China inspects harder than most destinations and its restricted list runs longer. Almost none of it is exotic. It is the contents of an ordinary garage, bathroom cabinet and bookshelf that cause the trouble.
One vetted mover from our network loads the shipment, and good movers walk this list with you before packing day rather than after. International movers who run China do this as standard, because it protects the whole relocation. It is a five minute conversation that saves a great deal.
Two categories matter. Prohibited items cannot enter at all. Restricted items can, but need approval, declaration or specific handling, and a surprise on the manifest is what delays a container.
Understanding why something is on the list makes it much easier to remember.
Security items. Weapons, ammunition, explosives and imitation firearms are prohibited outright. Imitation matters: replica guns, airsoft equipment and decorative swords all count, and people ship them without a thought.
Printed and recorded material. Books, magazines, films, photographs, recordings and digital storage can all be inspected. The concern is content rather than format. Most personal libraries pass without incident, but the inspection right exists and is used, so a manifest reading twelve boxes of books invites a look.
Communications equipment. Radio transmitters, satellite receiving dishes and similar equipment need approval. Drones are regulated and the position changes, so declare one rather than assuming.
Biosecurity. Plants, seeds, soil, cuttings and untreated wooden items are restricted, as are most meat, dairy and other animal products. This is the same logic Australia and New Zealand apply. Garden tools with soil on them are a genuine catch.
Medicines. Personal supplies are workable. Quantities are not, and some substances are controlled regardless of quantity. Bring a prescription and a sensible amount rather than a year's stock.
Currency. There are declaration thresholds for cash. Household shipments rarely contain cash, but people do occasionally pack it and should not.
Endangered species material. Ivory, some hardwoods, certain shells and skins. Older items may carry this problem without their owner realising, and it sits alongside rather than inside the cultural relics rules.
There is no fee for having a clean shipment. The costs all sit on the other side, and they are larger than the value of almost anything that causes them.
Nothing, or minor handling
Removed, left behind, or handled properly. The normal outcome.
Examination plus storage
Everything waits while the question is resolved.
Item lost, delay significant
Plus a closer look at everything else in the box.
Tell us anything in your household you are unsure about. Almost all of it will be fine, and the few things that are not are worth knowing now.
We match you with your vetted mover, which means one team handles the whole relocation. It is free, with no obligation. Get a quote today and hold your dates.
Send your move detailsCall 07551 855 064 or +447551855064. Message us on WhatsApp.
The instinct when you are not sure about something is to pack it and hope. That is precisely the wrong move, and here is why.
Declared items are a conversation. You tell your mover, they tell you whether it can travel, and either it goes with the right handling or it does not go. Cost: nothing much.
Undeclared items found are a problem. The container is examined, everything is delayed, and the question becomes what else was not declared. Cost: storage, examination charges and a sailing possibly missed.
The asymmetry is enormous and it points one way.
Practical approach. Make a list of anything you are uncertain about as you pack rather than at the end. A drone, a strange old electrical item, a bottle of something, a wooden carving of unknown age. Send the list to your mover in one message. Most of it will be fine.
On books and media specifically. Ordinary personal libraries pass without difficulty. What attracts a look is volume, so if you are shipping several hundred books, expect the manifest to be read carefully and make sure it is honest.
On medicines. Bring what you need with a prescription, in original packaging, in a sensible quantity. Do not ship a year of anything and do not pack medicines loose among household goods where nobody can see them.
On anything with a battery. Check separately if the shipment is going by air, where the rules are tighter again than for sea.
Air freight has a tighter list again, so check that separately if part of your shipment is flying.
A move usually means moving money too, whether that is a deposit on a Chinese flat or funds coming back the other way. We have helped customers with currency exchange in any currency through trusted partners for many years, and our partners can help with the money side of your move. Mention it on the form and it gets included.
Experts in currency exchange
No hidden fees
5 star consumer ratings
Competitive exchange rate
Weapons, ammunition, explosives and imitation firearms are prohibited outright, along with narcotics and counterfeit currency. Imitation matters more than people expect: replica guns, airsoft equipment and decorative swords all fall into this category.
Ordinary personal libraries pass without difficulty. Printed matter, films and recorded media can be inspected, and the concern is content rather than format. Volume attracts attention, so a manifest reading twelve boxes of books will be read carefully.
Drones are regulated and the position changes. Declare it rather than assuming, because an undeclared drone found on inspection triggers an examination of the whole container. Your mover will tell you whether it can travel on your route.
Biosecurity, the same logic Australia and New Zealand apply. Plants, seeds, cuttings, soil and untreated wooden items can carry pests and disease. Garden tools with soil still on the blades are a genuine and common catch.
A personal supply, in original packaging, with a prescription. Quantities are restricted and some substances are controlled regardless of quantity. Shipping a year's stock is not workable and packing medicines loose among household goods makes it worse.
The container is examined, everything in it is delayed, and the question becomes what else was not declared. One undeclared item costs far more than its value, which is why declaring anything uncertain is always the better move.
Yes, every time. A declared item is a conversation with your mover that costs nothing. An undeclared item found on inspection is storage charges, an examination and possibly a missed sailing. The asymmetry points one way.
Tighter. Air adds restrictions on spare lithium batteries, aerosols, flammable liquids, matches and lighters that do not apply the same way at sea. If part of your shipment is flying, check that list separately.
Endangered species material has its own controls, separate from the cultural relics rules. Older items sometimes carry this problem without their owner realising, so anything with ivory, tortoiseshell, certain hardwoods or exotic skins needs checking before it is packed.
Send your collection address, your Chinese destination, a rough idea of the volume and your date. A vetted mover from our network checks the route, the paperwork and the access, then comes back to you with the price.
Send your move detailsWe match international moving enquiries with vetted moving companies in the AGM Group network, each holding FIDI FAIM certification and BAR Overseas membership.
We are not a removal firm ourselves. We find you the one that suits your route, and you deal with them directly from there.