Sourcing get-well cards from China
Printed get-well greeting cards from China carry 0% UK import duty, with or without envelopes or trimmings. Cards must be safe under general product safety law. Approve the recovery message and a printed proof on the agreed board before production. Cambridge China Bridge sources printed get-well greeting cards.
Duty on printed get-well greeting cards
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 4909 covers printed or illustrated postcards and printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, with or without illustrations, envelopes or trimmings. Printed get-well greeting cards fall within this description. The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension. The table shows variants covered by the same commodity line.
The tariff record attaches a DCMS Export Licence control and describes a document waiver for goods produced less than 50 years ago. Official guidance says there are no licensing requirements for importing objects of cultural interest into Great Britain. Ask your customs broker to confirm how the attached control affects the declaration for newly printed cards from China.
Confirm the commodity code against the finished card and its contents. Blank stationery is classified elsewhere. For another greeting-card product within this heading, see printed sympathy cards.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printed get-well greeting cards with envelopes | 4909 00 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the get-well message and printed card
Agree the exact front greeting, inside message and any blank writing area. Specify whether the wording is for an adult or child, its tone, and whether religious wording or humour is wanted. Approve spelling, punctuation and artwork placement before printing. Use artwork you own or have permission to reproduce.
Write the folded size, board weight, grain direction, coating, crease position, finish and envelope paper into the order. Approve a printed proof on the actual board, including any foil or embossing. Test whether the writing area accepts the intended pen without smearing.
Importers are responsible for consumer-product safety. This guide concerns printed paper cards; adding sound or lights brings battery and electrical questions. Ask the Environment Agency or the relevant national environmental regulator whether sleeves and envelopes fall within your packaging producer-responsibility obligations, and ask HMRC whether plastic sleeves require Plastic Packaging Tax threshold checks.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20,000 printed get-well greeting cards with envelopes under 4909 00 00 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,800, so it is £1,360. 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
Message and artwork: compare the front and inside wording with the approved files, check orientation after folding, and confirm that the correct message appears with each design.
Board and print: compare colour with the signed proof, measure board weight against the order, inspect crease cracking and ink rubbing, and check foil or embossing alignment.
Envelope and writing area: try the finished card in its envelope, check the flap closes, and write on a sample to check ink smearing and coating interference.
Packing and arrival: count cards and envelopes in sampled packs, check design labels and barcodes, and inspect for crushed corners, dampness and warped board. Agree these checks through the inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
A get-well card can arrive with the wrong inside verse, an omitted word or a message paired with the wrong design. Screen approval can also hide weak contrast or unreadable text on textured board. Approve the complete folded sample and retain it for comparison with production.
Heavy coatings can make the writing area difficult to use. Creases can split, foil can rub off and tight envelopes can damage corners. Damp cartons can leave cards bowed. Check the finished card, its envelope and protective packing together before shipment.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on printed get-well cards from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty under 4909 00 00 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure and no suspension.
Can get-well cards be imported with envelopes?
Yes. The heading expressly covers printed greeting cards with or without envelopes or trimmings. Specify envelope paper and test the finished card for fit.
What proof should I approve before printing get-well cards?
Approve the complete folded card on the agreed board, with the front greeting, inside message, writing area and finishes. Keep the signed sample for inspection.
Does the tariff's export licence mean I need an import licence?
Official guidance says cultural-object imports into Great Britain have no licensing requirement. The tariff label is an export control; ask your broker to confirm its treatment for newly printed cards.