Taiwan Medication Import Laws: Bringing Your Prescription Drugs into Taiwan

Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) allows travellers to carry a 30-day personal supply of most prescription medications through customs without prior approval. Arrive with more than that, or carry anything classified as a controlled substance, and you will need a permit obtained before you board.

The 30-Day Rule and How Customs Enforces It

Under TFDA regulations (Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, Article 22), non-residents may import up to a 30-day supply of prescription drugs for personal use, declared at the red-channel counter on arrival. "30 days" is calculated by your prescribed daily dose, bring the original pharmacy label confirming dosage, your prescribing doctor's letter in English, and the medication in its original packaging. Loose pills decanted into a weekly organiser can trigger a secondary inspection.

Over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines, ibuprofen, or antacids face a softer ceiling: 12 units per item per entry. One box of Claritin-D counts as one unit; twelve boxes is the limit. Anything above 12 units is treated as a commercial import and may be confiscated.

Controlled Substances Require a TFDA Import Permit

Opioid painkillers (oxycodone, fentanyl patches, morphine), benzodiazepines (diazepam, alprazolam), ADHD stimulants (methylphenidate, amphetamine salts), and sleep aids (zolpidem) are all Schedule I or II narcotics under Taiwan's Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act. Carrying them without a permit is a criminal offence, not an administrative infraction.

To apply, email the TFDA Bureau of Medical and Radiation Devices at [email protected] or use the online portal at fda.gov.tw. You will need:

• A certified English-language copy of your prescription
• Your physician's contact details
• Proof of your travel dates (flight booking)
• Passport copy

Allow at least two weeks for processing. The approved permit lists the exact drug name, quantity, and valid entry window. Print two copies: one for the customs officer, one for your records. Lose the permit and the medication can be held until your consulate intervenes.

Medications Taiwan Bans Outright

Several common drugs sold legally in Europe and North America are prohibited in Taiwan regardless of quantity:

• Pseudoephedrine-containing products above 1,800 mg total per entry (Sudafed 12-Hour, etc.), excess amounts are destroyed at customs
• Tramadol in quantities exceeding a 15-day supply without a controlled-substance permit
• Cannabis-derived products, including CBD oil, even with a foreign medical certificate, Taiwan's Narcotics Hazard Prevention Act classifies cannabis as a Schedule II narcotic with zero medical exemption for imports
• Ketamine in any form

If your country's pharmacy blister packs a drug under a trade name you do not recognise in Taiwan, check the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) on the packaging against the TFDA controlled-substances list before you travel.

Practical Steps Before You Fly

1. Request a physician's letter on headed notepaper listing: drug name (INN), dosage, condition being treated, treatment duration.
2. Keep all medication in original manufacturer packaging with the pharmacy label intact.
3. Declare everything at the red channel, even vitamins above personal-use quantities. The green channel is for nothing to declare.
4. Carry a translated summary if your prescription is in a language other than English or Chinese; customs officers are not required to accept French or German documents.
5. Contact the TFDA hotline (1919, weekdays 09:00–17:00 Taiwan Standard Time) for real-time clarification on a specific drug before departure.

Insulin, epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPen), and inhalers (Ventolin, Symbicort) require no special permit as long as you carry a 30-day supply or less and a doctor's letter. Needles and syringes must be declared but are routinely cleared for documented diabetics. Store temperature-sensitive drugs in a IATA-approved cooler bag, customs is entitled to open checked luggage, so carry insulin in your cabin bag.