Türkiye is a large manufacturing country, yet many products are still cheaper from Chinese factories, even after duty. It is also one of the markets where the cost of importing from China has risen most: on top of the normal tariff, many Chinese goods pay additional customs duties, and in February 2026 the simplified customs route for low-value online orders was abolished.
This guide explains what a small business importing from China into Türkiye needs to know in 2026, how to choose between air and sea, and how ordering through soorce with delivery duties paid (DDP) puts all of that into one delivered price.
What you can import
Machine parts, tools, packaging, lighting, home and kitchen goods, phone accessories, bags, sports equipment and furniture are all imported from China into Türkiye. Whether a product makes commercial sense depends heavily on the duties it attracts, so check the full duty stack before choosing what to stock.
Because Türkiye is in a customs union with the EU for industrial goods, its product safety rules largely mirror EU rules, including CE marking for many product families.
- Toys, electrical equipment, machinery, personal protective equipment and other regulated products must meet Turkish technical regulations, usually shown by CE marking, and may be checked on import through TAREKS, the risk-based conformity system of the Ministry of Trade.
- Mobile phones need IMEI registration with the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) to work on Turkish networks, which makes phones a poor fit for small imports.
- Cosmetics, supplements, food and medical devices need registration with the relevant ministry before sale.
- Restricted or banned: weapons and replicas, drones without approval, counterfeit goods and some used goods. Check with your customs authority for regulated goods.
Customs duty, additional duties and VAT in Türkiye in 2026
Customs is run by the Ministry of Trade. For industrial goods from China, Türkiye applies a customs tariff aligned with the EU's common external tariff, often in the 0–12% range. On top of that, Türkiye applies additional customs duties to many products from countries it has no free trade agreement with, including China; for consumer goods such as textiles, footwear, furniture and toys these can add tens of percentage points. Some products, especially steel, chemicals and some textiles, also carry anti-dumping duties on Chinese origin.
Import VAT (KDV) is then charged on the customs value plus all duties, at 20% for most goods (10% or 1% for some), and administered by the Revenue Administration. Certain goods also pay special consumption tax.
Low-value parcels: a presidential decree in January 2026 ended simplified customs entries for B2C e-commerce parcels from 6 February 2026, so even small parcels now go through a regular declaration. For wholesale stock nothing changes in practice: it was always a full commercial import.
- A commercial import is declared by a business with a tax number, usually through a licensed customs broker.
- Customs needs a commercial invoice, packing list, transport document and certificate of origin, which affects whether additional duties apply.
- Under-valuing goods or misstating their origin is an offence.
How DDP delivery removes the hassle
DDP means delivered duty paid. On soorce, the price at checkout includes freight from China, Turkish customs clearance, the customs duty, any additional duty and the import VAT. Our logistics partner clears the goods and delivers to your address, so you do not need to hire a customs broker for that shipment or calculate the duty stack yourself, and nothing extra is asked for on delivery.
Because the duty stack in Türkiye depends so much on the product, the delivered price for some products may need confirming with you before the order goes ahead. We check the supplier and inspect the goods before they ship. Conformity for selling a regulated product in Türkiye stays your responsibility.
Air or sea freight: which one pays off
Air freight to Istanbul is charged per kilo using volumetric weight (length × width × height in cm ÷ 6,000), so light, bulky goods are billed on size. It suits samples, small high-value goods and urgent restocks.
Sea freight to Mersin, Izmir or the Istanbul ports is much cheaper per kilo but takes several weeks. It pays off for heavy goods with a low value per kilo, such as tools, furniture, packaging and building materials. Sea lines bill from a minimum weight, so small orders are often cheaper by air.
The box below shows today's soorce door-to-door prices to Türkiye, duties and VAT included, for several sample weights.
Worked example: 400 LED work lights to Istanbul
Say you order 400 rechargeable LED work lights at $3.50 each, $1,400 of goods. Packed in cartons they weigh about 110 kg. The table prices this order with today's rates by air and by sea, delivered to your door with Turkish duties and VAT inside the shipping line.
Divide the delivered total by 400 for your landed cost per light, then compare it with Turkish wholesale prices. Final weight is confirmed after packing in China, so the figure can move a little. Lights with built-in batteries can travel on a separate, dearer line.
400 LED work lights, preço de hoje
| Item | Aéreo | Marítimo |
|---|---|---|
| Mercadoria | $1,400.00 | $1,400.00 |
| Entrega, impostos e taxas (cerca de 110 kg) | $932.32 | $279.40 |
| Total com entrega | $2,332.32 | $1,679.40 |
| Por peça, com entrega | $5.83 | $4.20 |
O frete usa as tarifas ao vivo de hoje para este peso. O valor da mercadoria é um preço de exemplo; seu total real aparece no checkout.
How to order on soorce, step by step
- Search or browse factory products. Each product page shows the price per piece, the minimum quantity and the delivered price to Türkiye.
- Add the quantities you need to your cart. Orders start from 100 pieces or $1,000; a smaller order can be sent as a request and our team will tell you if it can go ahead.
- At checkout choose air or sea, enter your address in Türkiye and pay securely online at checkout. Prices are in US dollars.
- We confirm the order with the factory, check the supplier and inspect the goods before they leave China, with photos if something is wrong.
- The shipment clears Turkish customs with duties and VAT paid and is delivered to your door. Track each stage from your account.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Looking only at the base tariff. For Chinese goods the additional duty and anti-dumping duty can be larger than the tariff itself.
- Forgetting that VAT is charged on the value after all duties, which multiplies their effect.
- Importing regulated products without CE marking or the documents a TAREKS check will ask for.
- Ordering phones without planning for IMEI registration.
- Splitting stock into small parcels hoping for simplified treatment. That route closed in February 2026.
Perguntas frequentes
How much is customs duty from China to Türkiye?
It depends on the product: a base tariff aligned with the EU's, often 0–12% for industrial goods, plus additional duties on many Chinese products and anti-dumping duties on some. VAT of 20% for most goods is added on top. With soorce's DDP delivery all of it is in the price you pay at checkout.
What are additional customs duties in Türkiye?
Extra duties Türkiye applies to many goods from countries without a free trade agreement, including China. They are set per product and can be substantial for consumer goods such as textiles, footwear and furniture.
Is there still a duty-free limit for small parcels in Türkiye?
Simplified entries for low-value e-commerce parcels ended on 6 February 2026, so every parcel goes through a regular declaration with duties and VAT.
What is TAREKS?
The Ministry of Trade's risk-based system for checking that imported products such as toys and electrical goods meet Turkish safety rules. Regulated products should carry CE marking and the right documents.
How long does shipping from China to Türkiye take?
Air usually takes one to two weeks from our warehouse in China, sea several weeks. The live transit window for each method is shown in the shipping box on this page and at checkout.
What is the minimum order on soorce?
Orders start from 100 pieces or $1,000 of goods. Smaller orders can be sent as a request, and our team will confirm whether they can go ahead.
Fontes
- Ministry of Trade of Türkiye (customs and TAREKS)
- Revenue Administration (GİB)
- Turkish Standards Institution (TSE)
- Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK)
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Türkiye
Este guia traz informações gerais, conferidas com os órgãos oficiais acima em novembro de 2026. As regras mudam e alguns produtos são regulamentados: consulte a autoridade aduaneira antes de pedir produtos regulamentados.