Prohibited Goods, Restricted Goods and Import Permits: What to Check Before You Order

The first question to ask before ordering from abroad is not "how much duty will this attract". It is "can this be imported at all, and does it need a permit". Duty is a cost you pay once; goods that cannot be released are a total loss.

Two categories, often confused

Exactly which goods fall into which category is set by the laws and notifications in force, and these are revised periodically. This article explains the principle; it is not a reference list.

Customs does not issue the permits

This is the most common misunderstanding. Customs checks that the permit exists. The permit itself comes from whichever agency regulates that product.

• Food, medicines, cosmetics, medical devices — the Food and Drug Administration
• Goods under a mandatory standard — the Thai Industrial Standards Institute
• Radio and telecommunications equipment — the telecommunications regulator
• Plants, seeds and agricultural produce — the Department of Agriculture
• Animals and animal products — the Department of Livestock Development
• Hazardous substances — the agency responsible for that class of substance

Many items require product registration first, before an import permit can even be applied for. Registration routinely takes far longer than importers expect.

The tariff code is where checking starts

To find out whether controls apply, start by establishing the tariff classification, because control notifications are written against tariff codes rather than trade names.

Two products that look alike can sit in different classifications with completely different conditions — a domestic appliance versus its medical-grade equivalent, or a device with an embedded wireless module versus one without.

Electronics containing Wi-Fi or Bluetooth frequently fall under telecommunications approval, even when the product is not sold as a communications device. This one catches people out constantly.

The order of work, before any money moves

1. Get written specifications and material details from the supplier
2. Identify the likely tariff classification and have your broker confirm it
3. Check whether that classification appears in any agency's control notification
4. If a permit is needed, ask the agency what documents and how long
5. Allow time for registration or sample testing where those apply
6. Pay and fix the shipping date after you know the permit will be in place

Three situations that come up often

Samples for market testing

Samples are not automatically exempt. Controlled goods need a permit even for a single unit.

Buying through an overseas marketplace

Marketplace sellers generally neither know nor accept responsibility for Thai import rules. The liability sits with the importer.

Used machinery

Some categories of used machinery carry additional conditions, and certain items require a condition inspection. Clarify before committing to the purchase.

If the goods arrive without a permit

The options are limited and all of them cost money: apply retrospectively where that is even possible, re-export, or destroy. Meanwhile container and storage charges accrue daily.

That is the whole argument for checking before ordering, however slow it feels at the time.

Control lists, responsible agencies and permit conditions change as new notifications are issued. Before committing to an import, confirm the current position with the relevant agency or your customs broker.