Sourcing original pastel drawings from China

Duty and classification for original pastel drawings

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 8 October 2026, the pastel-drawing lines under heading 9701 carry 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no listed suspensions. The heading covers works executed entirely by hand. Printed reproductions and hand-decorated manufactured articles fall elsewhere. Framed and unframed contemporary drawings share a code in the table. Confirm age, medium and construction using finding your commodity code.

The antique lines attach ivory import and export controls and CITES controls. For ivory-containing items intended for sale, confirm with the relevant authority or your customs broker whether an exemption is needed and available. The tariff specifies a valid registration or exemption certificate reference; confirm the requirement with your customs broker. CITES-listed materials need the applicable permits. All relevant lines also attach a cultural-object export licence measure: check this before onward export from the UK, rather than treating it as permission to import from China.

Confirm with HMRC or your customs broker whether the drawings qualify for reduced import VAT valuation and how to calculate it. Check whether work drawn entirely by hand by the artist meets the applicable works-of-art definition before budgeting for this treatment. See UK import duty and VAT. For the wider heading context, see original watercolour paintings.

Specify the pastel surface and protective framing

Agree whether the medium is dry pastel or oil pastel, the paper or board, surface texture, sheet size, image size and visible margins. Record the artist, subject, signature position and whether each drawing is unique or part of an agreed series. Approve close photographs and a physical sample of the chosen surface and finish.

Specify whether fixative is used and approve its effect on colour and texture before production. For framed work, agree the mount, backing, glazing, spacing from the drawing and hanging fittings. Consumer products sold in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use; check glazing, edges and hanging security.

For antique drawings, request provenance, an age assessment, a condition report and details of any restoration. Ask the seller whether Chinese export permission is needed and request supporting documents. Check the support, frame and decorative fittings for ivory or protected-species materials before ordering.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 200 unframed original pastel drawings under 9701 91 00 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £1,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,000, so it is £1,400. 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

Authenticity: compare each drawing with its approved record and inspect under magnification for printed dot patterns or printed imagery beneath added pastel.

Surface: check colour, composition, paper texture, creases, damp marks, rubbing and pigment loss without touching or wiping the image.

Framing: check that glazing stays clear of the pastel, mounts are clean, corners are sound and hanging fittings are secure.

Packing and arrival: check rigid flat support, protection that cannot rub the image and protected frame corners. Photograph damage before unpacking further and match each item to its condition record.

What goes wrong

A print with added pastel is supplied as an original drawing, or the supplier changes paper, fixative or framing after sample approval. Colours darken, surface texture changes and the delivered work no longer matches the approved piece. Record the agreed materials and retain individual photographs before dispatch.

Loose protection rubs pigment away during transit, glazing touches the drawing, or damp packaging stains the paper. Avoid rolling dry pastel drawings or placing wrapping directly against their image surface. Agree a supported flat packing sample and compare arrival condition with dispatch photographs.

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.