What you can't ship from Japan to Dominican Republic
13 Japan Post import rules · verified · source: Japan Post
Short answer: Japan Post lists 8 item types that cannot be sent to Dominican Republic and 5 that can be sent only under conditions. Separately, Japan Post applies 278 carrier-wide rules to every destination, covering dangerous goods and items banned from international mail — perfume, aerosols and lithium batteries among them. Rules last verified against Japan Post on August 1, 2026.
- Prohibited
- 8
- Conditional
- 5
- Carrier-wide rules
- 278
These are the destination rules Japan Post publishes for Dominican Republic. They do not repeat the items Japan Post refuses to every country — those are on one shared page, linked below. A rule marked conditional allows the item only when the stated conditions hold; whether your product qualifies is what the ShipMate GO app works out before you book.
Currency & valuables
2 prohibited · 1 conditional
- Prohibited
Counterfeit Currency and Counterfeiting Materials
Counterfeit currency and any items used to counterfeit currency are prohibited from shipment to the Dominican Republic. This applies to both regular and parcel shipping.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Registered ordinary mail containing valuables
Registered ordinary mail items that contain coins, banknotes, currency, bearer securities, traveler's checks, platinum, gold, or silver (worked or unworked), pearls, gemstones, or other valuables are prohibited for regular shipments to the Dominican Republic. These items may not be sent via registered ordinary mail to this destination.
- Conditional
Credit Cards, Pension Checks
Credit cards and pension checks are permitted to the Dominican Republic via regular mail, but only when sent as registered letter mail. Shipment by any other method is not allowed.
Conditions and documents
- Sent as registered letter mail (書留書状) → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Weapons
1 prohibited · 2 conditional
- Prohibited
Weapons (concealed blades and firearms)
Short knives (tantō), short swords/daggers, and canes or fans concealing a sword or firearm are prohibited from shipment to the Dominican Republic. This restriction applies to both regular mail and parcel services.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
- Conditional
Military Supplies / War Materiel
War materials and ammunition are conditionally permitted for shipment to the Dominican Republic only when addressed to the government or a person duly authorized by the government. Shipments to any other addressee are not permitted.
Conditions and documents
- Addressed to the government of the destination country or a person duly authorized by that government → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
- Conditional
Weapons / Firearms
Firearms are conditionally permitted for shipment to the Dominican Republic. They are allowed only when the recipient has obtained authorization from the Dominican Republic government.
Conditions and documents
- Authorization has been obtained from the government of the destination country (Dominican Republic) → permitted
Documents: Government authorization from the Dominican Republic
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 93
Books & printed matter
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Books and Pamphlets of Communist Propaganda
Books and pamphlets containing communist propaganda are prohibited from being sent to the Dominican Republic. Such items will be confiscated and destroyed under the destination country's domestic law.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Chemicals
1 prohibited
- Prohibited
Gas and petroleum products with ignition point of 150°C or below
Gas or petroleum products with an ignition point of 150°C or below are prohibited from being shipped to the Dominican Republic via regular and parcel mail, unless imported directly by the destination country's government. This applies to flammable gas and petroleum substances meeting this flash/ignition point threshold.
Details and exceptions
- imported by the government of the destination country → permitted
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 27
Medicine & supplements
1 conditional
- Conditional
Narcotics
Narcotics — including opium, morphine, cocaine, and other narcotic drugs, as well as anesthetics — are permitted only when sent to a pharmacist in the Dominican Republic for medical or scientific purposes and accompanied by a permit issued by the Dominican Ministry of Health (Departement de la sante et de la bienfaisance).
Conditions and documents
- Sent to a pharmacist in the destination country for medical or scientific purposes AND accompanied by a permit issued by the Dominican Ministry of Health (Departement de la sante et de la bienfaisance) → permitted
Documents: Permit issued by the Dominican Ministry of Health (Departement de la sante et de la bienfaisance)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 29
Plants & animals
1 conditional
- Conditional
Plants
Shipping plants to the Dominican Republic may require an export inspection by a plant protection station and an import permit from the destination country. Senders are advised to consult their nearest plant protection station or the Dominican Republic's plant protection authority in advance.
Conditions and documents
- Export inspection by a plant protection station and import permit from the destination country obtained → conditional
Documents: Export inspection certificate issued by a plant protection station (植物防疫所による輸出検査証明); Import permit from the destination country's plant protection authority (名宛国の輸入許可証)
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 06
Other items
3 prohibited
- Prohibited
Articles contrary to public morals
Books, photographs, paintings, and other articles contrary to public morals are prohibited from shipment to the Dominican Republic via regular and parcel services. This covers all such printed and visual material deemed offensive to public decency.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
- Prohibited
Gambling Equipment and Supplies
Gambling equipment and supplies are prohibited from being shipped to the Dominican Republic via regular mail and parcel services. This restriction covers all items associated with gambling activities.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 95
- Prohibited
Lottery tickets
Lottery tickets are prohibited from being shipped to the Dominican Republic via regular and parcel shipping. This restriction applies to all lottery ticket items.
Source: Japan Post · HS chapter 49
Applies to every destination, including Dominican Republic
Japan Post applies 278 carrier-wide rules to every country on top of the rules above — outright bans on dangerous goods such as perfume, aerosols and lighters, and conditions on items such as lithium batteries.
Not sure about a specific item for Dominican Republic?
This page lists Japan Post's rules. The ShipMate GO app checks your actual item against them, asks the one or two questions a conditional rule needs, and tells you the outcome before anything is charged. Sending a parcel from Japan? Booking is free and you pay once, after weighing. Shopping from abroad with Shop for Me? Anything that can't ship is dropped from your order before you pay for the goods.
Common questions
- What can't I ship from Japan to Dominican Republic?
- Japan Post's import rules for Dominican Republic prohibit 8 item types, including Gas and petroleum products with ignition point of 150°C or below; Gambling Equipment and Supplies; Counterfeit Currency and Counterfeiting Materials; Books and Pamphlets of Communist Propaganda; Registered ordinary mail containing valuables; Lottery tickets; Weapons (concealed blades and firearms); Articles contrary to public morals. On top of these, Japan Post refuses dangerous goods such as perfume, aerosols and loose lithium batteries to every destination.
- Which items can be shipped to Dominican Republic only under conditions?
- 5 item types are allowed only when Japan Post's stated conditions are met — for example Military Supplies / War Materiel; Plants; Weapons / Firearms; Narcotics; Credit Cards, Pension Checks. Whether a specific product qualifies depends on the item, which is what the ShipMate GO app checks before you book.
- Does an item that isn't listed here ship freely to Dominican Republic?
- Not necessarily. This page lists the import rules Japan Post publishes for Dominican Republic; an item that isn't named has no specific rule here, but it may still fall under Japan Post's carrier-wide bans or a general category such as food or medicine. Check the exact item in the ShipMate GO app, which reads these rules live and asks the follow-up questions a conditional rule needs.