Sourcing dry-erase planning boards from China

UK duty on dry-erase planning boards

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 9610 covers slates and boards with writing or drawing surfaces, whether framed or unframed. Dry-erase planning boards use these surfaces with printed grids for schedules, tasks or staff allocation. The formats shown share the same commodity code.

Goods from China under 9610 00 00 00 carry 2% duty. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or import control. This is the recorded tariff position, rather than a product safety assessment.

Confirm the commodity code against the finished board and its intended use. Interactive displays and touch panels are classified as electronic equipment in the site's existing guidance. For the wider product family, see sourcing whiteboards.

Specify the grid and writing surface

Specify the board dimensions, orientation, surface material, magnetic function, frame, backing and mounting method. Supply approved artwork showing headings, cell sizes, colours and writable areas. State whether the grid is permanent or replaceable, and agree how its print is protected from marker ink, erasing and the intended cleaner.

Approve a finished sample using the markers, eraser and magnetic accessories your customers will use. Agree an ink dwell period and repeated write-and-erase checks, including across printed lines. Boards intended for consumer use in Great Britain must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005; review frame edges, wall fixings and mobile-stand stability.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 magnetic dry-erase planning boards, illustrative order under 9610 00 00 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,000. Duty at 2% is £540. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,540, so it is £5,508. Import taxes total £6,048; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £540 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Artwork: compare headings, spelling, grid alignment and writable space with the approved file; check that the frame does not obscure edge cells.

Surface: write across plain and printed areas, leave ink for the agreed period and erase; check ghosting, print lifting, scratches and magnetic accessory retention.

Assembly: inspect flatness, frame joints, corners, hanging points and supplied fixings; assemble mobile stands and check wobble and stability.

Arrival and packing: inspect faces and corners after unpacking, confirm accessory counts and check that protective materials have not marked the surface. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

A planning board can erase cleanly while its printed grid fades or lifts. Misaligned grids, cramped cells and incorrect headings can make an otherwise sound board unusable. Check finished production samples against the approved artwork and test the grid with the intended cleaner.

Surface substitution causes ghosting or changes magnetic performance. Bowed boards, loose frame joints and crushed corners also cause rejected deliveries. Specify the surface in writing, retain an approved sample and agree corner protection and separation between board faces before packing.

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.