Sourcing hotel contract furniture from China
Hotel contract furniture from China carries UK duty of 0% to 4% under heading 9403. For a UK refurbishment, match each Foshan item to the room schedule and confirm timber controls; agree upholstered-item fire performance with the hotel assessor before bulk production. Cambridge China Bridge sources hotel contract furniture.
Hotel furniture classifications and duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 9403 covers other furniture and its parts. The supplied Chinese-origin rates range from 0% to 4%: the selected wooden bedroom and other wooden furniture lines and complete metal furniture lines are 0%, wooden kitchen units and separately classified wooden parts are 2%, and rattan furniture is 4%. The record shows no anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty, steel measure or suspension.
The record attaches CITES controls to wooden furniture lines: listed species require permits, so identify the timber before ordering from China and confirm the documents with your broker. It also attaches an ivory import control; UK guidance bans dealing in ivory, subject to exemptions. Specify no ivory and refer any proposed ivory detail to your broker. Certain lines attach the torture-goods import prohibition: imports of the listed goods are prohibited. Ask your broker to confirm the footnotes and declaration requirements for ordinary hotel furniture.
The record also lists cultural-goods, CITES, ivory and torture-goods export measures on relevant lines; these are labelled as export measures. Classify each schedule item from its materials, construction and shipment contents rather than assigning the whole room package a single code. Confirm the commodity code. For the wider furniture heading and sourcing visit, see buying furniture in Foshan.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wooden bedroom furniture, including beds, wardrobes and bedside cabinets | 9403 50 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Wooden dining-room and living-room furniture | 9403 60 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other wooden furniture | 9403 60 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Metal beds | 9403 20 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Other metal furniture | 9403 20 80 80 | 0% | None |
| Wooden fitted kitchen units, other than hand-made | 9403 40 10 90 | 2% | None |
| Rattan furniture, other than hand-made | 9403 83 00 90 | 4% | None |
| Wooden furniture parts, other than hand-made | 9403 91 00 90 | 2% | None |
Turn the room schedule into an approved mock-up
Give the Foshan factory an FF&E schedule, meaning the furniture, fixtures and equipment schedule, or a bill of quantities. Identify each furniture item by room type, drawing revision, dimensions, substrate, veneer, finish, hardware and fixing method. Separate loose furniture from fitted pieces and other refurbishment purchases. Agree who checks site dimensions, wall construction, lift access and assembly clearances.
Approve a mock-up room before bulk production. Trial-fit beds, bedside cabinets, wardrobes and desks together; check drawer travel, door swings, socket access, luggage clearance and cleaning access. Retain signed drawings and finish samples. For covered wooden products, confirm applicable timber due diligence requirements with the relevant authority or your customs broker. Request timber species, harvest country and supporting supply-chain records.
For upholstered items in the room package, agree fire-performance criteria with the hotel's fire assessor and request reports matching the proposed construction. Government sleeping-accommodation guidance says easily ignited or rapidly flame-spreading materials should inform the level of fire precautions. Record the approved cover, filling and interliner combination for upholstered headboards or bed bases. Agree how substitutions will be reviewed.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 300 wooden bedside cabinets for a hotel refurbishment; illustrative only under 9403 50 00 00, invoiced at £21,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £25,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,000, so it is £5,000. 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
Schedule match: check item identifiers, drawing revisions, dimensions, veneer direction and finish against the approved mock-up; operate doors and drawers and trial-assemble the supplied fittings.
Upholstery evidence: check that reports identify the approved upholstered construction; compare cover, filling and interliner details with production records and inspect seams and attachment points.
Room packs: check carton labels against room type, destination room and installation phase; count fittings and instructions, and reconcile each room pack with the packing list before consolidated loading.
Site arrival: inspect for crushed edges, moisture, mould, finish damage and missing cartons before installation. Agree unloading, storage and release to installers through the container programme, following the site's installation sequence.
What goes wrong
A showroom sample can differ from the approved room: substituted board, unmatched veneer, altered handles or a different upholstery combination may appear only in bulk production. A cabinet can meet its drawing yet obstruct a socket or fail to pass through the lift. Resolve these points in the mock-up and require written approval for changes.
Consolidating by supplier alone scatters room sets across the load. Missing fixings or inaccessible cartons then hold up installers while finished rooms become storage areas. Agree loading and unloading by room and installation phase, with a carton-location plan. Keep terrace purchases on a separate specification using the garden furniture guide.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on hotel furniture from China?
Heading 9403 rates in the supplied record range from 0% to 4%. Selected wooden bedroom furniture and complete metal furniture are 0%; wooden kitchen units and wooden parts are 2%; rattan furniture is 4%. No trade remedy is recorded.
What should I send a Foshan hotel furniture factory?
Send the room schedule or bill of quantities, item drawings, room types, finishes, hardware, fixing details and site constraints. Ask the factory to identify proposed materials and any departures from your specification.
Should I approve a mock-up room before bulk production?
Yes. Check the furniture together in the intended layout, including door swings, drawer travel, sockets, cleaning access and assembly. Sign off drawings, finish samples and any upholstered construction before releasing bulk production.
How should hotel furniture be packed for installation?
Group and label cartons by room type, destination room and installation phase. Reconcile room packs with the packing list and agree a loading plan that supports unloading, storage and the installers' sequence.