2021 Hong Kong Shipping Instruments Internationally: Packaging and Custom Duties of Guitar, Piano, Violin

Wanting to ship your beloved instrument internationally🪕?Notes on easy packaging skills and Customs duties.

With music being the universal language, it’s common nowadays for people to know at least one kind of instruments. If you’re a performer who wants to perform overseas or you’re joining a musical competition, you might wonder how do you ship your beloved instruments internationally? No worries! Fulffy is here to guide you through easy steps of packaging to minimize all damages, as well as all the Customs duties you may have to pay in transportation.

Shipping instruments (small/ medium sized): Guitar, violin, Flute etc.

1. 1. Musical instruments are mostly delicate and fragile, so you need to add a few more layers of protection when packing them. Remember to wrap them completely with cushioned materials (such as bubble wrap), and then put them in a separate carton. The space between the instrument and the box must be filled with air bags, foam sheets, foam packaging bags, etc. to fill the empty spaces in the box.
2. 2. The carton size should suit the instrument. If it’s too big or too small, the package is more likely to be damaged in transit.
3. 3. The opening of the carton must be sealed tightly. The 12 sides of the carton should be sealed with tape, which can give more support to the whole carton, make it firmer, and reduce rotten edges.
4. 4. Wrap the outside of the carton tightly with tape (using the cross method). When sealing the box, be careful not to break the tape, and keep turning the box over. The entire tape can ensure the box's strength and avoid sparse damage.

Shipping instruments (large sized): Piano, harp, drum kit, Guzheng etc.

It is rather difficult and complicated for one with no experience to pack by themselves, so we suggest you seek professional help from international moving companies.

Things to note:

⚠️ Musical instruments such as violins and guitars are usually put in their original hard case first before packing in a carton, but remember that the hard case must be filled with cushioning materials.

⚠️ For string instruments, remember to loosen their strings before packing.

Tariffs for shipping instruments for personal use:

You can enjoy tax allowances when sending personal items, so let’s have a look at the requirements of some popular countries before sending musical instruments~

1. Shipping instruments: Hong Kong to UK

Goods imported from non-EU countries and certain areas of the EU are subject to VAT. The current VAT in the UK is 20%.

2. Shipping instruments: Hong Kong to Taiwan

The personal goods allowance for shipping musical instruments from Hong Kong to Taiwan is 2000 TWD.

3. Shipping instruments: Hong Kong to US

The personal goods allowance for shipping musical instruments from Hong Kong to US is 800 USD.

4. Shipping instruments: Hong Kong to Australia

The personal goods allowance for shipping musical instruments from Hong Kong to Australis is 1000 AUD, but it does not include alcoholic beverages, perfumes, tobacco and products that include the above.

5. Shipping instruments: Hong Kong to Canada

The tax allowance for personal use and non-gift items for shipping musical instruments from Hong Kong to Canada is 20 CAD per post.

If you want to learn more about the best packaging skills, go check out our Guide to Best Packaging Tips to Save Courier Fee～