How to export board games from the UK to China
Start by matching each game to its Chinese tariff line and choosing the import route. The listed lines carry 0% MFN duty; import VAT and other applicable charges still shape landed cost. Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands.
Match the game to the import route
For board games, playing cards and casino equipment, classification comes before a shipment agreement. HS 950420 covers billiards and accessories, 950440 playing cards, 950490 includes casino tables and other games, and 950590 covers festival and entertainment articles. Give the Chinese importer a precise product description so its customs broker can confirm the Chinese tariff line and suitable import route. For toys, see our guide to exporting toys to China.
HMRC recorded £4.5m of UK goods exports to mainland China under HS 950420, 950440, 950490, 950590 in 2025 (2024: £2.7m, +68.5%). Exports to Hong Kong under the same codes were £4.0m. January to July 2026: £3.2m against £2.8m in the same months of 2025 (+15.4%).
The largest UK export line within these codes was 95049080, covering casino tables, automatic bowling alley equipment and other games, at £2.6m in 2025. This is a UK export total under HS 950490, rather than a measure of board-game sales alone. Keep your own product description distinct from that broad trade heading.
Price against the Chinese tariff line
All the Chinese tariff lines below carry 0% MFN duty. Match the actual game to the line before using that rate in a quotation; a UK export code is not a substitute for the Chinese classification.
The VAT Law sets the standard import VAT rate at 13%, subject to its reduced-rate list and special rules. Import VAT uses the customs value plus customs duty plus consumption tax as its base. The importer’s customs broker or adviser confirms whether consumption tax applies to this product. Border taxes add to landed cost and shape the price the importer can offer.
| Chinese tariff line | Rate |
|---|---|
| 95042000 | 0% |
| 95044000 | 0% |
| 95049010 | 0% |
| 95049021 | 0% |
| 95049022 | 0% |
| 95049023 | 0% |
| 95049029 | 0% |
| 95049030 | 0% |
| 95049040 | 0% |
| 95049090 | 0% |
| 95059000 | 0% |
Prepare the UK export declaration
Exports from England, Scotland or Wales need a GB EORI number and the correct commodity code. For these games, the online export declaration needs value, weight, packaging, destination, transport and invoice and packing-list references. Agree who will make the declaration and supply those details. The carrier needs the invoice and any export licences or certificates required for the shipment.
Use cross-border retail only for a matched item
The cross-border e-commerce retail import list only partially covers this range: Chinese line 95049010 is listed as other electronic game machines, and 95059000 as other festival or entertainment articles. Do not treat those entries as coverage for every board game or pack of cards. Eligible retail imports through bonded 1210 or direct 9610 are supervised as personal-use articles, with first-import licensing, registration and filing requirements disapplied except for suspended epidemic-area goods or emergency risk handling.
The overseas retail business carries the main responsibility for product quality and safety. It must appoint a mainland-registered company to register with customs, declare truthfully and share civil liability. Establish that arrangement before choosing this route for an eligible game.
The consumer must accept a risk notice before ordering: origin-country standards may differ from Chinese standards, goods may lack Chinese labels with a Chinese electronic label available online, and purchases are for personal use and cannot be resold. The limits are RMB 5,000 per transaction and RMB 26,000 annually per person. This route therefore needs a consumer retail plan.
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Check the Chinese buyer before committing stock
Ask a prospective importer which games it intends to buy, how it plans to sell them and which import route it proposes. Have its customs broker confirm the tariff classification against your product descriptions. A buyer proposing cross-border retail must account for the personal-use restriction before you agree a supply arrangement.
Our own staff in China find and check Chinese importers and distributors for UK brands. If a Chinese importer has already approached your brand, our staff in China check that company before stock is sent or anything is signed.
We prepare registration and label work with licensed partners in China. Regulated roles stay with licensed partners in China, including the importer of record and, where required, the cross-border e-commerce agent; the brand’s own filings stay the brand’s. We check with licensed partners. Use our export-to-China service to discuss the proposed buyer and route.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Chinese duty on UK playing cards?
Chinese tariff line 95044000 carries 0% MFN duty. Import VAT and any other applicable charges still affect the importer’s landed cost.
Can I sell any board game through cross-border e-commerce?
The list only partially covers this range: 95049010 for other electronic game machines and 95059000 for other festival or entertainment articles. Match the actual item before choosing the route.
What paperwork do I need to export games from Britain?
You need a GB EORI and the correct commodity code. The export declaration needs shipment details and invoice and packing-list references; the carrier needs the invoice and any required licences or certificates.
Can cross-border customers resell imported games?
Cross-border retail purchases under this policy are for personal use and may not be resold. An importer planning distribution needs to agree a suitable route for the games.