Updated
The short answer
Every item falls into one of six answers. They're the same six you get from the Can I ship this? search box on our homepage, which uses the list our WhatsApp team works from.
| The answer you get | What it means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Normal goods. Air or sea, standard rates. | Clothes, shoes, bags, furniture, homeware, books, toys |
| Yes, as Sensitive | Same rates as Normal goods, but you must declare it as Sensitive. | Phones, earbuds, batteries, skincare, make-up, snacks, jewellery |
| Sea only | Sensitive goods that go by sea, not by air. | Hair spray, deodorant spray, other aerosols |
| Yes, register first | We can ship it once you have registered it with NEA. | Air-cons, fridges, clothes dryers, TVs, water heaters |
| Ask us first | Message us before you buy and we check it with you. | Branded goods, medicines, fresh food, seeds, walkie-talkies |
| Can't ship | We can't ship it, by air or sea. | Vapes, chewing gum, lighters, alcoholic drinks, drones, toy guns |
You tell us what's in your shipment. We weigh and measure parcels at the warehouse; we don't open them. So the Normal or Sensitive line on your order list is your own declaration, and it needs to be right.
What ships as Normal goods
Normal goods go by air or sea at the standard rates, with nothing extra to do. As a rule of thumb: no battery, no liquid, no powder, no magnet, no spray, no food.
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Clothes and shoes | T-shirts, dresses, jeans, jackets, socks, caps, sneakers, sandals, boots |
| Bags | Backpacks, handbags, wallets, luggage, laptop bags |
| Furniture | Sofas, chairs, tables, desks, cabinets, shelves, wardrobes, bed frames, mattresses |
| Home goods | Curtains, rugs, bedding, pillows, towels, storage boxes, hangers, lamps, photo frames |
| Kitchenware | Plates, bowls, cups, pots and pans, tea sets, lunch boxes |
| Plug-in appliances with no battery | Hair dryers, rice cookers, kettles, air fryers, blenders, fans, coffee machines |
| Glass and ceramics | Vases, mirrors, glassware, porcelain. Normal goods, but fragile: see the note below |
| Books and stationery | Books, notebooks, pens, stickers, tape, printer paper |
| Toys | Plush toys, figurines, building bricks, puzzles, dolls |
| Sports and baby items | Yoga mats, dumbbells, bicycles and bicycle parts, helmets, strollers, diapers |
| Phone and desk accessories | Phone cases, screen protectors, phone stands, mouse pads, tripods, sunglasses |
| Tools and hardware | Hand tools, screws, brackets, cable ties, monitor arms |
| Artificial plants and pots | Fake plants, artificial flowers, plant pots, plant stands |
Fragile is not the same as Sensitive. Plain glass, crystal, ceramics and mirrors are Normal goods. They're just not covered for breakage, even with the optional cover or a wooden frame. You can add a note like "glass, fragile" next to that tracking number. Bulky pieces such as furniture usually go by Sea LCL; see shipping furniture from Taobao.
What counts as Sensitive goods
Sensitive goods are everyday items that need to be declared: mainly anything with a battery, liquids, cosmetics, food and valuables.
| Type | Examples | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics | Phones, laptops, tablets, cameras, earbuds, speakers, smartwatches, game consoles, chargers and cables, keyboards, robot vacuums | Anything with a battery or USB charging is Sensitive. |
| Batteries | Loose batteries, lithium cells, power banks | Air and sea both take them. See the battery section below. |
| Cosmetics and skincare | Skincare, serum, lipstick, foundation, nail polish, hand cream, face masks, sunscreen | Make-up can go by air when declared. |
| Liquids | Shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, hair dye, glue, paint, ink, detergent, hand sanitiser, contact lenses and solution | By air or sea, unless flammable, dangerous or controlled. |
| Sprays and aerosols | Hair spray, deodorant spray, sunscreen spray | By sea, not by air. |
| Food and drinks | Snacks, tea, coffee, chocolate, biscuits, instant noodles, sauces and seasoning, vitamins and supplements, pet food | Tell us the specific type, for example dog food or tea. |
| Valuables | Jewellery, jade, gemstones, gold and silver pieces | Always Sensitive, never Normal. |
| Medical devices | Home oxygen machines, CPAP machines, medical test kits | Sensitive even when plug-in only. |
| Other | Magnets, knives and scissors, bar soap, candles, party poppers, powders | Powders are strongly discouraged; message us first. |
Here is what changes when your shipment is Sensitive, and what doesn't:
- The price doesn't change. Sensitive goods ship at the same rates as Normal goods. See China to Singapore shipping rates.
- One Sensitive item makes the whole shipment Sensitive. If a single parcel has a pair of earbuds or a lipstick in it, write "Sensitive goods" for the whole order list.
- Say what kind. Write it in brackets, like Sensitive goods (cosmetics, earbuds, snacks). You don't need to mark which parcel holds which item.
- The route can change. Sprays and most liquids go by sea, not air. See the next section.
- It can take a little longer. Sensitive goods can take a day or two more than Normal goods. More in how long shipping takes.
- A wrong declaration costs S$10.00 per parcel that has to be resent.
Example: one Sensitive item in a mixed order
You bought T-shirts, a pair of sneakers, a phone case and wireless earbuds from four Taobao shops, worth S$150.00 in total. The earbuds have a battery, so the whole shipment is declared as Sensitive goods (earbuds). Chargeable weight: 4 kg.
By air (est. 4–5 working days): freight S$39.40 + import tax S$13.50
(9% × S$150.00) = S$52.90.
By sea, by kg (est. 3–4 weeks): freight S$15.50 + import tax
S$13.50 = S$29.00.
That is exactly what the same 4 kg would cost as Normal goods. Only the declaration is different.
What goes by sea only
- Sprays and aerosols. Hair spray, deodorant spray, sunscreen spray and similar cans are pressurised, so they go by sea, declared as Sensitive.
- Fragrance and diffuser oils. Fragrance oils, essential oils and reed diffuser liquids ship by sea. For a liquid you're unsure about, WhatsApp us before you buy.
- Power banks. We recommend sea. Air has a quantity limit, so message us first if you have several.
Other liquids, perfume and cosmetics included, can go by air when they're declared as Sensitive, as long as they aren't flammable, dangerous or controlled. Hand sanitiser and alcohol-based cleaners are fine too: when we say no alcohol, we mean drinks.
Example: splitting one order between air and sea
You have 3 kg of clothes you'd like soon, and 2 kg of hair spray and reed diffuser refills. Send two order lists, one per method, each with its own tracking numbers.
Clothes by air (est. 4–5 working days), Normal goods: S$30.60.
Hair spray and diffuser refills by sea, by kg (est. 3–4 weeks), Sensitive goods: S$10.50.
Freight for both: S$41.10, plus 9% import tax on the value of the goods.
Shipping everything together by sea would cost less, because the first kg is charged once. Compare both in the calculator, or see small parcel shipping for more on the first-kg charge.
Batteries, power banks and electronics
- Electronics with a battery (phones, earbuds, smartwatches, anything you charge by USB) ship by air or sea, declared as Sensitive.
- Plug-in electronics with no battery are Normal goods.
- A small number of loose lithium batteries for your own use, such as a spare camera or keyboard battery, is fine. Declare them, for example Sensitive goods (li-ion battery).
- Power banks: a few for your own use are fine as Sensitive goods, and sea is the route we recommend.
- Large quantities, stock for resale or big lithium packs: WhatsApp us first with photos and the battery specs, and our team checks it for you.
What needs registration or a check first
Six kinds of appliance need NEA registration before they ship. We can ship them, but you register the product yourself first, as the person importing it for your own use:
- Air-conditioners
- Refrigerators, freezers and chillers included
- Clothes dryers (not hair dryers)
- Televisions (the set itself, not a TV console)
- Household water heaters (not kettles)
- Three-phase induction motors
Registration is free on NEA's ELS Portal at go.gov.sg/elsportal and approval usually takes about 7 working days. The certificate is valid for 3 years. We can't register on your behalf, because it's tied to you. Without it, the shipment can be delayed or turned back, so register before your seller ships.
Ask us first on WhatsApp before you buy any of these. Some need a Singapore permit or approval, so we check each one with you:
- Branded goods. We look at these case by case.
- Medicines.
- Fresh meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables.
- Plant, flower, vegetable and grass seeds.
- Walkie-talkies.
- Fireworks and sparklers.
- Daggers, machetes, spears, crossbows and butterfly knives. Cosplay props and anything that could be taken for a weapon: send us a photo first.
- CDs, DVDs, vinyl records and video games.
- Powders. Customs checks them closely, so we strongly discourage shipping them.
- Chemicals, or anything not on the lists above. Tell us the item name and send a photo.
For how permits fit in with customs clearance, see import tax on goods from China.
What we don't ship
These can't go by air or by sea, whatever the quantity. Please don't have them sent to our warehouse.
| Group | What's in it |
|---|---|
| Tobacco and nicotine | Cigarettes, tobacco, chewing tobacco, shisha, vapes and e-cigarettes, pods, e-liquids, nicotine pouches |
| Chewing gum | Chewing gum and bubble gum |
| Alcoholic drinks | Beer, wine, spirits. Hand sanitiser and alcohol-based cleaners are fine, as Sensitive |
| Flammable items | Lighters and high-pressure gas canisters |
| Frozen items | Frozen food of any kind |
| Animals and plants | Live animals, live plants (potted plants, succulents, bonsai, seedlings), ivory and rhino horn. Artificial plants are fine |
| Electric rides and drones | Drones, e-bikes, e-scooters, hoverboards, electric unicycles, mobility scooters. Plain bicycles, and drone spare parts with no battery, are Normal goods |
| Weapons | Weapons of any kind, pepper spray, stun guns, knuckle dusters, flick knives, throwing knives, slingshots, signal jammers |
| Toy guns and swords | Anything gun-shaped, including water guns, bubble guns, foam-dart blasters, gel blasters and BB guns. Swords of any kind, toy and foam ones included |
| Cash and drugs | Currency, banknotes, drugs |
If a parcel has reached our warehouse and can't be shipped, we can send it back to the seller in China for a processing fee plus the China courier's cost. Try the return option in your shopping app first; that is usually free.
Check before you buy
- Search the item. Type it into Can I ship this? on our homepage, in English or Chinese: power bank, perfume, sofa, 充电宝. You get one of the six answers above.
- Not on the list, or it says Ask us first? WhatsApp us the item name and a photo or the listing link before you pay the seller.
- Buy, and have it delivered to our Guangzhou warehouse. The steps are in how to ship from China to Singapore.
- Declare it on your order list. Line 1: Air or Sea. Line 2: Normal goods, or Sensitive goods with the kind in brackets.
Example: what a wrong declaration costs
You send three parcels as Normal goods, but two of them hold face cream. Those two have to be resent as Sensitive: 2 × S$10.00 = S$20.00 on top of your freight, and the shipment takes longer. Declared correctly, the fee would not apply and the freight would be the same. When you're unsure, declare it as Sensitive.
Buying stock for a shop? The same lists apply to 1688 and wholesale orders. Ordering from Taobao for the first time? Start with Taobao shipping to Singapore.
Questions people ask
What cannot be shipped from China to Singapore?
With us: tobacco, vapes and nicotine products, chewing gum, alcoholic drinks, lighters and gas canisters, frozen food, live animals and live plants, drones, e-bikes and e-scooters, weapons, toy guns and swords, cash and drugs. The full table is above.
Can I ship batteries or power banks from Taobao to Singapore?
Yes. Items with batteries, a small number of loose lithium batteries and a few power banks for your own use ship as Sensitive goods. For power banks we recommend sea, and air has a quantity limit. For large quantities, WhatsApp us first.
Can I ship liquids, perfume or cosmetics from China?
Yes, as Sensitive goods. Liquids, perfume and cosmetics can go by air or sea when declared, unless they're flammable, dangerous or controlled. Sprays, aerosols, fragrance oils and diffuser liquids go by sea only.
Can I ship food and snacks from Taobao to Singapore?
Packaged food, snacks, tea, coffee and pet food ship as Sensitive goods; tell us the specific type. For fresh meat, seafood, fruit and vegetables, WhatsApp us first. We don't ship frozen food, chewing gum or alcoholic drinks.
Do Sensitive goods cost more to ship?
No. They ship at the same rates as Normal goods: S$13.00 for 1 kg by air and S$8.00 for 1 kg by sea. They just have to be declared.
What happens if I declare Sensitive goods as Normal?
Each parcel that has to be resent costs S$10.00, and your shipment takes longer. One Sensitive item makes the whole shipment Sensitive, so when in doubt, declare it.
Can I ship a TV, fridge or air-con from China?
Yes, once you have registered it with NEA. It's free on the ELS Portal (go.gov.sg/elsportal) and usually takes about 7 working days. The same goes for clothes dryers, household water heaters and three-phase motors.
Can I ship toy guns, drones or e-scooters from Taobao?
No. We don't ship toy guns of any kind (water guns and foam-dart blasters included), swords, drones, e-bikes, e-scooters or other personal mobility devices. Drone spare parts with no battery and plain bicycles are fine.