2026-03-01).
Why do you see several different versions? A three-stage timeline
Online, some say it started in 2021, some say at the end of 2022, and some say 2026-03 (March 2026) — all three are right, because it was implemented in stages. The following is compiled from Customs Administration announcements and the original legal texts.
Implemented for a list of people who “had registered with the real-name authentication app but reported that their identity had been used in a declaration” and people who “did not respond to repeated pushes”. Most people were not affected at the time.
Users could choose in the app to opt in to the advance mandate function. Still not mandatory.
Written into the regulations by amendment, applying to all imported express goods under simplified declaration. According to the Customs Administration, as of ROC 114/11/30 (2025-11-30) more than 3,000,000 people had opted in and over 80% (8 in 10) of declarations used the advance mandate, so the time was right for full implementation.
Am I covered?
Since full implementation on 2026-03-01, it applies to all imported express goods declared on a simplified declaration, so if you shop online from abroad and a customs broker declares the goods on a simplified declaration, you are covered.
For the staged lists before that, the way to tell was whether your EZ WAY profile page showed the words “advance mandate” in black on a red background — the Customs Administration information page states that anyone showing those words is covered by the advance mandate and must complete the mandate confirmation before goods can be imported.
How to complete it: where to tap the house bill of lading number
Where most people get stuck is not “whether to do it” but “where to tap”. The Customs Administration's instructions say:
Receive the app push
The customs broker first files the pre-declaration data with EZ WAY, and EZ WAY pushes it to you. Most brokers push while the goods are still abroad, so you may receive the notification long before the goods arrive.
Go to the inquiry page
Open the EZ WAY app and go to the “Customs real-name mandate import goods inquiry” page, which shows the pre-declaration data.
Tap into the house bill of lading number
This is the key step: you must tap into that “house bill of lading number” to reach the confirmation screen; you cannot just press on the list page. The house bill of lading number is the identifier of this parcel in the customs system, generated when the customs broker files.
Check, then tap “Declaration matches”
Check that the sender, description and amount match what you actually bought. If they match, tap “Declaration matches”; this completes the advance mandate, and only then can the goods be imported.
How to complete it: where to tap the house bill of lading number
Tap “Declaration does not match” only when the data is wrong or your identity has been used by someone else, and contact the customs broker to sort it out; after the broker sends the correct information again, confirm “Declaration matches”. According to the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, if you do not reply, or reply with a mismatch, the goods cannot be cleared for import because the mandate for customs declaration has not been completed.
New feature: LINE added as a notification channel for advance mandate pushes
EZ WAY has launched “LINE notifications for import advance mandates”: after turning on “LINE notification messages” in the app and adding the “EZWay” LINE official account as a friend, when a customs broker files an advance mandate you will receive a LINE notification in addition to the app push, reducing the chance of missing it.
The announcement on the EZ WAY app home screen states that only some customs brokers currently support LINE notifications; which brokers are covered is as announced in the app.
The LINE official account is for notifications only; the mandate confirmation must still be completed by tapping into the house bill of lading number inside the EZ WAY app. This feature description is based on what HowBridge saw in the EZ WAY app home screen announcement on 2026-08-15.
What happens if you don't respond? (including the 7-working-day remedy clause)
According to the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, if you do not reply, or reply with a mismatch, the goods cannot be cleared for import because the mandate for customs declaration has not been completed; when the system receives the declaration it returns a B6F error and does not accept it.
But the regulations leave a remedy, which most guides don't mention: under Article 17-1 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Consignments (Article 18-1 for sea), if, before simplified-declaration import goods are released from the warehouse, it is confirmed that the customs mandate cannot be completed, and the two conditions “no violation of the Customs Anti-Smuggling Act, or a violation that is exempt from penalty by law” and “no violation of other competent authorities' laws requiring referral for penalties” are met, the express operator may, within 7 working days from the day after the goods enter the warehouse or are declared, apply to correct the duty payer and then return the goods abroad.
In other words, missing the confirmation does not make the parcel simply disappear; it goes through the return procedure instead. But you bear the freight and time costs, and the return must be requested by the express operator. The easiest approach is still to deal with it as soon as you receive the push.
Three common misconceptions (Customs Administration clarification of 2026-01-29)
Is EZ WAY going to charge everyone?
No. The Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, clarified on 2026-01-29 that EZ WAY charges customs brokers, not ordinary individuals. PTS News Lab reported on 2026-09-09 that 7,590,000 people have registered with EZ Way and more than 4,000,000 overseas parcels a month are declared through it; Luo Wenxiang, chairman of the Taipei Air Freight Forwarders Association, said EZ Way charges brokers a confirmation service fee of NT$3.5 and a system integration fee of NT$0.8, so a broker pays at least NT$4.3 per declaration. The Central News Agency reported on 2026-08-06 that the Customs Administration said it would evaluate the matter carefully and submit a review report within 3 months.
Will full implementation paralyze air clearance?
The Customs Administration says most operators currently complete the push confirmation abroad before shipping goods to Taiwan, and clearance runs smoothly in practice; even if a few operators ship without completing confirmation abroad, causing goods not to clear, current warehouse capacity can cope.
Do you only get the notification after the goods arrive?
The Customs Administration points out that “notifications are only sent after the goods arrive” is not accurate — most operators complete the push confirmation abroad before shipping to Taiwan. If you often receive the push only after the parcel arrives in Taiwan, that is how that particular operator arranges its work, not how the system is designed.
How HowBridge handles this
The push notification is sent by EZ WAY, and “Declaration matches” has to be tapped by you personally in the app; HowBridge takes care of the steps before and after: at dispatch from the warehouse we enter the declarant details you registered in your member profile, our partner customs broker uploads the pre-arrival data, and after the goods leave the warehouse we remind you to watch for the notification and confirm promptly. Consolidation rates are quoted by customer service depending on the goods.
Legal basis and official sources
- Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Consignments (Article 17, Article 17-1, Article 29 on the effective date)
- Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Sea Express Consignments (Article 18, Article 18-1, Article 32 on the effective date)
- Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, “Advance confirmation of customs mandate” information page (reasons and schedule for implementation, how to operate)
- Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance, clarification of 2026-01-29 (written into the regulations by amendment and fully in force from ROC 115/3/1)
- Press release of the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance (2026-02-24, advance confirmation of mandate fully implemented from 1 March 2026)
- Ministry of Finance press release of 2025-12-17 (cracking down on identity-theft declarations; Customs plans to fully implement advance confirmation of mandate next year)
- Ministry of Finance, 2026-01-29, republishing the Customs Administration clarification (full implementation will not paralyse air cargo clearance)
- Central News Agency 2025-06-18: from June 20, overseas IPs are barred from EZ WAY real-name authentication registration and real-name mandate
- PTS News Lab 2026-09-09, “Do you fully understand the EZ Way controversy? Breaking down the cross-border online shopping declaration process” (7,590,000 registrations, more than 4,000,000 parcels a month; the figure of at least NT$4.3 charged to brokers per declaration is the statement of the trade association chairman)
- Q&A on the website of Jiefeng International Logistics (after tapping Declaration matches, wait a further 5-10 working days; a single broker’s statement)
- Shopee Help Centre: Customs Administration EZ WAY advance mandate procedure (if the mandate is not completed within seven days, the order is changed to not established)
- Central News Agency 2026-08-06: the Customs Administration will submit an EZ Way review report within 3 months
FAQ
Further reading
- Complete EZ WAY tutorial: download, registration and real-name authentication
- Forgot your EZ WAY password? What to do
- What happens if you choose “Declaration does not match” in EZ WAY
- How long does customs clearance take? Timelines compared
- Complete guide to Taiwan import customs clearance: process, taxes, clearance time
- Should you enable the EZWay advance mandate? Quick AI answer
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HowBridge helps with EZ WAY real-name authentication and declaration confirmation, and reminds you to watch for the notification after dispatch from the warehouse; the website is available in 14 languages.
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