Guide
China Post small packet: size limits, tracking and customs
A China Post small packet is a postal parcel of up to 2 kg. It is the lowest-cost way to send a light item from China, and the slowest. We send small packets and three other postal services from our Shenzhen warehouse, with delivery in 10 to 20 days.
By Noel Murphy, Co-founder · Updated
What a small packet is
A small packet is the postal class for light goods. China Post accepts the packet, flies it to the destination country, and the post office there delivers it. No courier is involved, which keeps the cost low.
Size and weight limits
The limits come from the Universal Postal Union, the body that sets the rules for international mail.
| Measure | Limit |
|---|---|
| Weight | 2 kg |
| Longest side | 60 cm |
| Length + width + height | 90 cm |
| Rolls: length + twice the diameter | 104 cm, with the length up to 90 cm |
A packet over these limits goes as a parcel or by another service, at a higher price.
What you can send
Light, dry goods of low value suit this service: phone cases, jewellery, accessories, clothing, small parts.
Postal air mail refuses dangerous goods. That includes loose lithium batteries, aerosols, perfume, nail polish and other flammable liquids. Read what you can and cannot ship from China.
How tracking works
An international tracking number for mail has 13 characters: two letters, nine digits and CN at the end. The first letter shows the service.
| First letter | Service | Tracking |
|---|---|---|
| R | Registered small packet | To delivery |
| L | ePacket and other tracked packets | To delivery |
| E | EMS | To delivery |
| C | Parcel | To delivery |
| U | Standard small packet | Acceptance in China only |
After the packet lands, the post office in the destination country scans it. Enter the same number on that post office’s site. See how to track a package from China.
The postal services we use
We send packets by ePacket, China Post Air Mail, Hong Kong Post Registered and Singapore Post. We pick the service that fits the weight and the country, print the label and the customs form, and hand the packet to the post.
Customs and duty
Each packet carries a customs form with the contents and the value. The receiver pays any duty or tax to the post office when the packet arrives. Describe the goods in plain words and declare the true value. See labels and customs forms.
When to use another service
| You need | Use |
|---|---|
| The lowest cost for a light packet | Postal packet, 10 to 20 days |
| Tracking to the door and duty paid | Special line, 7 to 12 days |
| Delivery this week | Express, 2 to 5 working days |
| More than 2 kg | A special line or express |
Questions
What is the weight limit for a China Post small packet?
2 kg for each packet.
Can I track a small packet?
Yes, when you send it as registered mail or ePacket. Standard air mail shows the acceptance scan in China and little after that.
Can I send goods with batteries by post?
Postal air mail refuses loose lithium batteries, and many routes refuse goods with a battery inside. Ask us before you buy. Our special lines accept products with built-in batteries.
Who pays the customs duty?
The receiver. Postal packets do not offer duty paid in advance.