Customs and Duty Free Allowances When Entering Malaysia

Bottom Line: One litre of alcohol and ten packs of cigarettes are allow duty free.

In detail from the Malaysian Customs Website

Download their "Traveller's Guide" or read the details below:

Goods Exempted:

• Wine/spirit/malt/liquor not exceeding 1 liter.

• Tobacco not exceeding 225 grams (equal to 200 sticks of cigarettes/ 50 cigars).

• New wearing apparels up to 3 pieces.

• 1 pair of new footwear.

• Portable electrical or battery operated appliances for personal care and hygiene not exceeding 1 unit each.

• Foods preparations up to total value of not exceeding RM75.

• All other goods including gifts and souvenirs other than alcoholic beverages, spirits, tyres, tubes, tobacco, cigarettes and motor vehicles, valued not exceeding RM400 ( goods from Langkawi, Pulau Tioman and Labuan, not exceeding RM500).

If the travellers bring in excess quantity of goods exempted, he shall be liable to duty on the excess only.

GREEN/RED LANE FACILITIES

Green Lane is for travellers with “Nothing to Declare” (non-dutiable and non-prohibited goods). Otherwise the travellers have to proceed to the Red Lane and declare the goods.

PENALTIES FOR MISUSING GREEN LANE

Under Customs Act 1967, offender is liable to a maximum fine of RM 100,000 / jail term not exceeding  3 years for the  first offence and RM 500,000 / jail term not exceeding 5 years for subsequent offence.

TRAVELLERS’ DEPOSIT FACILITIES

• Travellers’ deposit is a facility to visitors for temporary import on conditions.

• Deposits equivalent to duty of goods.

• To be redeemed at any exit point.

• Claims to be made within 3 months from date of importation

ATA CARNET FACILITIES

• Temporary import using ATA Carnet document

• Goods use for exhibition, advertising, commercial samples and professional equipments on conditions that:

- goods not for sale

- goods must be exported within the specified period.

DUTY FREE SHOPS FOR TRAVELLERS

• Duty Free shops are intention for all travellers which located at International Airports, main towns, ports and at duty free borders.

• Arriving and departing travellers can purchase the duty free goods that they are entitled for duty exemption.

PROHIBITION/RESTRICTION OF IMPORTS

The following goods are absolutely prohibited from importation:

 • Reproduction of any currency note, bank note, or coin which are currently been issued in any country.

• Indecent printings, paintings, photographs, books, cards, lithographic, engravings, films, video tapes, laser discs, color slides, computer disc and any other media.

• Any device which intended to be prejudicial to the interest of Malaysia or unsuited with peace.

• All genuses of Piranha fish.

• Turtle eggs.

• Cocoa pods, rambutans, pulasan, longan, and nam nam fruits from Philipines and   Indonesia.

• Intoxicating liquors containing more than 3.46 milligrams per liter in any lead or in any compound of copper.

• Daggers and flick knives.

• Broadcast receivers capable of receiving radio communication within the ranges (68 - 87) MHz and (108 - 174) MHz

• Sodium arsenate.

• Cloth bearing the imprint or duplicate of any verses of the Quran.

• Pen, pencil, and other articles resembling syringes.

• Poisonous chemical

• Lightning arresters containing radioactive material.

The importations of goods specified below are prohibited except under an import licence or permit from relevant authorities:

• Egg in the shells.

• Any meat, bones, hide, skin, hoofs, horns, offal or any part of the animals and Poultry.

• Live animals-primates including ape, monkey, lemur, galago, potto, and others.

• Explosives and Fireworks

• Imitation arms, toy gun / pistols.

• Imitation hand grenades.

• Arms and ammunition other than personal arms ammunition imported by bona fide traveler.

• Bullet proof vests, steel helmets and other articles of clothing as protection against attack.

• Soil and pests including live insects, rats, snails, and cultures of plant disease causing organisms.

• Safety helmets (except as worn by motorcyclists or motorcycle pillion riders).

• Video machines excluding game watches and video games for use with television receiver.

• Motor vehicles.

• Batik sarong.

• Rice and padi including rice products.

• Equipment to be connected to a public telecommunication network.

• Radio communication being used for telecommunication in the frequency lower than 3000 GHz.

• Saccharin and its salt.

• Parabola antenna for outdoor use.

• Pests and organisms which are capable of being injurious to plants.

• Live fish.

• Animal oils and fats.

• Plants include parts and plant products.

• Household and agricultural pesticides.

• Electric domestic equipments that use 50 volt or 120 volt Dc or more

• Toxic and/or hazardous wastes.

• Corals, alive or dead.

• Apparatus/equipment for the brewing of beer in the home.

• Pharmaceutical products

ILLICIT DRUGS 

THE PUNISHMENT FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING IS DEATH BY HANGING.

 Import and export of illicit drugs (eg: morphine, heroine, candu, marijuana, etc.) are strictly prohibited.

Prescribed drugs can only be imported into or exported from the country by virtue of a licence issued by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia.

PROHIBITION/RESTRICTION OF EXPORTS

The following goods are absolutely prohibited from exportation:

• Turtle eggs.

• Rattan from Peninsula of Malaysia.

The following are some of the goods which require an export licence/permit from relevant authorities:

• Any animal or bird, other than a domestic animal or domestic fowl, whether alive or dead or any part thereof.

• Live animals from bovine species.

• Poultry.

• Meat of bovine animals.

• Cockles.

• Plants including orchids.

• Vegetables, fresh, chilled or frozen in excess 3kg per consignment.

• Palm kernels and palm seeds.

• Military clothing and equipment.

• Arms and ammunition.

• Antiquities as defined or stated in any written law in Malaysia.

• Sugar and rice

• Coral, alive or dead.

• Live prawns/shrimps/fish.

• Collections of zoological, botanical, mineralogical, anatomical, historical, archaeological, or ethnographical with numismatic interest.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTROL

Exchange Control Act 1953

Custom Act 1967

Under the exchange Control Act 1953, the import/export currency control is deemed to be a matter relating to customs. Thus, failure to declare would result in an offence under the Customs Act 1967.

Permitted Currency Limits

• A resident and non-resident are permitted to carry into and out of Malaysia, ringgit notes not exceeding RM 1,000 per person.

• There is no limit for a resident and non-resident to bring in foreign currency notes and traveller’s cheques to Malaysia but non-resident need to declare in IMM26 if total amount exceed USD 10,000.

• A resident is permitted to carry out of Malaysia, foreign currency and traveller’s cheques up to USD 10,000.

• A non-resident is permitted to carry out of Malaysia, foreign currency and traveller’s cheques not exceeding the amount declared when arriving into Malaysia.

• Should you need to carry ringgit notes, foreign currency notes and traveller’s cheques in excess of the permitted limits, prior written permission must be obtained from:

Director

Exchange Control Department

Bank Negara Malaysia,

Jalan Dato’ Onn

50480 Kuala Lumpur. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further enquiries, please contact the nearest customs’ Help Desk or customs’ office at:

Public Relation Unit

Royal Malaysian Customs,

Headquarters, 7th Floor, North, Block 2G1B, Ministry of Finance Complex,

Precinct 2, Federal Government Administration Center,

62592 Putrajaya.

Tel: (603) 8882 2100/2412/2652/2662

Fax: (603) 8889 5881

E-mail: kastam@customs.gov.myThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Website: http://www.customs.gov.my

  Royal Malaysian Customs

Royal Malaysian Customs welcomes travellers to Malaysia. We are committed to provide the best and professional services to all travellers and to make you  feel comfortable, satisfied and welcomed while in Malaysia and when leaving Malaysia.

Under the provision of the Customs Act 1967, travellers entering Malaysia are required to declare all dutiable or prohibited goods in their possession. Failure to declare dutiable or prohibited goods or making false declaration is an offence.

Travellers who visit Malaysia for a period of not less than 72 hours are eligible for specified amount of customs duties exemption.

DUTIABLE GOODS

Subject to Customs Duties Order, travellers should pay only a customs duty at a flat rate of 30% ad valorem. In the case of alcoholic beverages, tyres, spirits, tobacco, cigarettes and motor vehicles, the rate of duty will be based on prevailing Customs Duties Order.

DUTY EXEMPTION PER TRAVELLER

Travellers Exempted:

 Residents & Non-residents

Conditions:

• Non residents having intention to visit Malaysia for not less than 72 hours.

• Residents returning after an absence from Malaysia of not less than 72 hours (for Labuan is 24 hours and for Langkawi or Pulau Tioman is 48 hours)

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 08 January 2008 )