How to ship mooncakes Overseas

9 September 2026

Synonymous with the Mid-Autumn Festival, mooncakes are a traditional must-have delicacy during this festive period. As the name suggests, Mid-Autumn Festival is a time to celebrate the end of the autumn harvest and for families to reunite. The festival is celebrated across several Asian territories, such as China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan and Korea.

Mooncakes are not just a tasty savoury treat; they also make perfect gifts for loved ones. For those with families overseas, sending over a box of tasty pastries to your loved ones can be a heartwarming gesture bound to delight them. However, it’s important to consider the specific requirements, customs regulations, and restrictions of your shipping destination to ensure your mooncakes successfully reach your relatives.

If you’re an SME based in Singapore selling mooncakes and wish to expand your brand overseas and increase market share, consider marketing and shipping to other countries. This article will serve as a handy checklist for everything you need to know before preparing your shipment of mooncakes out of the country.

Shipping requirements for mooncakes in the destination country

Traditional mooncakes contain flour, egg yolks and sugar as the base ingredients, with red bean or lotus seed paste as the filling. Due to food safety laws and the perishable nature of mooncakes, shipping them requires some prior research about the destination country’s import laws. To avoid a rejected shipment, it’s important to check whether there are restrictions and regulations in place for the country you plan on exporting mooncakes to. For example, 34 countries, including Indonesia, now ban the import of mooncakes, while Taiwan bans importing mooncakes containing meat.

General Mooncake Shipping Requirements  

Before shipping mooncakes internationally via DHL Express Singapore:  

Mooncakes should be commercially manufactured and properly packaged.

Ingredient lists should be clearly displayed on the retail packaging.

Production and expiry dates should be visible where applicable.

Shipments should be accurately declared on shipping documentation.

Import requirements should be verified with destination-country authorities before shipment.

Additional permits, health certificates, inspections, or declarations may be required depending on destination regulations.

The table below summarises the shipping requirements for some countries that you’ll need to take note of.

Destination Country	Shipping Requirements / Restrictions
Australia	Moons cakes containing nuts, seeds, and egg yolks must comply with the following AU Authorities' requirements upon import into Australia: a) the waybill number must be specified on the declaration b) a Manufacturing Declaration must be provided, listing all ingredients amounting to 100% of the finished product c) the shipment might also undergo a physical inspection upon arrival
Canada	Imports are regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), with admissibility requirements determined through the Automated Import Reference System (AIRS).  Mooncakes containing meat, poultry, egg yolks, custard, or other animal-derived ingredients may be subject to Canadian import restrictions, additional inspection requirements, or refusal of entry by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Plant-based, shelf-stable mooncakes generally present lower import risks.   Commercial packaging, ingredient declarations, manufacturer information, and country of origin details should be clearly displayed to support customs clearance.
China	Mooncakes containing yolk are not allowed for import. If you intend to resell mooncakes in China, you need to register for a Chinese label at the local customs. The required paperwork includes: a) a sanitary certificate from the origin country b) a Certificate of Origin c) a sales contract d) the original label and its Chinese translation
Hong Kong	An import licence is needed for mooncakes containing eggs or egg products.
Japan	Mooncakes must not contain any meat, eggs, milk, cheese and unprocessed whey protein. A commercial invoice is required to declare that the mooncake shipment does not contain the above ingredients.
Malaysia	Generally accepted if sent to private residential addresses as explicit gifts.   Requiring business licenses via the Companies Commission of Malaysia and import/export declarations.  Mooncakes containing meat, meat derivatives, or pork fat (such as Bak Kwa fillings) may be subject to additional veterinary inspections, food safety review, or import controls.  Ensure the exact production and expiry dates are printed in English on the manufacturer's label.
Philippines	Small quantities sent as holiday gifts are generally permitted without complex licenses, provided they exclude meat components.  Businesses must possess valid Food and Drug Administration (FDA) registration, certificates of product registration, and standard import clearance permits. Ingredients must be completely itemized in English on the packaging layout.
South Korea	Mooncakes must not contain any yolk or meat. The shipment weight and value cannot exceed 0.5kg and US$100, respectively. The shelf life of the mooncakes needs to be at least one month.
Taiwan	Mooncakes made in China are not permitted for import into Taiwan. However, the mooncake can be imported if it fulfils the following conditions: a) does not contain any meat b) approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) c) the shipment weighs less than 6kg Please review new shipping rules in Taiwan.
Thailand	Food products imported for personal consumption are subject to Thai FDA quantity limits and must be intended for personal use rather than commercial distribution.    Mooncakes containing meat, egg, dairy, or other animal-derived ingredients may be subject to additional customs, food safety, or quarantine review depending on product composition and import circumstances.  Ensure mooncakes are commercially packaged and accurately declared, with clear ingredient information and supporting documentation where required.   Effective on 1 January 2026, Thailand removed its de minimis duty exemption. Imported goods may be subject to customs duties regardless of shipment value. Importers should verify applicable duties prior to shipment.
United States	Personal gift shipments may be eligible for certain FDA exemptions depending on shipment circumstances, sender-recipient relationship, and regulatory requirements at the time of import. Shipments should be clearly declared and accurately described on shipping documentation.   Commercial importers or foreign manufacturers must register with the U.S. FDA and electronically file a Prior Notice prior to arrival. Mooncakes containing meat or poultry are strictly prohibited. Mooncakes containing egg yolks may be subject to additional USDA, APHIS, or customs inspection and may face entry restrictions depending on origin and composition.
Vietnam	Highly restricted if animal products are present. Mooncakes containing animal-derived ingredients may be subject to additional import restrictions and inspection requirements.  Importers must submit a formal product self-declaration written in Vietnamese to local food safety authorities before distribution.  Mooncakes containing meat, poultry, egg yolks, and other animal-derived ingredients may be subject to additional inspection, quarantine review, or import requirements via standard express courier networks due to regional livestock disease protocols. Traditional vegetarian or pure-paste variants (such as lotus seed or red bean fillings) generally face fewer regulatory restrictions. Vietnam's official address structure has changed following nationwide administrative reforms. Senders should verify recipient addresses before shipment to avoid customs clearance or delivery delays.

In general, most countries require additional import licences when the mooncakes are imported for commercial use or wider distribution. If you are not sure whether your mooncake shipment meets the local requirements, do check in with your delivery partner to ensure a smooth delivery.

Prepare the necessary documents prior to shipping mooncakes

Apart from country-specific import licences, you will need to prepare an air waybill (AWB). An AWB is a legally binding contract that is required for goods being shipped by international air courier service providers.

Every parcel should be accompanied by one AWB. Should you wish to ship more than one box of mooncakes to the same recipient, ensure that they are packed together in a single box. Attach a hard copy of the AWB, or write the recipient’s name, contact number and AWB number on the package and you’re good to go.

Ensure a reasonable shelf life of your mooncakes

One factor to consider before sending mooncakes overseas is the time it takes to reach the destination country to ensure they are still fresh upon delivery. Be sure to check how long the shipment will take from Singapore to your shipping destination.

Some countries, like South Korea, have rules imposed on the minimum shelf life of mooncakes prior to shipping. As a rule of thumb, we recommend mooncakes to have at least three months of shelf life remaining so that they will not go bad upon arrival.

Traditional mooncakes arranged together for the Mid-Autumn Festival

Most mooncake boxes are purely decorative and serve no real purpose when it comes to protecting the fragile pastries. Unexpected mishaps can happen during transit, which might cause your mooncakes to be damaged. In order to keep your mooncakes intact while being delivered, ensure you package them properly.

Some good packaging tips include:

Lining the box or container with extra padding to cushion the mooncakes from physical shocks.
Placing a silica gel or oxygen absorber in the box will keep the mooncakes fresher for a more extended period.
Ensuring the total number of mooncakes fit well into the box to prevent them from shifting around while in transit.

DHL Express guidance to shipping mooncake and perishables 

Snowskin, chilled, frozen or temperature-controlled mooncakes may not be suitable for standard DHL Express services due to perishability and cold-chain requirements. Acceptance is subject to DHL operational capabilities and destination-country regulations.  
Mooncakes should have adequate remaining shelf life to accommodate transit, customs inspection, and delivery requirements.  
Every international consignment requires a precise Harmonized System (HS) code. Shippers must verify the specific food classifications via DHL MyGTS before cargo handoff to prevent entry delays.   
For shipments containing multiple boxes of mooncakes for the same recipient, DHL recommends consolidating them into a single outer package under one Air Waybill (AWB).

Enlist the help of a trusted delivery services provider

To minimise shipping costs and any hiccups along the way, it is always advisable to entrust your mooncake shipment with a reliable courier. Getting used to the different customs requirements can be overwhelming, so having an international expert to ship out your parcels quickly and reliably is key.

By choosing DHL Express as your express delivery provider, you ensure that all of your customs clearance needs are taken care of by our proficient in-house service teams.

On top of our global expertise, other advantages of using DHL Express include:

Extensive global reach of more than 220 countries and territories
Live updates about your shipment’s clearance statuses
Flexibility to decide the parcel’s collection time and place
Direct door-to-door shipping services
User-friendly tracking tools such as MyDHL+, MyBill and ODD (On-Demand Delivery)

If you’re in need of delivering some mooncakes overseas from Singapore, look no further for the perfect courier for the job. Contact us to learn more about our express delivery services today.