How much tax do I have to pay when buying things from the United States and sending them to Taiwan?

Duty-paid value โ‰ค NT$2,000 is tax-free. If the value exceeds NT$2,000, customs duty + 5% VAT will be levied according to the CCC tariff. You can also save U.S. sales tax by shipping to a warehouse in a tax-free state. Use the tool below to find your total landed cost in 30 seconds.

โšก One sentence conclusion

Most single items of U.S. goods (duty-paid price โ‰ค NT$2,000) sent to Taiwan are tax-free.Taxes are imposed on products exceeding the limit: 3C and headphones are taxed at 0%, but health food is about 30%, clothing is about 10.5~12%, and sports shoes are about 5%. Key to saving money:Sending goods to a US tax-free state warehouse (HowBridge Logistics's US warehouse is in Oregon) is exempt from US sales tax.; iHerb health products and vitamins have individual quantity and dosage limits.

Last updated: 2026-05-31 | Data sources: Tariff Law, Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance, Tax Portal of the Ministry of Finance, Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare/Customs Self-use Drug Regulations

U.S. tax real-time calculation

Enter U.S. product information, and the system uses the Customs Administration's AI tariff engine to instantly calculate customs duties, sales tax, and total landed cost.

โ€ป The trial calculation is based on the AI tariff forecast of the Customs Administration (the one with the highest degree of confidence). The actual tariff is subject to the approval of the customs. The U.S. dollar exchange rate fluctuates based on the customs exchange rate on this site (approximately US$1 โ‰ˆ NT$31~32).

Key to saving money: US sales tax vs Taiwan import tax

When buying American goods and sending them to Taiwan, you will encounter "two countries, two taxes." Only by distinguishing them clearly can you save money:

โ‘  U.S. Sales Tax (U.S. side, can be saved)

The sales tax in various states in the United States is about 0~10%, but there are 5 tax-free states (NOMAD): New Hampshire, Oregon, Montana, Alaska, Delaware, state governments do not levy sales tax. Just send the goods to a forwarding warehouse located in a tax-free stateExempt from U.S. sales taxThen transfer back to Taiwan.HowBridge Logistics's American Container Warehouse is located in the tax-free state of Oregon, help you save this money.

โ‘ก Taiwan import tax (Taiwan side)

When goods enter Taiwan Customs, customs duties, VAT, etc. are levied based on the dutiable value and tax rules.Duty-paid value โ‰ค NT$2,000 tax-free(See the next section for details). This is two different things from U.S. sales tax and is calculated separately.

Taiwan import tax exemption rules

โ‘  Small amount tax exemption of NT$2,000 (according to Article 49, Item 2 of the Tariff Act)

The "duty paid value" of express imported goods (landing price CIF = commodity FOB + international freight + insurance premium) is Below NT$2,000, exempt from customs duty, excise tax and VAT(Except tobacco, alcohol and agricultural products subject to tariff quotas).

โ‘ก Tax formula exceeding the tax exemption amount (Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance)

Tariff = Duty paid price ร— CCC tariff rate
Business tax = (duty-paid price + tariff + goods tax) ร— 5%
Trade promotion service fee = Duty-paid price ร— 0.04% (exempt if less than NT$100)

โ‘ข Six-month rule (Article 49, paragraph 2, Tariff Act):The same taxpayer is eligible for tax-free release within the same "six-year period" Tax exemption is not applicable if it is used more than 6 times (from the 7th time). Semi-annual = 1/1-6/30, 7/1-12/31 every year, determined by the date of import declaration.

Real case: Cost of shipping common U.S. goods to Taiwan

The following are common U.S. products (single items) actually calculated using the tax engine of this site. The duty-paid price of the first 4 items is within NT$2,000 โ†’ tax free;Last 2 items exceed โ†’ tax๏ผš

American goodscommodity priceForecast tax rulestariff rateDuty paid valueimport taxTotal landed cost*
Multivitamin Tablets$302106.9030%NT$945tax freeAbout NT$1,065
Fish oil soft capsule health food$252106.9030%NT$787tax freeAbout NT$902
Cotton T-shirt$256109.1010.5%NT$787tax freeAbout NT$902
Bluetooth headset (shipped by air)$608518.300%NT$1,889tax freeAbout NT$2,034
Nike sneakers$806403.195%NT$2,519Approximately NT$258 taxAbout NT$2,922
Lululemon yoga pants (shipped by air)$1006104.6912%NT$3,149Taxes Approximately NT$554About NT$3,878

*Total landed cost = commodity price + international freight + delivery fee + import tax, calculated based on the shipping costs disclosed on this website (sea freight NT$25/kg, air freight NT$100/kg, dispatch fee NT$120), excluding US sales tax (you can save it by sending it to a tax-free state warehouse). Example of sports shoes: US$80 (tariff 5%), customs duty is about NT$126 + sales tax is about NT$132.

Quick Check on Tariff Rates of Various Categories of U.S. Products

Product CategoryCommon tariff ratesWhen the tax exemption amount is exceeded
3C, headphones, electronic productsMostly 0%Only 5% sales tax
Sports shoes, sneakersabout 5%Customs duty 5% + 5% sales tax
Cotton tops, T-shirtsAbout 10.5%Customs duty 10.5% + 5% sales tax
Yoga pants, functional clothing (man-made fibers)about 12%Customs duty 12% + 5% sales tax
Health food, vitamins (tablets and capsules)about 30%Customs duty 30% + 5% sales tax, limited quantity
Bags, leather goodsAbout 5~10%Customs duty + 5% sales tax

The actual tax rate is based on the product CCC code 11. Check the exact tax rules:CCC Tariff Code 12,000+ Code Queryใ€‚

iHerb health products and vitamins personal use limit (Food and Drug Administration/Customs)

iHerb, Amazon Health supplements are popular items, butQuantity and dosageThere is an upper limit for personal use, andFor personal use only, not for resale๏ผš

ItemLimit
Health food in tablet form and capsule formUp to 12 bottles of each type, no more than 36 bottles in total
Vitamin DDaily dosage > 1,000 IU (25ฮผg) is a prescription drug; 800~1,000 IU is an indicator drug; โ‰ค 800 IU is a food
Vitamin EDaily dosage > 400 IU (400 mg) is a prescription drug
Vitamin CDaily dosage > 1,000 mg Prescription drug
Common mines:High-dose vitamin D3, melatonin, etc. may be classified asMedicines, cannot be sent directly or must be declared; if the limit is exceeded, a doctor's prescription must be attached or declared to the Food and Drug Administration (drug declaration must not be repeated within 6 months). Excessive quantities of the same item may easily be considered for commercial use.

Frequently asked questions about taxes sent from the United States to Taiwan

Do I have to pay tax when buying things from the United States and sending them to Taiwan?

uncertain. Duty-paid price (commodity + international shipping + insurance) โ‰ค NT$2,000 is exempt from customs duties, excise tax and VAT. Most single-piece American products (iHerb health care products, single-piece clothing) are within the tax-free scope. Only large packages combined or products with high unit prices and high tariffs are taxed.

Can I save tax by sending it to a US tax-free state warehouse?

Save on US sales tax. The state governments of the 5 tax-free states (NOMAD: New Hampshire, Oregon, Montana, Alaska, Delaware) do not impose sales tax. The U.S. warehouse of HowBridge Logistics Tools is located in Oregon. If you send it here, you can avoid U.S. sales tax before shipping it back to Taiwan.

Is there any quantity limit for iHerb health food and vitamins shipped to Taiwan?

Yes. A maximum of 12 bottles of each type of tablet-shaped capsule health food, totaling 36 bottles. Vitamin D above 1,000 IU, vitamin E above 400 IU, and vitamin C above 1,000 mg daily are prescription medications. Excess or high dosage must be reported to the Food and Drug Administration.

Which U.S. products have particularly high tariffs?

Health food (tablet-shaped capsules) is about 30%, clothing and yoga pants are about 10.5~12%, sports shoes are about 5%; 3C, headphones, and electronic products are mostly 0%. The tax will only be paid if the tax exemption is exceeded.

How to calculate taxes sent from the United States to Taiwan?

Tariff = Duty-paid price ร— CCC tariff rate; Business tax = (Duty-paid price + Customs duty + Goods tax) ร— 5%. For example, US$80 Nike sneakers (tariff 5%), tax paid is about NT$2,519, customs duty is about NT$126 + VAT is about NT$132.

What are the items that iHerb cannot ship directly to Taiwan?

High-dose vitamin D3, health products containing specific ingredients, some drugs and controlled ingredients may be classified as drugs or prohibited and restricted items, and cannot be sent directly or imported in excess amounts. It is recommended to resend to a US container warehouse and confirm that the ingredients and dosage comply with the limits.

Regulatory basis and official sources

  • Tariff Act, Article 49, Paragraph 2 - Express import duty-free price is less than NT$2,000, and is not applicable after the 7th time for more than 6 months (National Regulations Database).
  • Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance "What are the taxes and fees payable on imported goods?":web.customs.gov.tw
  • The personal use limit of "personal use drugs, cosmetics and medical equipment" of the Kaohsiung Customs Department of the Ministry of Finance and Customs:web.customs.gov.tw
  • Ministry of Finance Tax Portal "Things to note when purchasing foreign goods online":etax.nat.gov.tw
The tax calculation and limit arrangement on this page are for reference. The actual tax rules, tax rates, tax payable and personal use determination are subject to the customs approval of the Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance and the regulations of the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare. U.S. state sales taxes, vitamin dosage grading, and Taiwan import regulations may be adjusted, please refer to the latest laws and regulations.

Calculate the tax and start shipping from the United States to Taiwan immediately

The tax-free state of Oregon's container warehouse saves U.S. sales tax, provides multiple sea/air freight solutions, and Taiwan's local customs clearance team assists in classified customs clearance, reimbursing taxes and fees and issuing invoices. Register to get the U.S. shipping warehouse address.

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