Legal and compliance information for China exporters

Clear policies and compliance practices help prevent chargebacks and build customer trust. Requirements vary by target market, so review this guide before selling internationally from China or Hong Kong SAR.

Required store policies

Clear policies set customer expectations and reduce disputes. Every store selling internationally should have the following policies in place.

Standard policies

Configure the following policies from Settings > Policies:

Refund and return policy: Clearly state return timeframes, conditions, and who pays return shipping for international orders. International returns are typically more complex and expensive than domestic returns.
Privacy policy: Explain what customer data you collect, how you use it, and how customers can exercise their privacy rights. This is legally required in many jurisdictions.
Terms of service: Define the legal relationship between you and your customers, including governing law and dispute resolution.
Shipping policy: Include realistic delivery timeframes for international shipping. Customers of China-based merchants should expect longer delivery times than domestic orders.

Additional policies for international sales

When selling from China or Hong Kong SAR, consider adding the following policies to your store:

Terms of sale: Clarify Incoterms such as Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) or Delivered At Place (DAP), who is responsible for duties, and what happens if customs reject a shipment.
Legal notice: Include your company name, registered address, and contact information. This is required in many jurisdictions, including the EU.
Language considerations: Translate policies into the languages of your target markets. For EU sales, policies should be available in the local language.

Add a policy to your store

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Policies.
Select the policy you want to add or edit.
Enter your policy content or click Create from template to start with a template.
Customize the template to accurately reflect your business practices.
Click Save.

Learn more about adding store policies.

HS codes and country of origin

Harmonized System (HS) codes and country of origin are required for international shipping. Missing or incorrect information can cause customs delays, penalties, or seizure of goods.

Why HS codes matter

HS codes are international product classification codes and are required for commercial invoices and shipping documentation. HS codes help with the following areas for your international shipments:

Determine the duty rate applied to your products
Allow accurate duty calculation at checkout
Help customs officials process shipments quickly

Add HS codes to products

From your Shopify admin, go to Products.
Select a product.
Scroll to the Customs information section.
Enter the HS code for the product.
Select the Country/Region of origin.
Click Save.

Finding the correct HS code

When entering HS codes for your products, you can search for product categories to find suggestions. The following resources can also help you find the correct HS code for your product:

China Customs: Use the China Customs HS code lookup tool.
Destination country resources: Review the customs website of your target markets, such as US Customs and Border Protection or EU customs.
Freight forwarder assistance: Your freight forwarder can help classify products.

Learn more about HS codes and country of origin.

Restricted product categories

Before shipping internationally, verify the following information for your products:

Can be legally exported from China
Meet destination country import requirements
Have appropriate certifications for regulated categories
Don't contain restricted or prohibited substances

Products requiring special attention

Review the following categories before selling internationally. These product categories have additional requirements or restrictions that vary by destination country.

Product categories requiring special attention.
Category	Considerations
Batteries and electronics	Lithium batteries have shipping restrictions. Many carriers limit battery-containing items. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification required for US, CE (European Conformity) marking for EU.
Cosmetics and perfumes	Aerosols and alcohol-based products are restricted on aircraft. Ingredient requirements vary by country. EU requires Product Information Files.
Food and beverages	Food and Drug Administration (FDA) registration required for US. Labeling requirements vary. Many countries restrict food imports.
Vitamins and supplements	Classified differently across countries. Some ingredients legal in China are banned elsewhere. Require health claims substantiation.
Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabis products	Illegal in most international markets. Even trace tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) can cause seizure. Review [hemp selling requirements](/manual/compliance/legal/hemp).

Learn more about prohibited and restricted items.

Tax configuration

Tax obligations vary by destination market. Configure your tax settings appropriately for each region you sell to. For products that require special tax treatment, learn about tax overrides.

United States sales tax

US sales tax is complex because each state has different rules for the following areas:

Economic nexus: Selling into a state above certain thresholds (typically $100,000 USD in sales or 200 transactions) can create a tax obligation.
Physical nexus: Having inventory, employees, or other physical presence in a state creates tax obligations regardless of sales volume.
Marketplace facilitator laws: Some states require marketplaces to collect tax, but this doesn't apply to your own Shopify store.

Configure US tax settings

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Taxes and duties.
Select United States.
Review the states where you might have obligations.
For each applicable state, click Collect sales tax.
Enter your tax registration number if you have one.
Click Save.

European Union VAT

For EU sales, you have the following options:

Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS): Register for IOSS to collect and remit VAT on orders under €150. This simplifies customs clearance.
Standard import VAT: Customers pay VAT upon import. This can lead to delays and refused deliveries.
Local VAT registration: If you store inventory in the EU, then you might need local VAT registration.

Configure EU VAT settings

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Taxes and duties.
Select European Union.
Choose your VAT collection method.
If you're using IOSS, then enter your IOSS number.
Click Save.

Learn more about EU tax setup.

China export considerations

When exporting from China, review the following considerations:

Export tax waivers: Confirm with your payment provider about export tax waiver programs. Some providers help with Chinese export tax compliance.
Foreign exchange: Ensure your payment flows comply with State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) requirements.
Business license requirements: Your Chinese business license must include export trading rights for commercial exports.

Checkout configuration

Configure your checkout to collect duties, taxes, and required customer information for international sales.

Duties at checkout (DDP)

Collecting duties at checkout provides a better customer experience by eliminating surprise charges at delivery. This feature is available on the Advanced and Plus plans.

Steps:

From your Shopify admin, go to Markets.
Select the market where you want to collect duties.
In the Duties and import taxes section, click Set up.
Toggle on Collect duties and import taxes at checkout.
Click Save.

After collecting duties at checkout, you must purchase DDP shipping labels to remit those duties to customs. If you collect duties but ship DAP, then customers might be charged duties again at delivery. Learn more about charging duties and import taxes. For information about how duties are calculated, refer to charging international duties.

Country-specific checkout fields

Certain countries require additional customer information at checkout for tax or customs purposes.

Checkout tax and customs fields by country.
Country	Required field
Brazil	CPF (individual) or CNPJ (business) tax ID
South Korea	PCCC (Personal Customs Clearance Code)
Italy	Codice Fiscale (CF) or certified email address
Mexico	RFC (tax ID)
China	Resident ID number (for imports into China)

Learn more about checkout customization.

International privacy compliance

When selling to customers in Europe, the US, and other regions, you must comply with data privacy laws.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

GDPR applies when you sell to customers in the EU, UK, or Switzerland. You might need to add the following to your store:

Privacy policy: Clearly explain your data practices and customer rights.
Cookie consent: Obtain consent before using non-essential cookies for EU visitors.
Data subject rights: Respond to customer requests to access, correct, or delete their data.
EU representative: If you regularly process EU customer data, then you might need an EU-based representative.

Configure GDPR settings

From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Customer privacy.
Configure your cookie banner for EU visitors.
Add or update your privacy policy.
Activate the data request handling features.
Click Save.

Learn more about General Product Safety Regulation compliance.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

This law applies to businesses meeting certain thresholds when selling to California residents. The following information might need to be added to your store:

Opt-out rights: Allow customers to opt out of the sale or sharing of their personal information.
Privacy disclosures: Explain what personal information you collect and how you use it.
Data requests: Handle customer requests to know, delete, or correct their information.

Learn more about US state privacy laws.

General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)

This regulation applies to consumer products sold in the EU. The following information might need to be added to your store:

Product information: Labels must include manufacturer name, address, and contact information.
EU Responsible Person: Non-EU manufacturers must designate an EU-based contact for authorities.
Safety information: Provide warnings and instructions in local languages.
Accident reporting: Report product-related accidents to EU authorities.

Learn more about GPSR requirements.