Sourcing ouds from China

2% UK duty on acoustic ouds

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 9202 covers other string musical instruments. Acoustic ouds fall within the other non-bowed string instruments line, 9202 90 80 00, carrying 2% duty for goods from China. The oud variants in the table share this tariff line. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is recorded.

The tariff attaches ivory import and CITES import controls. For any ivory component, confirm the import requirement with your customs broker before ordering. Where an ivory exemption certificate is required, sale or hire must wait until it is received. For timber, check the species and applicable finished-instrument exemptions; obtain CITES permits where required.

This guide covers acoustic ouds. Electrically amplified instruments, separate strings, parts and cases need their own classification checks. Confirm the commodity code against the actual specification. For another instrument family within the wider heading, see the bouzoukis guide.

Specify oud tuning, bowl and fretless setup

Agree the intended playing tradition, tuning, string arrangement, scale length and matching string set. Specify fixed or floating bridge construction, bowl depth, neck profile and string spacing. Approve a playable sample rather than relying on photographs or a description such as Arabic or Turkish.

Identify the soundboard, bowl ribs, neck, fingerboard, pegs and decorative materials separately. State timber species, solid or laminated construction, finish and agreed moisture condition. Specify ivory-free decoration as a purchasing condition. Ouds sold to consumers in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use; review sharp edges, loose decoration and finishes.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small retailer batch of acoustic ouds under 9202 90 80 00, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,900. Duty at 2% is £98. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,998, so it is £999.60. Import taxes total £1,097.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £98 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Materials: match timber and decorative materials to the approved sample and material list; check moisture condition, bowl rib joints, neck joint and soundboard for cracks or open glue seams.

Playability: tune to the agreed tuning with the specified strings; check fretless fingerboard smoothness, string height, clearance and buzzing across the playing range.

Pegs and bridge: check peg seating, smooth adjustment and resistance to slipping; inspect fixed-bridge bonding or floating-bridge position and string alignment.

Arrival and packing: inspect the bowl, soundboard and angled pegbox immediately after unpacking; check that case supports and cushioning prevent movement and pressure on vulnerable parts.

What goes wrong

Poorly seasoned timber can shrink after arrival, opening bowl seams or cracking the soundboard. A moving neck joint raises the action, uneven fingerboards cause buzzing, and badly fitted pegs either slip or bind. The wrong strings for the agreed tuning and scale length can leave the instrument difficult to play.

Decorative photographs can hide weak glue joints and poor setup. Retain the approved sample, record the tuning and string specification, and compare production instruments by playing them. Review packing around the pegbox and bowl through a quality inspection before dispatch.

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.