Sending peptide samples from mainland China to Hong Kong for testing

How to send samples from China to Hong Kong: the steps

Sending peptide samples from mainland China to a lab in Hong Kong takes six steps. The table gives the order; the sections below explain each one.

Step	What to do	Why it matters
1. Get a quote	Ask the lab for a quote with the products, label claims, lots and tests	The quote sets the number of vials; when you accept it, the lab sends your sample numbers and the delivery address
2. Choose a courier	Pick a courier that handles cross-border parcels and gives a tracking number	The parcel crosses a customs border
3. Declare the contents	Describe the parcel accurately as samples for laboratory analysis	An accurate declaration is your responsibility, and it keeps the parcel moving
4. Pack the vials	Unopened, numbered, upright, bagged and padded	The lab can only test what arrives intact
5. Add the custody form	Fill it in by hand and put it in the parcel	The dates on your report come from this record
6. Send the tracking number	Write it on the form and send it to the lab	The lab can match the parcel to your order

Hong Kong is a separate customs territory

Article 116 of the Basic Law says the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be a separate customs territory. In practice, a parcel from Shenzhen, Guangzhou or Shanghai to Hong Kong leaves one customs territory and enters another, even though both are in China.

That has two consequences for samples. First, the parcel goes through export and import handling, so the courier needs a clear description of the contents. Second, the courier’s own rules apply on top of any customs rules. Couriers publish lists of items they will and will not carry, and those lists can change.

This guide does not give customs or import advice. Rules depend on the product and can change, so check them with the courier before you ship. If the courier says it will not carry the parcel as described, do not change the description to get it accepted. Ask the courier what it needs, or contact us.

Choosing a courier from Shenzhen to Hong Kong

Several kinds of courier carry parcels from the mainland to Hong Kong. Options include SF Express, the international express networks such as DHL, FedEx and UPS, and EMS. Choose on these points:

• It accepts cross-border parcels to Hong Kong. A domestic service may not cover Hong Kong, so check the service you book.
• It gives a tracking number. Without one, neither you nor the lab can see where the parcel is.
• It delivers to a business address. We send the delivery address when you accept your quote.
• Its rules allow the contents. Read its list of restricted items for chemical or laboratory samples before you book.

We do not compare transit times or fees here, because they change and differ by service. Check them on each courier’s own site. Avoid leaving a packed parcel in a hot car or a sunny window while you wait for collection.

How to declare the contents

Describe the parcel as what it is. A clear declaration names:

• What it is. For example: lyophilised peptide samples for laboratory analysis.
• The products. The names as printed on the vials.
• The quantity. The number of vials.
• Any value the courier asks for. Use the form the courier gives you.

Never under-describe the contents, call them something else, or split a shipment to avoid checks. An accurate description protects you and the samples. Keep a copy of the courier’s paperwork with your records.

Packing the vials

The packing rules on our how it works page apply to every parcel, wherever it starts:

• Unopened. Vials sealed, as sold.
• Numbered. Mark each vial with its sample number. Keep the product label on. If you want the label claim withheld from the analyst, cover only the claim.
• Extra vials, sealed. Sterility and endotoxin each need their own unopened vials. Your quote says how many.
• Upright, bagged, padded. Seal the vials in a bag and cushion them against knocks.
• Custody form inside. Printed and filled in by hand.
• Tracked. Ship with tracking and send us the number.

For a longer guide that applies from any country, see how to send peptides for testing. To work out how many vials each test needs, see how many vials a full test needs.

The custody form

The sample custody form fits on one A4 or US Letter page. Print it, fill it in by hand and put it in the parcel. It records:

Section	What you write
Sender	Quote reference, the name to print on the report, a contact email
Samples	Sample number, product name as labelled, label claim or “withheld”, lot, number of vials, container
Packing	Seals intact, packed by, date, carrier, tracking number, signature
For lab use	Left blank: the lab records who received the parcel, when, and its condition

Keep a copy, or a photo of the filled form, for yourself. If the parcel is delayed or questioned, the form and the tracking number show what you sent and when.

Tracking and arrival

Once the courier collects the parcel, send us the tracking number. Follow the parcel on the courier’s own website or app. When it arrives, the lab logs it against your quote and photographs each vial as received. That photo appears in the report, so you can compare the cap, fill and printed lot with your own vials.

Sending from outside mainland China

The same steps work from the UK, Europe, the US or elsewhere in Asia. Use a tracked international courier, describe the contents accurately, pack unopened vials with the custody form, and send the tracking number. Check the courier’s rules and the rules of the country you are sending from. You are responsible for making sure you may legally send the sample to our lab; see our research use terms.

What HK Analytical sends you

Our lab is in Hong Kong. When you request a quote and accept it, we send your sample numbers and the delivery address. The custody form is on our site to print. Results within days of receipt. Sterility (USP <71>, 14 days) is the one test that takes 14 days, because the method incubates for 14 days. Every report is a signed record with a private link, and it carries our photo of the vial as received. For the full picture of the lab, see peptide testing in Hong Kong.