Guide to Shipping from Singapore to Malaysia

19 April 2026 6 min read

Malaysia is a key hub for international trade and a popular destination for global shippers. If you're sending pallets, personal effects, letters, or parcels from Singapore, it’s important to understand Malaysia’s tariff charges and the specific requirements for each type of shipment.

There are also several important factors to consider before sending your goods across the border. With DHL Express, you can ship with confidence. Your items are handled with care, transported securely, and delivered promptly in the same condition they left home.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about shipping parcels and documents from Singapore to Malaysia.

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Customs Information for Shipping from Singapore to Malaysia

Things to know about shipping documents
Advertising brochures, blueprints, booklets, brochures (non-adv.), magazines, books (non-commercial use), periodicals, journals, microfiche & microfilm	Ship as DOC if no commercial transaction is involved, meaning that the products are not meant for resale in Malaysia. Shipments for publishers, publication houses or distributors intended for resale in Malaysia, ship them as WPX (Worldwide Parcel Express). Blank unrecorded tapes have 0% SST, whereas recorded entertainment, promotional or training tapes incur 30-35% tax and 0% SST. These shipments will require an approval from the National Film Authorities which is subject to Biosensors screening. The consignee may be exempted from tax if the approval is obtained 4-8 weeks in advance.

Things to know about shipping parcels
Alcoholic Beverages	Approval must first be obtained from the Ministry of Health when importing alcoholic beverages. Its import duty is charged per deca litre with a certain percentage of SST. The Ministry operates strictly from Monday to Friday.
Biological Substance Cat B, UN3373	Approval for import must be obtained from the Ministry of Health when shipping biolgoical substances. The Ministry operates strictly from Monday to Friday during business hours only. Also, expect an additional delay of 48 - 72 hours.
Chemicals, non-hazardous & oil products	5%-10% of import tax and 5%/10% of SST is charged. Approval for import must be obtained from the Government of Chemistry Department when shipping chemicals. The department operates strictly from Monday to Friday during business hours only. Expect an additional delay of 48 hours.
Circuits & circuit boards	Goods like integrated circuit boards, electrical circuit boards are dutiable at 10% -30% import tax and 0% GST. But, if they are for use in PCs, no duties are charged.
Communications equipment	The consignee must have an approved permit from SIRIM (Standard Industry Research Institute of Malaysia) before shipment arrival and would require approved Permit charges. Failure to comply is an offence and subject to Customs compound 3x the purchased value. Return to origin (RTO) may not be allowed and shipment will be disposed of after 30 days. There will be a 20%-30% import tax and 10% SST. As per IATA Regulations, Lithium Batteries that are either known or suspected to be damaged/defective are not permitted to be shipped by air. Based upon the guidance from FAA, EASA, and the airline community, Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices with batteries that are suspected as damaged/defective are not permitted to be shipped by air until further notice. The ban covers (a) new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices including newly manufactured ones from the factory and (b) old Samsung Note 7 devices recalled from customers and retailers/distributors.
Cosmetics	The restriction that Malaysia imposes is that any beauty products must be imported by a Cosmetic Notification Holder (CNH) and they must be a registered company in Malaysia. No individual is allowed to ship Cosmetic Products if shipping from Malaysia. If an individual were to import in B2C, the shipment would be detained by the Pharmacy Department. Any appeal has to be done directly to the department.
Diaries, labels, invoices, blank forms and stationery	20% of import tax is charged for importing these items.
Drugs in pharmacy without prescription	An import duty of 0-10% with 0% SST is charged for such items. Approval must be obtained from the Government Pharmacy Department and/or the Ministry of Health. The Ministry operates strictly from Monday to Friday during business hours only. Expect an additional delay of 48 hours.
Electrical goods	Electrical goods listed under personal effects will need an import permit. Additionally, restricted items under the country's law will need a permit before importing them to Malaysia.
Eye glasses & contact lenses	Incurs an import tax of 5% and 0% of SST. Only contact lenses are dutiable.
Finished leather goods	All leather goods incur duties of up to 25% import tax and 10% SST. However, handbags and other leather bags are imported duty-free with 10% SST.
Industrial equipment	Duties are chargeable depending on the utility of the equipment/parts.
Marble products	An import duty of 25% and 10% of SST is charged.
Military equipment	Approval for import must be obtained from the Ministry of Defense and/or the Royal Malaysian Police. Clearance duration depends on the consignee's procurement of the approval. Note that the Ministry operates strictly from Monday to Friday during business hours only.
Mineral samples, drugs with prescriptions, seeds, foodstuffs & perishable items, cotton & coffee	For importing these items including grains as well as flowers, fruits, and vegetables, an approval must be obtained from the Government of Agricultural Department or Health Ministry of Malaysia.
Personal effects	Breakdown of items must be clearly listed out on the invoice with the item header stated as Used Personal Effects. A copy of the consignee's passport is required.
Rubber made products	There will be an import tax of 5% and 5% of SST.
Ship, parts of (gib, bearing)	If they are foreign registered vehicles, then no duties are charged. If they are locally registered vehicles, import duties are charged at 15-50% with 10% SST. Delays can be expected if the ship is not in port. Ship spares for ships in transit must carry a harmonised tariff code 9800.00.700 which is tax free. This applies only to goods intended for incorporation in ships, boats or other vessels for the purpose of their construction, repair, and maintenance or for fitting to or equipping such vessels. The spares imported are solely to be used by vessels of an international nature, departing to a destination outside the country.
Shoes	An import tax of 20% and 5%/10% of SST is charged depending on the HS Code.
Toys	15-25% import duty and 10% SST is charged. Duties chargeable depending on the materials toys are made of. They will also require an import permit from KPDNHEP (Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Hal Ehwal Pengguna). You are required to create an account and apply through this website (https://mysafe.kpdnhep.gov.my/). For more details, please contact toys@kpdnhep.gov.my.

Sales & Service Tax for Online Marketplaces

Starting 1st January 2024, a 10% sales tax applies to online purchases of low-value goods (MYR 500 or below) from overseas marketplaces to Malaysia. This only applies to large online marketplaces that sell over MYR 500,000 worth of these goods to Malaysia in a year and are registered with Malaysian customs.

Small marketplaces and those not registered with customs are still exempt from this tax for low-value goods. Goods of value above MYR 500 will have duties as well as sales and service taxes levied on import.

How to ship a parcel to Malaysia?

Step 1: Create a DHL air waybill

Your DHL air waybill (AWB) is the most important document when you are shipping your parcels and personal effects from Singapore to Malaysia. The AWB is basically a receipt and tracking code all in one. It contains detailed instructions that include information about the contents in the package that you’re shipping internationally and any special instructions on handling and transporting it.

Not just that, the AWB also connects the dots between the person who has shipped the package and the person who is receiving it. The AWB is usually attached to the exterior of your package, where it’s visible while making the journey from port to port.

Step 2: Prepare your shipping invoice

We believe in facilitating a smooth journey for your parcels postage to Malaysia on its international journey, and for that, your next step must be to prepare your shipping invoice. The main purpose of the shipping invoice is to inform customs of the country of origin from which the items are coming into the country. Make sure you describe the package and its contents clearly, and list the itemised breakdown of personal effects.

Do note that the Malaysian Customs no longer accepts proforma invoices for clearance purposes. This means that shipments sent to Malaysia using a proforma invoice may be delayed. DHL customs clearance team will seek assistance from the consignee in order to obtain a commercial invoice.

Note: Do not seal the invoice within the shipment box. If your shipment contains multiple items, then make sure your invoice gives a breakdown of each item. However, if you are shipping documents, then an invoice is not needed.

Step 3: Pack your shipment

This step is very crucial if you want your parcel from Singapore to reach Malaysia safely. First, start by measuring the weight and shape of your parcel. Then, pack it in a suitable packaging box to fit the contents of your shipment neatly and safely. Seal up all the seams and edges of the box and stick on a special handling label, if necessary.

Do take note that special handling labels have additional charges. Next, paste your DHL AWB on the top of the box for easy reference. This is important because when your parcel travels within the DHL Express network, it transits through various people, facilities, vehicles, and airplanes. A well-packed shipping box reduces the risks of damage and makes sure that your international shipment reaches Malaysia in pristine condition.

Step 4: Schedule for shipment collection

This is the final step before you hand over your shipment to DHL Express. Schedule for your shipment collection. You can either call our Customer Service, schedule a pickup from MyDHL + or self-lodge your shipment to a DHL Express retail store near you. Once the shipment to Malaysia from Singapore is within our care, you can go ahead and start tracking it.

Advantages of using DHL Express for courier service

Knowing Malaysia’s tariff and custom duty charges for each and every type of goods will help avoid any delays and have a smooth shipping process of your parcels and personal effects from Singapore. So, take advantage of DHL Express’s hassle-free door to door delivery from Singapore to Malaysia and have the assurance that your parcel and personal effects will cross the border swiftly and smoothly. DHL Express does the work of customs clearance and completion of declarations on your behalf.

Here is our guide to some of the top advantages:

Our network covers over 220 countries and territories.
Provides a wide range of door-to-door international shipping services.
With the availability of DHL Express’s many tools such as MyDHL+, MyBill, and ODD (On-Demand Delivery), the shipping process is made easier and safer.
We also have flexible delivery options that allow customers to decide where and when their package should be delivered.

If you have more questions about DHL Express’s services or want to know what other products you can ship from Singapore to Malaysia, then simply contact us. DHL Express focuses on improving the shipping experience and delivering customer satisfaction.