Sourcing Clarinets from China

Clarinet duty and material controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 9205 covers wind musical instruments. Clarinets fall within other wind instruments, 9205 90 90 00, carrying 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The clarinet variants shown share this commodity line.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches ivory, CITES and cat-and-dog-fur import controls. For any ivory content, check exemption eligibility and ask your customs broker to confirm the registration or exemption reference required for imports from China. For wooden or animal-derived components, ask the broker to confirm the applicable CITES requirement before shipment. Imports of cat and dog fur, including products made from it, are banned.

Separately supplied mouthpieces, reeds and cases are classified separately. Confirm the complete instrument and separately supplied accessories through finding your commodity code. See the brass and woodwind guide for the wider heading.

Specify the clarinet body, bore and keywork

State the intended player, tuning, key system, body material, bore, barrel and bell specification. For wooden bodies, request the botanical species and material origin. Specify pad, spring and joint-cork materials, key plating, mouthpiece, ligature and case. Approve a sample that a clarinettist has played, and agree the same set-up for production.

Confirm with the relevant authority the applicable requirements under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 for instruments sold to consumers in Great Britain. Request supplier information on restricted substances in mouthpieces and plated surfaces. Agree cleaning and assembly instructions, spare-pad availability and how the factory records its final playing checks.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 50 student resin clarinets, illustrative order under 9205 90 90 00, invoiced at £3,600 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,200. Duty at 2% is £84. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,284, so it is £856.80. Import taxes total £940.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £84 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Playing: have a clarinettist check response and intonation across the register changes, using the agreed mouthpiece and reed.

Pads and keys: check pad sealing, linked-key timing, spring return and freedom from rubbing or loose keywork.

Body and joints: inspect wooden bodies for cracks, resin bodies for moulding defects, and joint corks for secure assembly without excessive force.

Arrival and packing: check for damp cases, tarnish and transit damage; confirm the instrument sits securely without pressure on its keys.

What goes wrong

A clarinet can look acceptable but play poorly because pads leak or linked keys close unevenly. Tight joints can make assembly difficult, while loose joints move during playing. Wooden bodies may crack and unsupported keys may bend in transit.

Record faults against the approved sample, ask for corrective work and repeat the playing check before accepting repaired stock. Agree case support and moisture protection with the factory. Use the quality inspection guide to set the inspection brief.

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.