How to import from China to the UK: a complete guide
The full journey for a UK business — finding and vetting a supplier, samples, shipping, EORI, commodity codes, duty, VAT and customs clearance — in one place.
The big picture
Importing from China to the UK is a chain of steps: find a supplier, prove they are genuine, agree a specification and price, get a sample right, ship the goods, clear UK customs, and pay duty and VAT. None of the steps is hard on its own — the risk is in the joins, where a missed detail becomes a delay or a bad batch.
You can manage the whole chain yourself, or hand it to a door-to-door sourcing service that folds every step into one landed price. Either way, plan around realistic timing: sea freight runs about two months door to door once you count both ends, and air about two weeks.
Step 1 — Find and vet a supplier
Start by separating factories from trading companies. Both can be fine to buy from, but a trading company adds a margin and a layer between you and production. Marketplaces like Alibaba are excellent for research and shortlisting, but a listing is not a vetted factory — verification is a separate job.
Vetting means confirming the company is real and capable: business licence, the right production capability, and ideally an on-the-ground check. See our guides on factory vs trading company and using Alibaba safely for the detail.
Step 2 — Samples and a written specification
Write your specification down before anyone quotes — materials, dimensions, tolerances, finish, packaging and any compliance marks. A clear spec turns 'quality' from an argument into a checklist, and it is what a sample is judged against.
Approve a physical sample against that spec before you commit to bulk. A good sample stage catches problems while they are cheap to fix. Our guide on writing a product spec walks through it.
Step 3 — MOQ, price and payment
Expect a minimum order quantity (MOQ), and treat both price and MOQ as negotiable, especially once a sample is approved. Understand what is included in a quoted price and on which incoterm it is based, so you are comparing like with like.
Agree payment terms you are comfortable with and pay to a matching company account, never a personal one. Our guides on MOQ and sampling and paying Chinese suppliers cover the safe ways to do this.
Step 4 — Shipping: sea vs air, and real lead times
Sea freight is the default for anything heavy or bulky and realistically runs about two months door to door once you include booking, sailing, UK customs and final delivery. Air freight is roughly two weeks at a higher cost, for urgent or high-value goods.
Your incoterm (EXW, FOB, DDP and so on) decides who is responsible, and for what, at each leg — get this clear before you order. See sea vs air freight and incoterms explained.
Step 5 — Register to import: EORI and commodity codes
To import commercially you need a GB EORI number from HMRC — it identifies your business on the customs declaration. It is free and usually issued quickly.
Every product has a commodity (HS) code that sets its duty rate, import VAT treatment and any controls or licences. Getting the code right is what makes the duty and VAT figures correct. Our UK customs clearance guide covers both.
Step 6 — Duty, VAT and the landed price
UK import duty is charged on the customs value of your goods (typically goods plus freight and insurance) at the rate set by your commodity code. Import VAT — usually 20% — is then charged on that value plus the duty. If you are VAT-registered, Postponed VAT Accounting lets you avoid paying the import VAT upfront.
To see your own numbers, try our free import-duty calculator, and read the guides on import duty and VAT and understanding your landed price. The landed price — goods, shipping, duty and VAT at your door — is the number that actually matters.
Step 7 — Customs clearance (CDS) and delivery
UK declarations are filed through HMRC's Customs Declaration Service (CDS), which replaced the older CHIEF system. In practice a customs broker or freight forwarder submits the declaration on CDS for you; you do not file it yourself.
Once cleared, the goods are delivered to your address. A door-to-door service handles clearance and final delivery as part of the job, so the first you see of customs is the goods arriving.
Doing it the simple way
You can assemble all of this yourself — many UK businesses do, and our guides are written to help you. But if you would rather hand the whole chain to someone accountable in the UK, that is exactly what we do.
We charge £0 sourcing fees and quote one transparent landed price, and we start with a free comparison against what you pay now — so trying it costs you nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an EORI number to import from China?
Yes. To import commercially into the UK you need a GB EORI number from HMRC. It identifies your business on the customs declaration, is free, and is usually issued quickly.
How long does shipping from China to the UK take?
Sea freight is about two months door to door once you include booking, sailing, UK customs clearance and final delivery. Air freight is roughly two weeks at a higher cost.
How much duty and VAT will I pay?
Duty depends on your product's commodity code and is charged on the customs value; import VAT is usually 20% on that value plus the duty. Use our free import-duty calculator to estimate your own figures.
Can someone handle the whole process for me?
Yes. A door-to-door sourcing agent manages sourcing, quality, shipping and UK customs and delivers one landed price. We do this with £0 sourcing fees and a free price comparison to start.