Can I buy a helmet abroad myself and have it shipped to Taiwan?
HowBridge currently provides consolidation services only from China (the Shenzhen consolidation warehouse) to Taiwan. It has not yet launched routes from the United States, Japan, Korea, Europe, or other overseas regions, and does not have any overseas warehouse addresses available for use, official rates, or guaranteed transit times. The warehouse names, shipping fees, and transit times mentioned on this page are provided solely as general market references and do not represent the services offered by this site. Do not use them to fill in a delivery address or place an order. If any such routes are launched in the future, the official website announcements and the terms then in effect will apply.
The answer in three sentences
First, protective helmets for motorcycle and moped riders and passengers are subject to mandatory inspection (commodity code 6506.10.90.90-7, import regulation C02), and the applicable national standard is CNS 2396, “Protective helmets for drivers and passengers of motorcycle and mopeds”—not CNS 15007, as frequently stated online (that is a catheter test standard and has been withdrawn); bicycle helmets have a separate standard from motorcycle helmets. Second, personal use has a specific inspection exemption: for helmets of the same specification and type on the same declaration, the limit is 4 helmets if the total value is US$1,000 or less, or 2 helmets if it exceeds US$1,000; however, you must apply for the exemption, which is limited to once every six months, and clearance is not automatic. Third, and most often overlooked, exemption from import inspection does not make a helmet legal for road use: the Road Traffic Safety Regulations require helmets worn on the road to have passed inspection by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection and bear a commodity inspection mark affixed to the helmet body, while ECE, DOT, SNELL and JIS are not recognized in Taiwan.
Are helmets subject to mandatory inspection? Which standard applies?
Yes. Under the commodity announcements of the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI), Ministry of Economic Affairs, protective helmets for motorcycle and moped riders and passengers (English commodity description: Protective helmets for drivers and passengers of motorcycle and mopeds) fall under commodity code 6506.10.90.90-7, with C02 listed under import regulations. According to the International Trade Administration's code definitions, C02 means “Some commodities under this heading are subject to mandatory import inspection as announced by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs.” This commodity category has been subject to inspection since ROC year 65.
The applicable national standard is CNS 2396, “Protective helmets for drivers and passengers of motorcycle and mopeds” (general classification Z2009, version 096/05/14, currently in force). Article 5 of the Commodity Inspection Act provides four inspection methods: batch-by-batch inspection, monitoring inspection, registration of product certification, and declaration of conformity. Announcement records are available for all four methods for motorcycle helmets.
Commodities that pass inspection bear a commodity inspection mark under the Regulations Governing the Use of Commodity Inspection Mark. This mark does more than show whether a product has passed inspection—it also determines whether a helmet meets the requirements for road use (see “Which claims could lead you to buy or use a helmet incorrectly?” below). When buying a second-hand or parallel-imported helmet, checking whether this mark is present on the helmet body is the most direct check.
Importing commodities that fail to meet inspection requirements in violation of Article 6 of the Commodity Inspection Act carries a statutory fine under Article 60, paragraph 1 of 20 ten-thousand to 200 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars. If the total commodity value is below 10 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars, Article 60-1 reduces the fine to “no more than 2 times the total value, but no less than 1 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars”; the commodities may still be confiscated or destroyed under Article 63, paragraph 5. If the commodities are subsequently resold, a seller who fails to make corrections within the specified period under Article 60-2 faces a fine of 1 ten-thousand to 10 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars, and repeated fines may be imposed for each violation.
In other words, assuming “I am buying it for myself, so the worst that can happen is that it gets sent back” underestimates the risk.
Is inspection required for personal use? How many helmets can be exempted?
The enabling provision is Article 9 of the Commodity Inspection Act, which lists seven circumstances eligible for exemption from inspection. Subparagraph 3 specifically covers “imports and exports of articles for personal use that are not for sale, commercial samples, exhibition articles, or articles for research, development and testing.”
However, the permitted number of helmets is determined by the subordinate legislation, the Regulations Governing Exemption from Inspection of Commodities. Protective helmets have a specific provision; the general rule for personal-use articles does not apply.
① Quantity limits (wording of Article 5, paragraph 1, subparagraph 3 of the Regulations Governing Exemption from Inspection of Commodities): “Protective helmets of all types, where helmets of the same specification and type on the same declaration have a total value of no more than one thousand US dollars and number no more than four, or exceed one thousand US dollars and number no more than two.”
※ The provision says protective helmets “of all types”—motorcycle helmets, bicycle helmets and industrial safety helmets all fall under this provision. The commonly cited online rule of “no more than two personal-use items” is the general rule for other commodities; that general rule does not apply to protective helmets.
※ Paragraph 2 of the same article requires values and quantities to be combined across multiple declarations with the same import date. Splitting declarations cannot circumvent the limits.
② Exemption is not automatic (Article 4): You must complete an application and attach the import declaration, proof of identity, and product photographs or a catalogue. The inspection authority issues a “Notice of Exemption from Inspection” only after reviewing and approving the application. Counter applications also incur a review fee of NT$200.
③ Frequency limit (Article 8): The person responsible for applying for inspection is limited to one exemption within six months.
There are four procedures (BSMI FAQs): For small values and quantities, applicants may directly enter the designated inspection-exemption customs clearance code; in ordinary cases, apply for exemption at a counter or online (review fee: NT$200); cases exceeding the value or quantity limits in Article 5 require prior special-case approval (review takes approximately 2 weeks, and an exemption application is still required after approval); the fourth procedure is an annual exemption for qualified businesses, which does not concern individuals.
Are ECE, DOT and SNELL recognized in Taiwan?
This is one of the most frequently misreported points on this topic. BSMI's official FAQs state directly: Foreign certification marks are not recognized because the standards on which they are based are not Taiwan's national standards. Where no mutual recognition agreement has been signed, registration of product certification must still be obtained from BSMI, even if a foreign certification certificate is held.
| Certification | Nature | Status in Taiwan |
|---|---|---|
CNS 2396 | National Standard of the Republic of China (protective helmets for motorcycle and moped riders and passengers) | ✅ This is Taiwan's statutory inspection standard |
ECE 22.06 | United Nations Economic Commission for Europe regulation | ❌ Not recognized; cannot replace CNS 2396 inspection |
DOT FMVSS 218 | US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard | ❌ Not recognized |
SNELL M2020 | US Snell Foundation (private certification) | ❌ Not recognized |
JIS | Japanese Industrial Standards | ❌ Not recognized |
Taiwan has signed mutual recognition agreements (MRAs), but their scope does not cover helmets: the agreements currently involve only the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, the Philippines and India—8 countries in total—and cover only electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and safety requirements for electrical and electronic products. Protective helmets are entirely excluded. Therefore, the assumption “My helmet has ECE certification, so Taiwan should recognize it” has no basis under this system.
What is the tariff code? Can I look up the duty rate?
The commodity classification code for helmets is 6506.10.90.90-7 (Chinese commodity description translated as “Other safety headgear”; English description: Other safety headgear), with import regulation C02.
| Item | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Commodity code (11 digits) | 6506.10.90.90-7 | ✅ Verified |
| Chinese commodity description | Other safety headgear (BSMI commodity category: “Protective helmets for drivers and passengers of motorcycle and mopeds”) | ✅ Verified |
| Import regulation | C02—officially defined as “Some commodities under this heading are subject to mandatory import inspection as announced by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs” | ✅ Verified (“some,” not “all”) |
| Inspection standard | CNS 2396 (Z2009, version 096/05/14) | ✅ Verified |
| Column 1 duty rate | — | ⚠️ We could not obtain this information; see the explanation below |
The Customs Administration's tariff lookup system supports only interactive browser operation, and we were also unable to obtain the tariff PDF download. We therefore could not find the Column 1 duty rate for 6506.10.90.90-7. Instead of providing an unsupported figure, we leave it blank—the rate determined by Customs prevails, or you can enter the code in this site's import duty and tax calculator to look it up.
This page has not verified the duty rate or tax bases. For how import duties and taxes are calculated—including customs valuation, how business tax is added, and the duty and tax exemption threshold—see “How do I look up a CCC tariff code?” and the “Import duty and tax calculator.”
Which claims could lead you to buy or use a helmet incorrectly?
Of the following six claims, the first three can lead to buying the wrong helmet, and the last three can lead to using it incorrectly.
It is completely unrelated. CNS 15007 is “Catheters (other than intravascular catheters): Test methods for general properties,” a medical device testing standard that was withdrawn on 15 August, ROC year 108. The applicable standard for motorcycle helmets is CNS 2396, “Protective helmets for drivers and passengers of motorcycle and mopeds.”
They do not. BSMI treats motorcycle helmets and bicycle helmets as two separate commodity categories (65061090907A protective helmets for motorcycle and moped riders and passengers / 65061090907B protective helmets for cyclists), with different inspection standards: motorcycle helmets use CNS 2396 (Z2009).
For bicycle helmets, our separate search of CNS Online found CNS 13371, “Protective helmets for cyclists and users of roller skates, skateboards and inline skates” (Z2105, revised 108/02/21, currently in force). ⚠️ This finding comes from our own separate verification, not this page's main verification sources. BSMI's commodity list also places “protective helmets for activities involving roller skates, skateboards and inline skates” in a separate category, 65061090907H; we have not confirmed the relationship between that category and CNS 13371.
In summary: when buying a motorcycle helmet, check for CNS 2396; do not apply the bicycle helmet standard.
BSMI explicitly does not recognize foreign certification marks because “the standards on which they are based are not Taiwan's national standards.” Taiwan's mutual recognition agreements involve only 8 countries and cover only EMC and safety requirements for electrical and electronic products, excluding protective helmets. ECE/DOT/SNELL/JIS cannot replace CNS 2396 inspection.
Neither statement is precise. Inspection exemptions have explicit quantity limits, and protective helmets have a specific provision: for helmets of the same specification and type on the same declaration, a total value ≤ US$1,000 permits up to 4 helmets; a total value exceeding US$1,000 permits up to 2 helmets. The “two personal-use items” rule is the general rule for other commodities and does not apply to protective helmets. Multiple declarations with the same import date are combined for calculation, and exemptions are limited to once within six months.
An inspection exemption requires an application: complete the application form and attach the import declaration, proof of identity, and product photographs or a catalogue. A “Notice of Exemption from Inspection” is issued only after review and approval; counter applications incur a review fee of NT$200. Although small values and quantities may qualify for the simplified procedure of “directly entering the designated inspection-exemption customs clearance code,” that is still a specific procedure based on an official announcement.
🔴 This is the requirement most people overlook, and violating it can result in a fine. Article 88, paragraph 2, subparagraph 1 of the Road Traffic Safety Regulations requires helmets worn on the road to have “passed inspection by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and bear a commodity inspection mark affixed to the helmet body.” A helmet imported under the personal-use inspection exemption will not have a commodity inspection mark on its body, so wearing it on the road violates this provision (Article 31, paragraph 6 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act: a fine of NT$500 for the driver). “Legal to import” and “legal for road use” are separate matters.
A personal-use inspection exemption addresses whether a helmet can enter Taiwan, but not whether it can be worn on the road. For a helmet that is legal for road use, the key is not whether it has ECE/DOT certification, but whether Taiwan's commodity inspection mark is affixed to the helmet body.
Can I buy a helmet in China and have it shipped to Taiwan?
HowBridge has only a Shenzhen consolidation warehouse and a Taoyuan operations warehouse, and provides consolidation shipping only from China → Taiwan. We do not have warehouses in Japan, Italy, the US or Europe, and do not provide consolidation shipping, purchasing-agent or payment-agent services for those locations. The explanations of helmet certifications from different countries on this page are general information about import regulations and do not mean that we provide services in those locations.
As for whether a helmet purchased in China can be shipped to Taiwan, we found two conflicting official records and cannot reach a definitive conclusion. We explain the findings below rather than give a seemingly straightforward answer that could be wrong.
Two official records point to different conclusions
In the “Commodity Import and Export Regulations Inquiry”, the import regulation field for 6506.10.90.90-7 lists only C02, with no MW0. The official definition of MW0 is “Importation of Mainland China products is prohibited.” At the commodity-code level, no prohibition is shown.
However, in the “Mainland China Products Import Inquiry”, the same code appears as 6506.10.90.90-7EX, with only three corresponding commodity descriptions: PU foam safety helmets, carbon-fibre safety helmet shells (not fitted with visors, linings or chin straps), and carbon-fibre safety helmets. The system explains EX as meaning “Only goods matching the Chinese and English commodity descriptions are permitted for import under this code.”
Our advice: verify first; do not order based on this page
We cannot determine how these two records interact: the absence of MW0 indicates no blanket prohibition at the commodity-code level, but the EX list specifies only three commodity descriptions. We do not state that “helmets from China can definitely be shipped” or that “they definitely cannot be shipped.”
Before importing, use the product's specific material and commodity description to check both the Commodity Import and Export Regulations Inquiry and the Mainland China Products Import Inquiry systems of the International Trade Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs. If necessary, obtain written confirmation from Customs at the port of import or a customs broker.
Even if it can be imported, there is a second requirement
Remember this page's most important point: being allowed into Taiwan does not mean a helmet can be worn on the road. Even if a helmet made of that material may be imported and clears customs under a personal-use inspection exemption, wearing it on the road without Taiwan's commodity inspection mark on the helmet body still violates Article 88 of the Road Traffic Safety Regulations. If you intend to use it for actual riding, buying a helmet through a retailer in Taiwan that has passed inspection and bears the commodity inspection mark is the only undisputed approach.
What sources support these statements?
The inspection system, exemption thresholds and road-use requirements described on this page are based on current regulations and BSMI announcements, with the relevant article and standard numbers identified for each point. Information we could not obtain, such as the duty rate, is left blank and explained below.
Legislation and official sources (verified individually)
- Commodity Inspection Act (pcode J0100001)—Article 5: four inspection methods (batch-by-batch inspection, monitoring inspection, registration of product certification, and declaration of conformity); Article 6: commodities subject to mandatory inspection may not be imported unless they comply with the requirements; Article 9: seven circumstances eligible for exemption, with subparagraph 3 covering “imports and exports of articles for personal use that are not for sale, commercial samples, exhibition articles, or articles for research, development and testing”; Article 60: fines of 20–200 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars; Article 60-1: reduced penalties where total value does not exceed 10 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars; Article 60-2: penalties for sellers; Article 63, paragraph 5: confiscation or destruction. law.moj.gov.tw
- Regulations Governing Exemption from Inspection of Commodities (pcode J0100033, amended 108.11.21)—Article 4: exemption requires an application and review before a “Notice of Exemption from Inspection” is issued; Article 5, paragraph 1, subparagraph 3: helmet-specific thresholds, “where helmets of the same specification and type on the same declaration have a total value of no more than one thousand US dollars and number no more than four, or exceed one thousand US dollars and number no more than two”; paragraph 2 of the same article: values and quantities on multiple declarations with the same import date are combined for calculation; Articles 7 and 8: special-case approval for quantities or values exceeding the thresholds, and exemptions limited to once within six months. law.moj.gov.tw
- Regulations Governing the Use of Commodity Inspection Mark (pcode J0100038)—design and use requirements for the commodity inspection mark; this mark also determines whether a helmet meets the requirements for road use. law.moj.gov.tw
- Road Traffic Safety Regulations, Article 88, paragraph 2, subparagraph 1—helmets worn on the road must have “passed inspection by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and bear a commodity inspection mark affixed to the helmet body.” law.moj.gov.tw
- Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, Article 31, paragraph 6—a motorcycle driver who fails to wear a helmet as required is subject to a fine of NT$500. law.moj.gov.tw
- CNS 2396, “Protective helmets for drivers and passengers of motorcycle and mopeds” (general classification Z2009, version 096/05/14, currently in force)—the statutory inspection standard for motorcycle helmets. cnsonline.com.tw
- CNS 15007, “Catheters (other than intravascular catheters): Test methods for general properties”—withdrawn on 108/08/15 and unrelated to helmets; many online articles incorrectly cite this number. cnsonline.com.tw
(Also: the bicycle helmet standard numberCNS 13371comes from our own separate verification, not this page's main verification sources. See “Verification limits of this page.”) - Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Commodity Inspection Application Service System—announcement records for commodity code
6506.10.90.90-7/ category65061090907A, “Protective helmets for drivers and passengers of motorcycle and mopeds”; subject to inspection since ROC year 65; inspection standard CNS 2396. civil.bsmi.gov.tw - BSMI FAQs—foreign certification marks are not recognized because their underlying standards are not Taiwan's national standards; mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) involve only 8 countries and cover only EMC/safety requirements for electrical and electronic products, excluding protective helmets; and the four inspection-exemption procedures (direct entry of the designated inspection-exemption customs clearance code / counter application / special-case approval / qualified businesses). bsmi.gov.tw
- International Trade Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Commodity Classification and Import/Export Regulations Inquiry—import regulation code
C02: “Some commodities under this heading are subject to mandatory import inspection as announced by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, Ministry of Economic Affairs”;MW0: “Importation of Mainland China products is prohibited”; codes suffixed withEX: “Only goods matching the Chinese and English commodity descriptions are permitted for import.” fbfh.trade.gov.tw
Key figures at a glance
- Inspection-exemption quantity limits: same specification and type on the same declaration, total value ≤ US$1,000 → up to 4 helmets; > US$1,000 → up to 2 helmets (multiple declarations with the same import date are combined for calculation) — Regulations Governing Exemption from Inspection of Commodities, Article 5, paragraph 1, subparagraph 3, and paragraph 2
- Exemption frequency: the person responsible for applying for inspection is limited to one exemption within six months — Regulations Governing Exemption from Inspection of Commodities, Article 8
- Review fee for counter applications for exemption: 200 New Taiwan dollars; review for special-case approval above the thresholds takes approximately 2 weeks — BSMI FAQs
- Fine for noncompliant imports: 20–200 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars; where the total value does not exceed 10 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars, the fine is no more than 2 times the total value but no less than 1 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars; commodities may be confiscated or destroyed — Commodity Inspection Act, Article 60, Article 60-1, and Article 63, paragraph 5
- Failure to wear a helmet as required: a fine of NT$500 for the driver — Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act, Article 31, paragraph 6
Academic and research literature
(No suitable academic or policy literature was found for this page)
We attempted to search the Government Research Bulletin (GRB) system and research published by the Legislative Yuan's Legislative Research Bureau. GRB was undergoing system maintenance during verification, and the Legislative Yuan's search interface uses ASP.NET postback, preventing programmatic retrieval of the results list. A full-text search for “protective helmets” in the Laws & Regulations Database of the Republic of China returned only the Regulations Governing Exemption from Inspection of Commodities. Rather than fill the page with unrelated literature, we state plainly that none was found—this means “not found in this search” and does not mean that relevant literature does not exist (GRB was under maintenance, and the Legislative Yuan's search results could not be retrieved programmatically). All conclusions on this page are drawn directly from statutory provisions and BSMI's primary-source announcements.
To avoid presenting information with excessive confidence, the following explains what we could not verify for this page:
① The Column 1 duty rate could not be found: the Customs Administration's tariff lookup system supports only interactive browser operation, and the tariff PDF could not be downloaded. This page therefore does not provide a duty rate for 6506.10.90.90-7; refer to the rate determined by Customs or this site's calculator.
② We cannot reach a definitive conclusion on whether helmets from Mainland China may be imported: two official records point to different conclusions (the commodity code does not list MW0, but the Mainland China Products Import Inquiry lists it with EX, permitting only three specific commodity descriptions). See “Can I buy a helmet in China and have it shipped to Taiwan?” above. Do not use this page as the final basis for determining whether an import is permitted.
③ The statutory article numbers and figures are current as of this page's last update. The Regulations Governing Exemption from Inspection of Commodities, categories subject to mandatory inspection, and CNS standard versions may all be amended. Check the current requirements again before proceeding.
④ This page has not verified whether any specific brand or model has completed Taiwan's registration of product certification. The most direct way to check whether a particular helmet is legal for road use is to look for the commodity inspection mark on the helmet body.
⑤ For the procedure of “directly entering the designated inspection-exemption customs clearance code,” we have only read BSMI's FAQ summary of the specific value/quantity thresholds and codes (the FAQ cites Announcement Jing-Biao-Wu-Zi No. 10750028040); we have not obtained the original announcement.
⑥ This page does not describe the visual design of the commodity inspection mark (the legislation page presents it as an image that we did not obtain), and we have not obtained the full text of CNS 2396. We therefore do not list its test items, impact values or scope.
⑦ The bicycle helmet standard number CNS 13371 comes from our own separate verification through CNS Online, not this page's main verification sources. BSMI's commodity list also places “protective helmets for activities involving roller skates, skateboards and inline skates” in a separate category, 65061090907H; we have not confirmed its relationship with CNS 13371.
⑧ This page has not verified import duty rates or tax bases (see the tariff section above).
⑨ No academic literature was found (see the reasons above; this means “not found in this search,” not “does not exist”).
Frequently asked questions
If both value and quantity are very small, you may use the simplified procedure of “directly entering the designated inspection-exemption customs clearance code” (under Article 9 of the Commodity Inspection Act and relevant announcements). However, this is still a specific procedure, not permission to ignore the requirements.
Two easily overlooked conditions: ① Values and quantities on multiple declarations with the same import date must be combined for calculation, so splitting declarations does not help; ② exemptions are limited to once within six months (Article 8).
Taiwan's MRAs currently involve only 8 countries—the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, the Philippines and India—and cover only EMC and safety requirements for electrical and electronic products. Protective helmets are entirely excluded. ECE/DOT/SNELL/JIS cannot replace
CNS 2396 inspection.A helmet imported under the personal-use inspection exemption will not have a commodity inspection mark on its body, so wearing it on the road violates this provision (Article 31, paragraph 6 of the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act: a fine of NT$500 for the driver).
If you intend to use it for actual riding, buying a helmet through a retailer in Taiwan that has passed inspection and bears the mark is the only undisputed approach. The personal-use inspection exemption is more suitable for collecting, display or non-road uses such as track riding.
CNS 15007 is “Catheters (other than intravascular catheters): Test methods for general properties.” It is a medical device testing standard, was withdrawn on 15 August, ROC year 108, and has nothing to do with helmets.Motorcycle helmets use
CNS 2396, “Protective helmets for drivers and passengers of motorcycle and mopeds” (Z2009).Also, BSMI places bicycle helmets in a separate commodity category (
65061090907B), with a different standard from motorcycle helmets. Our separate search identified its standard number as CNS 13371 (Z2105), but this comes from our own separate verification, not this page's main verification sources. When buying a helmet, check the standard corresponding to its intended use.Where total value is below 10 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars, Article 60-1 reduces the fine to “no more than 2 times the total value, but no less than 1 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars”; the commodities may still be confiscated or destroyed under Article 63, paragraph 5. If the commodities are subsequently resold, a seller who fails to make corrections within the specified period under Article 60-2 faces a fine of 1–10 ten-thousand New Taiwan dollars, and repeated fines may be imposed for each violation.
Further reading
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