Taiwan Import/Export Business Registration 2026
No. To make formal import or export customs declarations under its own name, a company or business entity must complete import/export business registration with Taiwan International Trade Administration. The process is online, free, permanent, and has no capital threshold: prepare login credentials, check English name, submit new registration, and receive approval.
Last updated: 2026-09-04 · HowBridge Logistics editorial team · Checked against the Trade Administration system and Articles 3, 4, 5, 5-1, 7-1, 8 and 9 of the Regulations Governing Registration of Exporters and Importers (amended 8 Apr 2025)
Which system should you use to search a company English name?
Before naming, use the no-login "Query Proposed English Name"; for a registered company, use "Basic Exporter/Importer Data Search" with its tax ID.
Both entry points sit in the Trade Administration importer/exporter registration system (fbfh.trade.gov.tw); both are free and need no power of attorney. What you can see is defined by Article 7-1 of the Regulations Governing Registration of Exporters and Importers: paragraph 1 lists the four items the Trade Administration always discloses (Chinese and English names, Chinese and English addresses, name of the representative or responsible person, and export/import qualification), while the five items in paragraph 2 (telephone and fax, website, email, product items and other trade-related information) are entered by the company itself, so they are missing when the company never filled them in.
- Article 4 | The name itself is non-compliant: the English name must state the principal name and the organisation type; a foreign branch must state its nationality and branch name. Industry terms in the name may not exceed the scope of the registered business items, and the name may not be liable to confusion with a government agency or public-interest body.
- Article 5 | Identical name: identical to an existing exporter/importer, or to one cancelled, revoked or annulled less than two years ago.
- Article 5-1 | How "identical" is judged: examined on the principal name and organisation type; where the name states a different line of business or carries distinguishable words, symbols or spaces, it is deemed not identical even if the principal name and organisation type match. (The widely repeated claim that spaces and symbols do not count reflects the pre-2025 rule and no longer applies.)
- Article 3 | Wrong filing channel: name pre-check and registration must be filed by electronic data transmission; paper, fax or email are allowed only when the Trade Administration computer system is down.
After registration: changes and written proof
When the tax ID, Chinese name, organisation, representative or registered address changes, the Trade Administration may update the record directly from data supplied by the company or business registration authority; an English name change, however, must be applied for under Article 3, and the company may only continue export/import business after the change is completed (Article 8). For a paper document, Article 9 allows a company to apply for an "Exporter/Importer Registration Certificate". Step-by-step instructions are in the two official search entry points below.
Sources for this section: Regulations Governing Registration of Exporters and Importers (code J0090006, amended 8 April 2025, 15 articles, issued under Article 9(5) of the Foreign Trade Act), Articles 3, 4, 5, 5-1, 7-1, 8 and 9; search system: Ministry of Economic Affairs International Trade Administration Exporter/Importer Registration System.
1. Why registration is required
In Taiwan, a company or business entity must complete import/export business registration with the International Trade Administration before making formal customs declarations under its own name.
- The entity cannot make formal import/export customs declarations under its own name.
- It cannot build official import/export records.
- Certificates needed for banking, tenders, or foreign trade may not be available.
2. Who needs registration
| Identity | Registration needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Yes | Required before formal declaration under company name. |
| Business entity | Yes | Sole proprietorships or partnerships may apply after business registration. |
| Individual | No, limited use | Personal low-value imports may use simplified declaration, but this is not business registration. |
Any business entity declaring under its own name should complete import/export business registration first.
3. Before you apply
- Approved company or business registration.
- Company certificate or registration system account.
- Business scope should cover international trade or a broad lawful business clause.
- Prepare 1 to 6 proposed English names and check trademark conflict risk first.
4. Four online registration steps
System: fbfh.trade.gov.tw
Prepare login method
After company or business registration, prepare the company certificate or system account.
Check English name
Enter up to six proposed English names. The system reviews in order and approves one. Common review time is about 3 hours.
Submit new registration
After English name approval, enter business ID, Chinese and English names, address, and representative data.
Review and approval notice
The International Trade Administration commonly completes review in about one working day and sends approval by email.
5. Cost, timing, and validity
| Registration fee | Free |
|---|---|
| Capital threshold | None |
| Import/export record threshold | None |
| English name check | About 3 hours |
| New registration review | About 1 working day |
| Validity | Permanent; no annual renewal |
6. What you can do after registration
- Make formal import/export customs declarations under company or business name.
- Apply for import/export business registration certificate.
- Apply for English name certificate.
- Apply for recent 3-year import/export record certificate.
7. How to check whether you are registered
Two common ways to confirm import/export business qualification:
- Before choosing a name: check your proposed English name (Trade Administration self-service lookup) — no login and no business certificate required. Just enter the proposed English name and the verification code to see whether it clashes with an existing trader. The agency explicitly states that the results are for reference only; you still need to file a formal “English name pre-check,” and the Trade Administration’s review decision is final.
- Already registered: trader basic information lookup (Trade Administration public lookup) — search by Unified Business Number to see a trader’s English name, import eligibility, export eligibility, and trade volume bracket. The Trade Administration website states that this lookup is provided under Article 7-1 of the Regulations Governing the Registration of Exporters and Importers (出進口廠商登記辦法), which itself lists four items: Chinese and English names, Chinese and English business addresses, the name of the representative or responsible person, and import/export eligibility.
- How is “the same name” determined? Under Article 5-1 of the Regulations as amended on April 8, 2025, the review looks at the core name and the type of organization; if either the core name or the organization type differs, the names are not the same. If a name indicates a different line of business, or contains distinguishing words, symbols, or spaces, its English name is deemed not the same even when the core name and organization type match — making approval easier than under the old rules. The previous Article 5-1 stated that “distinguishing words do not include articles, abbreviations, spaces, symbols, capitalization, or organization type”; that provision was deleted in this amendment, so the claim still circulating online that “spaces and symbols don’t count” is outdated. However, whether something is “distinguishing” is still decided case by case by the Trade Administration, and adding a space or symbol does not guarantee approval.
- HowBridge member center: add a company declarant and enter the Unified Business Number, and the system will automatically check the trader registry and show a mark indicating the company can file formal customs declarations.
8. FAQ
After registration, HowBridge Logistics can handle the rest
After import/export business registration, use HowBridge Logistics for forwarding, customs documents, and tax estimates. If not registered yet, start with the official online system.
Open registration system View Taiwan customs guide →