CUSTOMS

IMPORT REGULATIONS

Free to Import

Tobacco (restricted to travellers 18 years and over)

One of the following:

• 19 cigarettes;
• 1 cigar or 25 grams of cigars; or
• 25 grams of tobacco.

Alcohol (restricted to travellers 18 years and over)

• 1 litre of alcoholic beverage with above 30% alcoholic volume;
• Any amount below 30% volume.
• Travellers with a Hong Kong Identity Card must have spent 24 hours or longer outside Hong Kong to be eligible for the above concession.

Currency

• Funds of HKD120,000 (or its foreign equivalent) or more must be declared to the Customs Office.

Other goods

• Chinese herbal medicines in a reasonable quantity for personal use.
• Rice, frozen or chilled meat and poultry for personal consumption or gifts in amounts not exceeding 15kg.

Prohibited

The following are goods which cannot be brought into the country.

• Drugs and psychotropic substances.
• Smokeless tobacco products.
• Weapons such as throwing darts, knuckle-dusters, gravity knives, and gravity operated steel batons.
• Counterfeit items and items infringing copyright.

Restricted

These goods are strictly regulated, and in most cases require a permit to be obtained prior to arrival.

• Live animals require a permit from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
• Dangerous drugs require an import licence from the Department of Health, and a valid export authorisation from the exporting country.
• Various categories of explosives require permits from different Departments. For further information, please visit Customs and Excise Department Explosives.
• Firearms and ammunition require a licence issued by the Hong Kong Police Force.
• Certain foods are subject to different restrictions, depending on the food type. For further information, please visit Customs and Excise Department Food.
• Infectious goods such as human remains, pests, and germs of disease require a permit from the Department of Health.
• Optical disc mastering and replication equipment require a licence from the Customs and Excise Department.
• Ozone depleting substances require permits from different departments, depending on the chemicals involved. For further information, please visit the Customs and Excise Department Ozone Depleting Substances.
• Pesticides require a import licence from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
• Radio transmitting equipment requires an Import Permit from the Telecommunications Authority.
• Rough diamonds.
• All pets are subject to importation requirements, and some may be prohibited. For further information, please visit the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

EXPORT REGULATIONS

Free to Export

• Funds of HKD120,000 (or its foreign equivalent) or more must be declared to the Customs Office.

Prohibited

The following are goods which cannot be taken out of the country.

• All items in the prohibited to import list.

Restricted

These goods are strictly regulated, and in most cases require a permit to be obtained prior to departure.

• Sand requires a permit to be exported from Hong Kong.

For further information, please visit the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department.