What happens if I do not declare portable electronic devices with installed battery 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.

Can I post or ship portable electronic devices with installed battery 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.

Can I carry portable electronic devices with installed battery in the cabin or in checked baggage?

In the cabin: Allowed with conditions. In checked baggage: Allowed with conditions. The carriage limit is 0.3000 g lithium / 2.7000 Wh. This comes from International baseline, and an individual airline may be stricter. Customs and aviation are separate rulebooks: what an airline lets you carry is not what a border lets you bring in.

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 进出境行李物品监管（特殊项目除外）. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19. The sentence it rests on reads: “一、进境居民旅客携带在境外获取的个人自用进境物品，总值在5000元人民币以内（含5000元）的；非居民旅客携带拟留在中国境内的个人自用进境物品，总值在2000元人民币以内（含2000元）的，海关予以免税放行，单一品种限自用、合理数量，但烟草制品、酒精制品以及国家规定应当征税的20种商品等另按有关规定办理。”

How does China compare with other countries on portable electronic devices with installed battery?

Of the 20 countries covered here, 0 prohibit portable electronic devices with installed battery, 3 limit it and 17 let it through. China is among the more permissive.

How much Portable electronic devices with installed battery can I bring into China?

Allowed

You can bring Portable electronic devices with installed battery into China without a special limit.

Carried Allowed

Declaration Not required

Limit No stated quantity

What you need to know

No stated quantity
Channels: Carried with the traveler

On the plane

International baseline

On person Not stated

Cabin baggage Allowed with conditions

Checked baggage Allowed with conditions

Only if the device is completely switched off (not sleep or hibernation mode) when its battery exceeds the checked-baggage micro-threshold.

Airline differences

Airline	Difference from the baseline
Air France	Stricter than the standard rule
British Airways	Stricter than the standard rule
easyJet	Stricter than the standard rule
Emirates	Stricter than the standard rule
Lufthansa	Stricter than the standard rule
Qatar Airways	Stricter than the standard rule
Turkish Airlines	Stricter than the standard rule

Important

This allowance applies per person, not per family or group.

Official sources

Last verified 2026-09-19

进出境行李物品监管（特殊项目除外） General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China

Questions about Portable electronic devices with installed battery in China

Do I have to declare portable electronic devices with installed battery at China customs?: No — within the allowance it passes without a declaration.
What happens if I do not declare portable electronic devices with installed battery 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.
Can I post or ship portable electronic devices with installed battery 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.
Can I take portable electronic devices with installed battery out of China?: China publishes no separate rule for taking portable electronic devices with installed battery out; the destination's rules are what will apply.
Can I carry portable electronic devices with installed battery in the cabin or in checked baggage?: In the cabin: Allowed with conditions. In checked baggage: Allowed with conditions. The carriage limit is 0.3000 g lithium / 2.7000 Wh. This comes from International baseline, and an individual airline may be stricter. Customs and aviation are separate rulebooks: what an airline lets you carry is not what a border lets you bring in.
Does the China limit for portable electronic devices with installed battery 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 进出境行李物品监管（特殊项目除外）. CarryRules last confirmed that sentence at the source on 2026-09-19. The sentence it rests on reads: “一、进境居民旅客携带在境外获取的个人自用进境物品，总值在5000元人民币以内（含5000元）的；非居民旅客携带拟留在中国境内的个人自用进境物品，总值在2000元人民币以内（含2000元）的，海关予以免税放行，单一品种限自用、合理数量，但烟草制品、酒精制品以及国家规定应当征税的20种商品等另按有关规定办理。”
How does China compare with other countries on portable electronic devices with installed battery?: Of the 20 countries covered here, 0 prohibit portable electronic devices with installed battery, 3 limit it and 17 let it through. China is among the more permissive.

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