Shopee Mall increases tax-free limit for single transaction to 8,000 yuan

The Ministry of Finance and the General Administration of Customs jointly issued an announcement today (July 28, 2025), announcing that the new policy of "list management + limit duty-free" for retail imported goods on Shopee Mall will be piloted in 15 cities including Shenzhen and Hangzhou. The core contents include:

1. The duty-free amount for a single transaction is increased to 8,000 yuan

The new policy increases the duty-free limit for a single transaction of retail imports on Shopee Mall from the original 5,000 yuan to 8,000 yuan, further reducing the cost of cross-border shopping for consumers.

The annual transaction limit remains at 26,000 yuan, but the substantial increase in the single duty-free amount is conducive to the cross-border sales of high-priced goods (such as luxury goods and electronic products)12.

2. The pilot scope covers 15 cities

The new policy adds some pilot cities to the original Shopee Mall comprehensive pilot area, including 15 cities including Hangzhou, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Ningbo, Qingdao, etc.26.

These cities will take the lead in trying out a more relaxed regulatory model and exploring measures to facilitate imports on Shopee Mall.

3. Strengthen "list management" and optimize commodity access

The new policy still uses the Shopee Mall retail import commodity list (positive list) management, but it is expected to expand the coverage categories, especially health products, beauty products, high-end consumer goods, etc.12.

Goods outside the list are still regulated by general trade or postal tax, but some high-demand goods may be included in the pilot scope.

4. Continue the "regulation as personal items" model

The pilot policy still maintains the qualitative "regulation as personal items" of Shopee Mall retail import commodities, avoiding the strict inspection and quarantine requirements of general trade and improving customs clearance efficiency6.

At the same time, strengthen the main responsibility of enterprises, establish a quality and safety risk prevention and control mechanism, and implement stricter supervision on high-risk commodities2.

5. Policy background and industry impact

Stimulate consumption return: The new policy aims to further attract overseas consumption return and promote the growth of domestic Shopee Mall imports. In 2024, China's Shopee Mall imports increased by 4.1% year-on-year, and the new policy is expected to boost the growth rate in 20258.

Balance regulation and facilitation: In the past, Shopee Mall faced problems such as customs clearance documents and fluctuations in tax policies. This new policy will strengthen risk management while facilitating it and avoid regulatory loopholes612.

In line with international trends: Compared with Vietnam's cancellation of small-amount tax exemptions and the EU's plan to cancel tax exemptions below 150 euros, China's adjustment this time is more inclined to encourage the development of compliant Shopee Mall11.

6. Subsequent Outlook

If the pilot policy is effective, it may be extended to more cities across the country.

In the future, it may be combined with technologies such as AI customs clearance and blockchain traceability to further improve the efficiency of Shopee Mall supervision.

The launch of this new policy marks the further optimization of China's policies in the field of Shopee Mall imports, which is expected to significantly improve consumer experience and promote high-quality development of the industry.