You cannot ship narcotics, weapons, explosives, counterfeits, drones, radio equipment without a permit, live plants and animals, cash or jewellery from China to Uzbekistan — these 9 groups are banned by law. Another 4 groups (lithium batteries, magnets, liquids, aerosols) are refused by airlines and travel by truck only, and 5 groups (cosmetics, children’s goods, electrical appliances, food, medicines) require a certificate or a permit. Below are the full tables, the legal basis for each restriction, and what happens if the goods are shipped anyway.
Why is the list split into three groups?
The restrictions come from three sources, and it pays not to mix them up:
- Uzbek law — the Customs Code, the Criminal Code, Cabinet of Ministers resolutions. These bans do not depend on the mode of transport: the goods will not cross the border by truck or by air.
- Carrier rules — the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) for aircraft, road-haulage rules for trucks. This is why the same product is refused by an airline and accepted on a truck.
- GSR Logistics warehouse rules — the checklist applied at intake in Yiwu, Guangzhou and Kashgar. It is the sum of the legal and carrier requirements: one carton of goods we do not accept can hold up a truck carrying a hundred clients’ cargo.
Each group has its own table below.
Banned outright: goods that cannot be imported by law
| Product group | Basis | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Narcotic and psychotropic substances, precursors | Criminal Code, Customs Code | In any quantity, by any mode |
| Weapons, ammunition, weapon parts, air and non-lethal guns, bladed weapons, stun guns | Customs Code, Law on Weapons | Toy replicas also raise questions at the border |
| Explosive and flammable substances, fireworks, gas cylinders | Customs Code, IATA DGR | Not accepted on trucks either |
| Counterfeits — copies bearing trademarks | Customs Code, IP register | Confiscation; one carton holds up the whole shipment |
| Drones and unmanned aircraft | Criminal Code Art. 244-4, banned since 2015 | Banned for individuals; permits for legal entities only; up to 3 years imprisonment |
| Radio and high-frequency equipment without a permit — walkie-talkies, transmitters, many routers, signal boosters | Cabinet Resolution 801 of December 22, 2020 | EMC Centre permit via the Single Window in 5–7 working days, free of charge — with the permit in hand we accept it |
| Medicines above the personal allowance or unregistered | Cabinet Resolution 191 | Personal: up to 10 items, 5 packs each; commercial — state registration and Ministry of Health permit |
| Live plants, seeds, seedlings, live animals, perishable food | Quarantine and veterinary rules, warehouse rules | Quarantine permit at least 30 days before shipping; not accepted in consolidated cargo at all |
| Cash, precious metals and stones, jewellery, antiques, payment instruments, securities, documents | Customs Code, warehouse rules | Commercial jewellery is a separate route with a Ministry of Investment and Trade permit |
| Extremist and pornographic material, Red Book species, laser pointers, cigarettes and vapes, alcohol | Customs Code, excise and marking rules | Not accepted in consolidated cargo |
The IP register is the customs register of intellectual property: once a brand owner has entered its mark, copies are detained at the border.
If goods from this list reach a receiving point in China, they are refused and returned to the seller. If they are found at the border — confiscation and liability for the cargo owner.
Truck only: goods that airlines refuse
Air cargo runs under the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Lithium batteries (UN3480, UN3481) and magnetised material (UN2807) are Class 9 dangerous goods: they fly only with a special declaration and test documentation, which consolidated cargo never has. That is why the items below go by truck only, in roughly 15–25 days:
| Goods | Why airlines refuse them | Truck conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Lithium batteries, power banks, battery-powered devices (phones, laptops, smartwatches, e-scooters, wireless earbuds) | IATA DGR, Class 9 dangerous goods | Factory packaging, insulated terminals; a surcharge may apply |
| Magnets and magnetic products — speakers, magnetic toys, magnetic mounts | Magnetic fields interfere with aircraft instruments | Shielded packaging |
| Liquids — perfume, liquid cosmetics, nail polish, paint, oils, ink | Leak and fire risk | Sealed packaging, separate carton |
| Aerosols, gas cartridges, lighters, sprays | Pressurised containers | Quantity limits, packaging requirements |
| Medicines and medical devices (within the personal allowance) | Airline restriction | Within the allowance only |
The practical takeaway: if it is electronics, check for a battery first. Earbuds, smartwatches, scales and children’s toys often arrive with a lithium battery inside. Send such a lot on an air departure and it will show up on the scanner and the whole consignment comes back — see the terms on the Air cargo and Truck cargo pages.
Permit or certificate required: restricted goods
These goods are not banned, but a commercial lot needs a document to be imported. The document must exist before the release declaration — otherwise the cargo sits in the customs warehouse in Tashkent.
| Product group | Document and issuer | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetics and perfumery | SES conclusion, conformity document (Uzstandard), Uzbek-language label | Duty 30% (cosmetics minimum $0.50/kg, perfume $2.50/kg); an extra permit on first import |
| Children’s goods and toys | Certificate or declaration of conformity (Uzstandard), SES conclusion | Duty 10%; label in Uzbek, Latin script |
| Electrical appliances and household electronics | Certificate or declaration of conformity (Uzstandard; Cabinet Resolution 554 of September 2, 2025 shortened the list) | “Asl belgisi” digital marking for household appliances; phones need IMEI registration |
| Food, drinks, dietary supplements | SES, state registration, quarantine or veterinary certificate, Uzbek-language label | In consolidated cargo only dry, long-life products and only with documents |
| Medicines and medical products (commercial) | State registration, Ministry of Health permit | A lot without documents is not accepted |
| Radio and wireless equipment | EMC Centre permit via the Single Window | Permit in 5–7 working days, free; we import it with the permit |
The Uzbek-language labelling requirement came into force on January 1, 2024 under Presidential Decree UP-140: a consumer product that needs a certificate or an SES conclusion cannot obtain one without Uzbek marking in Latin script. The cheapest place to apply the label is in China, at the factory; relabelling in Tashkent costs extra time and money. Whether a certificate and SES are needed depends on the HS code — the Customs clearance service determines the code and prepares the documents in advance.
What limits apply to individuals?
Even when a lot is not commercial, allowances apply to individuals (Cabinet Resolution 244, from May 1, 2025):
- International courier shipments — up to $200 per month duty-free, all orders summed per PINFL; on the excess 30% (minimum $3/kg), from January 1, 2027 — 20% (minimum $2/kg).
- Household appliances (fridge, air conditioner, washing machine, TV, laptop, tablet, phone) — 1 unit per month; phones — 2 units, red-channel declaration and IMEI registration.
- Medicines — up to 10 items, 5 packs each; quantity caps on supplements, tobacco and perfume since July 20, 2025.
- Large quantities of the same item or repeated orders — customs treats them as a commercial lot and requires full clearance.
Figures and documents — in the guide Uzbekistan customs duties 2026.
What happens if you ship a prohibited item anyway?
In practice it is caught at one of four stages, and the consequences get heavier at each:
- At the receiving point in China. Every carton is weighed, measured and opened when needed. A prohibited item is refused: returned to the seller (return costs charged to the client) or, if it belongs to the “truck only” group, moved from the air to the truck departure. Loss — a few days.
- At the airline scanner. A hidden battery or liquid shows up on the X-ray. The airline sends the whole consignment back and issues a fine; the cargo moves to the next truck departure. Loss — 2–3 weeks and a fine.
- At the Khorgos or Yallama border. If customs finds counterfeit or prohibited goods in one carton, the entire truck goes to inspection: every other client’s cargo waits for days. The goods are confiscated, the cargo owner is fined, and the demurrage and inspection costs fall on the cargo owner.
- Criminal liability. For narcotics, weapons, drones and explosives it does not end with an administrative fine — the Criminal Code applies; for a drone, Article 244-4 carries up to 3 years, 3–5 years for a repeat offence.
Insurance does not cover prohibited goods. So the rule is simple: when in doubt, ask before shipping.
How do you check your cargo in advance?
- Send your manager a link or a photo of the product on Telegram — they classify it: free, truck only, with documents, or prohibited.
- For electronics, ask whether it contains a battery: this decides air versus truck.
- For a commercial lot, determine the HS code — the certificate, SES and duty rate all follow from it.
- If a document is needed, start it while the goods are still in China: SES and certification take 1–3 weeks, a phytosanitary permit at least 30 days.
- Ask the seller for an unbranded version and for the Uzbek label to be applied at the factory — it is cheap in China.
If you are not sure which group your cargo falls into, message us on Telegram — a manager answers in one message. What to expect at customs — Customs clearance; the terminology — Cargo glossary.
Manager’s tip. Most trouble comes from small things shipped “without knowing”: a gift power bank in a carton, a magnet inside a toy, one spray in a cosmetics set. Write the seller a single line — “batteries, magnets, liquids and aerosols in a separate carton” — and at the warehouse we split the lot: the dry part goes by air, the rest by truck, and the whole shipment stops waiting.