Sourcing basketballs from China

Basketball duty and classification

Heading 9506 covers sports and exercise equipment. Inflatable basketballs fall within its inflatable-ball line, 9506 62 00 00. The table shows basketball variants sharing that line, rather than separate tariff classifications.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, inflatable balls carried 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension on this line. It attaches a DCMS Export Licence control; ask your customs broker to confirm its applicability to your transaction.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual product description and construction before costing the order. The football sourcing guide provides wider context for inflatable sports balls within this heading.

Specify the cover, bladder and playing surface

State whether the basketball is for indoor courts, outdoor courts or mixed use. Specify rubber, synthetic leather or leather explicitly, along with surface texture, channel depth, circumference, weight, bladder material, valve position and inflation instructions. Agree measurable tolerances and test conditions with the factory rather than relying on a product photograph.

Approve a finished sample for grip, roundness, rebound and print appearance. Specify air-retention checks at the agreed inflation pressure, abrasion checks appropriate to the intended court, and packing that prevents creases. Consumer basketballs placed on the Great Britain market must be safe under normal or reasonably foreseeable use.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 3,000 own-brand basketballs under 9506 62 00 00, invoiced at £15,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,500. Duty at 2% is £350. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £17,850, so it is £3,570. Import taxes total £3,920; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £350 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Construction: compare the cover material, texture, channels and panel bonding with the approved sample; check for exposed adhesive, cracks and lifting edges.

Inflation: check valve access and leaks, record pressure before and after the agreed retention test, and compare roundness and rebound under consistent conditions.

Grip and print: compare dry and damp handling with the sample; rub the print and inspect for colour transfer, peeling and surface wear.

Arrival: open cartons across the shipment, check quantities and product identification, and inflate samples to find creases or distortion. Use the quality inspection guide to agree the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

An approved sample can conceal a change in bulk production: a different cover compound changes grip, a substituted bladder loses air, or uneven bonding produces an irregular rebound. Ask the factory to record the agreed materials and seek approval before substitutions.

Deflated balls can arrive with persistent folds, while printed logos can transfer colour during handling. Keep the approved sample and inspection records, separate failed stock, and agree corrective action before accepting a replacement batch.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.