How much Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV can I bring into China?
Restricted
You can bring Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV into China only within the stated limits.
Above 12% ABV
What you need to know
- 1500 milliliter (50.72 fl oz)
- Channels: Arrival duty-free, Carried with the traveler, Post or courier
- Above 12% ABV
On the plane
Airline differences
| Airline | Difference from the baseline |
|---|---|
| Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) | Stricter than the standard rule |
Important
This allowance applies per person, not per family or group.
If you do not declare
- Step 1: Flat rate tax
- Step 2: Confiscation, Administrative fine
- Step 3: Confiscation, Criminal prosecution
Official sources
- 进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法（国务院关税税则委员会公告2024年第11号附件），第十一条 中华人民共和国财政部 关税司（国务院关税税则委员会）
Questions about Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV in China
- How much Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV can I bring into China?
- China allows 1500 milliliters of Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV per traveller. Above that the goods are treated as an import and duty becomes payable. The allowance is per traveller and cannot be pooled between people.
- Do I have to declare Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV at China customs?
- Only above the allowance. Up to 1500 milliliters of Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV there is nothing to declare; beyond it you take the goods through the red channel and pay the duty.
- What happens if I do not declare Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV in China?
- If you declare the excess yourself, a flat-rate charge is applied to the excess. If the goods are found without being declared, the goods are confiscated; an administrative fine is imposed. If it is treated as smuggling, the goods are confiscated; it is prosecuted as a criminal offence.
- Do duty-free purchases count toward the China allowance for Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV?
- Yes. What you buy in an arrival duty-free shop comes out of the same allowance, so the shop does not add to what you may already be carrying.
- Can I post or ship Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV to China instead of carrying it?
- Not under this allowance. It covers goods a traveller carries; a parcel is an import and is assessed under the postal rules instead. Baggage sent before or after you travels under the same allowance.
- Is there a minimum age for the Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV allowance in China?
- Yes — 18 years. A traveller under that age gets no allowance for Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV at all, not a smaller one.
- Can I take Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV out of China?
- China publishes no separate rule for taking Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV out; the destination's rules are what will apply.
- Does the China limit for Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV apply per person or per family?
- Per person. Each traveller carries their own allowance and it cannot be pooled with anyone else's.
- Where does this rule come from?
- General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) states it in 进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法（国务院关税税则委员会公告2024年第11号附件），第十一条. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19. The sentence it rests on reads: “进境旅客，12度以上的酒精饮料1.5升。其中，自香港特别行政区、澳门特别行政区进境的旅客，12度以上的酒精饮料0.75升。”
- How does China compare with other countries on Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV?
- Of the 20 countries covered here, 1 prohibit Alcoholic beverages above 12% ABV, 16 limit it and 3 let it through. China is among the ones that set a limit.
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — 进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法（国务院关税税则委员会公告2024年第11号附件），第十一条 · verified 2026-09-19
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — 进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法（国务院关税税则委员会公告2024年第11号附件），第十一条 · verified 2026-09-19
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — 海关总署公告2010年第54号——关于调整进出境居民和非居民旅客行李物品验放标准的公告 (GACC Announcement on Adjusting Inspection and Release Standards for Baggage Articles of Resident and Non-resident Passengers) · verified 2026-09-16
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — 进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法（国务院关税税则委员会公告2024年第11号附件），第十一条 · verified 2026-09-19
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — 进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法（国务院关税税则委员会公告2024年第11号附件），第十一条 · verified 2026-09-19
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — china age limits · verified 2026-09-20
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — 进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法（国务院关税税则委员会公告2024年第11号附件），第十一条 · verified 2026-09-19
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — 进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法（国务院关税税则委员会公告2024年第11号附件），第十一条 · verified 2026-09-19