Sourcing Artists' Oil Colours from China

UK duty on artists' oil colours

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 3213 covers artists', students' and signboard painters' colours and similar preparations in tubes, jars and other packings. Artists' oil colours in sets fall under 3213 10 00 00; other packings fall under 3213 90 00 00. Both carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension listed.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to both lines. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. For a proposed shipment from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the attached import control and any waste notification or consent requirement before dispatch, particularly for discarded or unusable paint.

Confirm the formulation, intended artistic use and whether the colours are supplied in sets when checking the commodity code. The artists' acrylic paints guide covers the wider heading. Allow for 20% import VAT and use the duty and VAT guide when preparing a landed-cost calculation.

Specify pigments, binding oils and drying behaviour

Agree the pigment identity for each colour, whether it is a single pigment or a blend, the binding oil, fillers and any added solvent. Specify tinting strength, opacity, consistency and drying behaviour against approved samples. Ask for evidence supporting lightfastness claims rather than accepting colour names as a specification.

The importer is responsible for chemical classification. Confirm with the relevant product safety authority and HSE or a qualified chemical compliance adviser which product safety, chemical classification and labelling rules apply to adult artists' colours, including any hazard-label requirements. Obtain formulation information, confirm whether safety data sheets are required for hazardous grades, and check the UK REACH registration position for the substances being imported before approving the order.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative wholesale order of assorted individual oil-colour tubes under 3213 90 00 00, invoiced at £25,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,000, so it is £5,400. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Colour and strength: compare each batch with approved full-colour and white-tinted swatches, using the same substrate and application method.

Consistency and drying: check for gritty particles, excessive oil separation and skinning; compare brush handling and drying with the approved sample.

Tubes and filling: check fill against the agreed declaration, cap fit, threads, crimp integrity and leakage after handling.

Labels and records: match colour names, pigment information, batch identification and any hazard labels to the approved formulation and supporting documents.

What goes wrong

A familiar colour name can conceal a changed pigment blend or more filler, altering tinting strength and opacity. Excess oil separation, coarse grinding and inconsistent drying can make a batch behave differently from the approved sample. Keep reference samples and compare production batches before shipment.

Poor crimps and cap seals leave leaking tubes or dried paint around the neck. A formulation change can also leave labels and safety documents describing the previous product. Agree that the factory must obtain your approval before changing pigments, oils or additives.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.