International Moving and Shipping Household Goods to or from China

An international move involving China is a chain of linked handoffs: packer, truck, warehouse, port or airport, customs broker, inspector, destination agent, building management, and final delivery crew. A vague quotation can hide risk at every handoff.

Customs and carrier requirements change and differ by route. This article is general organization guidance, not customs or legal advice. Confirm your shipment with the General Administration of Customs, a licensed broker, your carrier, and relevant destination authorities.

Confirm eligibility and timing first

Before paying a deposit, ask a qualified mover or customs broker what makes you eligible to import or export personal effects for your route. Request a case-specific list of identity, entry, residence, employment, address, and customs documents.

Ask which documents must exist before the shipment departs and which must exist before it arrives. If you are moving into China, coordinate this with your employer’s work permit and residence timeline. A shipment arriving too early can accumulate port, terminal, demurrage, warehouse, or redelivery charges.

Compare quotations on the same scope

Give each mover the same estimated volume, addresses, building access, preferred dates, and service level. Ask whether the price includes:

• packing materials and labor;
• origin pickup and difficult-access charges;
• export and import customs handling;
• terminal, port, documentation, and security fees;
• sea or air freight;
• destination delivery and unpacking;
• stairs, long carry, elevator booking, or shuttle vehicle;
• storage at origin and destination;
• debris removal; and
• taxes, duties, inspections, or charges that cannot be fixed in advance.

Identify whether the quote is binding, estimated, based on volume, or based on chargeable weight. Ask what exchange rate applies and when surcharges can change.

Build a customs-ready inventory

Number every carton and create an inventory that describes the actual contents. “Miscellaneous” is rarely helpful. Use practical descriptions such as “used adult clothing,” “used kitchen utensils,” or “personal books,” and follow your broker’s language and valuation guidance.

For higher-value belongings, record brand, model, serial number, condition, purchase evidence when available, and dated photos. Keep the master inventory outside the shipment and back it up securely.

Decide what should travel in your luggage: passports, permits, medicines, keys, essential work equipment, irreplaceable records, valuables, and items needed during the first weeks. The first-week guide can help define that essentials bag.

Screen restricted and sensitive items

Provide the mover a complete proposed packing list and ask for written guidance. Batteries, aerosols, liquids, alcohol, food, medicine, supplements, plants, seeds, animal products, antiques, cultural items, weapons, encrypted equipment, and certain publications may be prohibited, restricted, taxable, or carrier-controlled.

Do not hide an item or describe it inaccurately. A carrier accepting a carton does not prove customs eligibility. For medicine, also ask a doctor or pharmacist how to maintain safe supply and transport conditions; our pharmacy guide covers local continuity planning.

Check insurance rather than assuming coverage

Ask whether protection is carrier liability, total-loss coverage, or broader all-risk moving insurance. Read:

• valuation method and minimum declared value;
• exclusions for owner-packed boxes;
• treatment of pairs, sets, electronics, mold, humidity, and mechanical failure;
• deductible;
• required photos or appraisals;
• notice and claim deadlines; and
• repair, replacement, depreciation, and settlement rules.

Declare values honestly and keep the final signed inventory and insurance certificate.

Prepare both homes for collection and delivery

Confirm truck access, parking, loading times, lift dimensions, elevator protection, property-management approval, and whether a small shuttle vehicle is needed. In China, coordinate with your landlord and building management before the crew arrives.

Photograph the old and new home’s floors, walls, doors, and lift area. If you are leaving a rental, use the moving-apartment checklist to separate shipment tasks from deposit, utilities, keys, and address updates.

Inspect delivery and document exceptions

At delivery, count cartons against the inventory before signing a clean receipt. Note missing, opened, wet, crushed, or visibly damaged items on the delivery document. Photograph carton labels and damage before disposal or repair.

Unpack within the insurance time limit. Send written notice promptly, preserve packaging if requested, and follow the insurer’s instructions. Do not sign language you do not understand without asking for an explanation or adding a clear exception.

International moving checklist

• My broker confirmed eligibility and current documents.
• Shipment timing matches my travel and permit sequence.
• Quotations use the same volume and service scope.
• Extra charges and exclusions are written.
• Every carton has a number and useful inventory description.
• Restricted and sensitive items were disclosed.
• Essential documents and medicines will travel with me.
• Insurance terms and claim deadlines are clear.
• Both buildings approved access and lift use.
• I will record delivery exceptions before signing.

Official sources

• General Administration of Customs of China
• China Customs: Guide
• International Air Transport Association: Passenger baggage information

For a cross-border shipment, written case-specific advice from the responsible customs authority and qualified logistics professionals should take priority over a general guide.