Short answer. Taiwan designates air-raid evacuation facilities (防空疏散避難設施), mostly basements of existing buildings, marked with a "防空避難" sign. At the end of 2021, the National Police Agency counted more than 105,000 facilities with capacity for about 86.65 million people, about 3.7 times the registered population 1. The 警政服務 app and the official disaster map show each site 12.
How many air-raid shelters does Taiwan have?
National Police Agency statistics put the total at more than 105,000 facilities, able to hold about 86.65 million people, at the end of 2021 (民國110年) 1. In the agency's words: "截至110年底止，我國防空疏散避難設施共計10萬5千餘處，可容納人數約8,665萬餘人，約為戶籍人口之3.7倍" 1.
Press reports from July 2025 cite a newer police figure of about 82,000 facilities. No official page or capacity figure for it was found, so the end-2021 figure remains the latest official one on this page.
What are these shelters?
Most are basements of existing buildings, many of them private 1. Separately, the Building Technical Regulations require shelter space in many new buildings 3. They are not purpose-built bunkers; see the build a shelter page for the rules that create them.
How do I find the nearest shelter?
- The 警政服務 (Police Services) app from the National Police Agency, section 防空疏散避難專區: it shows each site and its capacity and offers navigation 1.
- The official disaster map at bear.emic.gov.tw/MY2/map, linked by the National Public Safety Guide 2.
- The sign reading 防空避難 on buildings 2.
Look up the sites near home, work and school in advance, while networks work.
Are there other kinds of shelter?
Yes. The same map lists relief stations (救濟站), supply distribution stations (物資配售站) and evacuation shelters (避難收容處所) 2. The National Fire Agency's 消防防災e點通 app shows evacuation shelters, relief stations and supply distribution stations 2.
What should I do when the air-raid alarm sounds?
The guide says: take your go-bag and go to a basement or an interior room (do not use lifts), or to a place marked 防空避難, then adopt the protective posture 4. The air-raid alarm is one 15-second long tone followed by two 5-second short tones, repeated three times 4; all patterns are on the alerts page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there enough shelter space for everyone in Taiwan?
Official capacity at the end of 2021 was about 86.65 million places, about 3.7 times the registered population 1.
How do I recognise an air-raid shelter?
By the sign reading 防空避難 2.
Can I see shelter capacity before I go?
Yes. The 警政服務 app shows each facility and its capacity 1.
Is the figure of 82,000 shelters official?
It comes from press reports from July 2025; no official page for it was found. The latest official figure here is more than 105,000 facilities at the end of 2021 1.
For the choice between staying and leaving after a nuclear event, see /guides/shelter-or-evacuate.
Sources
- 內政部警政署統計室 — 警政服務App在手 防空避難跟我走 — https://www.npa.gov.tw/ch/app/data/view?module=wg054&id=2206&serno=4c4cffb7-bd19-425f-9282-c55578599d0a (accessed 2026-10-20)
- 國防部全民防衛動員署 — 當危機來臨時 - 臺灣全民安全指引 — https://prepare.mnd.gov.tw/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
- 內政部 / 全國法規資料庫 — 建築技術規則建築設計施工編 (第140-144條，修正日期 民國115年02月23日) — https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?pcode=D0070115 (accessed 2026-10-20)
- 國防部全民防衛動員署 — 災害應對 - 臺灣全民安全指引 — https://prepare.mnd.gov.tw/emergency-responses (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Taiwan, worked out for your household.
- Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- 內政部警政署統計室 · 警政服務App在手 防空避難跟我走 checked 2026-10-20
- 國防部全民防衛動員署 · 當危機來臨時 - 臺灣全民安全指引 checked 2026-10-20
- 內政部 / 全國法規資料庫 · 建築技術規則建築設計施工編 (第140-144條，修正日期 民國115年02月23日) checked 2026-10-20
- 國防部全民防衛動員署 · 災害應對 - 臺灣全民安全指引 checked 2026-10-20