Importing Taiwan Products into Malaysia: A Brand Market-Entry Guide

To sell Taiwanese products in Malaysia, the first principle of compliance is: "the product category decides the competent authority." Malaysia has no single window governing all imports—food falls under the Food Safety and Quality Division (FSQD) of the Ministry of Health, cosmetics and health supplements under the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA), electrical appliances under the Energy Commission (Suruhanjaya Tenaga, ST) and SIRIM, halal marking under JAKIM, while tariffs, sales tax and customs clearance for all goods go through the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD). There is no Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Taiwan and Malaysia, so Taiwanese goods are subject to Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) tariff rates and cannot use preferential certificates of origin such as Form E or Form AK. Work out which box your product falls into first, and you will know which certificate you need.

Taiwan products to Malaysia: find your category first

Not sure which category your product belongs to? Start with a free label quick-check for a preliminary read, then match item by item. For the overall flow, see the full compliance roadmap for entering the Malaysian market.

Tariffs and taxes: how Taiwanese goods are calculated

Because there is no FTA, import duty on Taiwanese goods entering Malaysia is levied at the MFN rate corresponding to the HS Code (per the RMCD Customs Duties Order), on top of which Sales Tax (SST) is added. The standard sales tax rate is 10%, with some items at 5% or exempt, levied by RMCD under the Sales Tax Act 2018; on import, the tax base is "customs value + import duty + excise duty (if any)."

Don't overlook small cross-border e-commerce parcels either: from 1 January 2024, imported low-value goods (LVG) sold online with a per-item value of RM500 or below are subject to 10% sales tax; sellers with annual LVG sales exceeding RM500,000 must register with RMCD's MyLVG system. For detailed clearance documents, see the customs clearance process and document overview.

Import vs. local: who bears the responsibility

When Taiwanese products are listed as "imports," compliance responsibility shifts from the overseas manufacturer to the Malaysian local importer / notification holder:

• Labelling: statutory labelling must be in Malay or English (English is allowed for food imports), and must add the country of origin (Made in Taiwan) and the local importer's name and address (commonly worded Imported & Distributed by). Chinese-only labels cannot be listed directly and usually require an over-labelled compliant version.
• Certificate holder: the Cosmetic Notification Holder for cosmetics and the MAL registration holder for health supplements must both be a Malaysian-registered company—overseas brands must have a local company or authorised agent.
• Tax registration: the importer must have SSM company registration and, where applicable, complete SST / customs registration.

Market-entry steps (a universal four-step path)

1. Classify: confirm the HS Code and competent authority, and check whether an Approved Permit (AP) is required.
2. Certify: apply for notification or registration with NPRA / ST / FSQD by category, and line up a local holder.
3. Relabel: produce a Malay or English compliant label, adding the country of origin and importer's name and address.
4. Clear and list: appoint a customs broker to declare and pay duty and SST; regulated electrical goods also undergo SIRIM on-arrival testing. To sell on e-commerce, first see which certifications online sales require.

Common mistakes

• Assuming ASEAN preferential rates apply—Taiwan is not ASEAN and has no FTA, so only MFN applies.
• Using Taiwan's "little green man" or "health food" certifications as the basis for Malaysian compliance (the two systems differ).
• Bringing in cosmetics before completing NPRA notification, getting stuck at customs.
• Using a Taiwanese halal mark for halal claims without confirming whether the issuing body is JAKIM-recognised.

Pre-launch self-check checklist

• [ ] Confirmed the product category and its competent authority
• [ ] Checked the HS Code and MFN tariff rate
• [ ] Completed the category certificate (NPRA notification / MAL / CoA, etc.)
• [ ] Appointed a Malaysian local importer / notification holder
• [ ] Label is in Malay or English, with country of origin and importer's name and address
• [ ] Prepared customs documents and confirmed SST / LVG tax

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: Do Taiwanese goods get preferential tariffs when imported into Malaysia? No. There is no FTA between Malaysia and Taiwan, so Taiwanese goods are subject to Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) rates and cannot use preferential certificates of origin such as Form E / Form AK.

Q: Are Taiwanese cosmetic certifications valid in Malaysia? No. All cosmetics sold in Malaysia must separately be notified to NPRA (CDCR 1984), with a local company acting as the notification holder.

Q: Do small cross-border e-commerce parcels also incur tax? Yes. From 2024, low-value goods sold online at RM500 or below per item are subject to 10% sales tax.

Q: Do labels have to be translated into Malay? Statutory labelling for imported food may be in Malay or English; Chinese-only labels are not allowed and are usually handled by over-labelling a compliant label, which must also add the country of origin and local importer's name and address.

Conclusion

The key to bringing Taiwanese products into Malaysia is "classify first, certify next, relabel last": classification decides the competent authority, the MFN rate decides the cost, and the local holder plus a compliant label decide whether you can list. Line up these three things and market entry becomes manageable.

Want to know what's still missing from your Taiwan product label? Run a free label check now—snap a photo or pick a type to see the gaps.

This article is compiled from official sources for reference only; actual compliance is subject to the latest official texts and reviews of the competent authorities.