📦 Guide · 2026-04-27
Korean Cross-Border Customs ₩200 / $150 Threshold — Full Guide (2026)
US $200 / others $150 duty-free threshold for Korean personal imports — including bundling rules, customs codes, and refund procedure on returns.
Threshold TL;DR
- US-origin: ≤ $200 (Korea–US FTA)
- Other origins: ≤ $150
- For personal use, one person only
- Bundling: shipments arriving same day, same carrier, same recipient are summed
Tax above the threshold
| Tax | Rate (most items) |
|---|---|
| Customs duty | 6.5% (0–3% with FTA) |
| VAT | 10% |
| Excise | 5–30% on luxury items |
For US-origin items, what matters is whether your seller automatically issues a Certificate of Origin (CO). Amazon, iHerb, and Walmart do.
Bundling pitfall
- Same day + same carrier + same recipient = bundled
- $130 + $80 on the same day → $210 → taxed
- One-day gap → separate → both duty-free
Personal Customs Code
- Issued at unipass.customs.go.kr
- Free, instant, after identity verification
- Mandatory on every cross-border purchase since 2025
- Borrowing or misappropriation is illegal
Refund on return
- Returnable within 30 days of import
- Customs + VAT refund needs the export-confirmation document
- Amazon returns via seller label allow refund
- iHerb / Sephora rarely refund customs
Item-specific limits
| Item | Limit / rule |
|---|---|
| Health supplements / food | 6 bottles or 6kg |
| Cosmetics | 5 units per SKU |
| Medication | Prescription required, 6-bottle cap |
| Electronics (Bluetooth) | 1 unit RF-cert exempt |
| Handbags / watches | $150 even from US (no FTA) |
Cost simulation
In Cross-Border Customs Calculator, enter:
- Item price (USD)
- Shipping
- Insurance
- Origin (FTA eligibility)
It auto-computes duty + VAT + excise and customs likelihood.
FAQ
- Q. $190 item + $20 shipping = $210, US-origin, duty-free? → No. The $200 threshold is goods + shipping combined, so it's taxable.
- Q. Can I borrow someone else's customs code? → Illegal. Both you and the lender are penalized.
- Q. Different limits on EMS vs FedEx? → No, the threshold is the same. FedEx adds its own brokerage fee on top.
Related tools
Bottom line
The two levers are the $200/$150 threshold + avoiding bundling. Get a customs code, prefer sellers that auto-issue FTA Certificates of Origin, and you've solved 90% of it.