How much Alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol can I bring into China?
Declare
You can bring Alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol into China, but you must declare it.
What you need to know
- 1.5 liter (50.72 US fl oz)
- Channels: Carried with the traveler
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.
Official sources
- Customs clearance guide for inbound passengers General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China
Questions about Alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol in China
- How much alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol can I bring into China?
- China allows alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol to be brought in, but it has to be declared once it reaches 1.5 liters of alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol. The allowance is per traveller and cannot be pooled between people.
- Do I have to declare alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol at China customs?
- Yes — it has to be declared to China customs on arrival.
- What happens if I do not declare alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol in China?
- Under 《进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法》第十一条（税委会公告2024年第11号公布，自2024年12月1日施行）, if you declare the excess yourself: a flat-rate charge is applied to the excess. If the goods are found without being declared, the normal duty becomes payable on the excess; an administrative fine is imposed. Under 《中华人民共和国海关行政处罚实施条例》第十九条第二项、第四项（国务院令第420号）: an administrative fine is imposed.
- Do duty-free purchases count toward the China allowance for alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol?
- No. China grants an arrival duty-free quota separately from what you carry in, which is why two different numbers circulate for this allowance.
- Can I post or ship alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol 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 alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol allowance in China?
- Yes — 18 years. A traveller under that age gets no allowance for alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol at all, not a smaller one.
- Can I take alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol out of China?
- China publishes no separate rule for taking alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol out; the destination's rules are what will apply.
- Does the China limit for alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol 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 Customs clearance guide for inbound passengers. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19.
- How does China compare with other countries on alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol?
- Of the 21 countries covered here, 1 prohibit alcohol and alcoholic beverages up to and including 22% vol, 12 limit it and 8 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) — Customs clearance guide for inbound passengers · verified 2026-09-19
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — Customs clearance guide for inbound passengers · verified 2026-09-19
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — ข้อควรทราบสำหรับการนำของติดตัวเข้าทางอากาศยานสำหรับผู้โดยสาร · verified 2026-09-20
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — ข้อควรทราบสำหรับการนำของติดตัวเข้าทางอากาศยานสำหรับผู้โดยสาร · verified 2026-09-20
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — ข้อควรทราบสำหรับการนำของติดตัวเข้าทางอากาศยานสำหรับผู้โดยสาร · verified 2026-09-20
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) — Customs clearance guide for inbound passengers · verified 2026-09-19
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (海关总署, GACC) — Customs clearance guide for inbound passengers · verified 2026-09-19