Sourcing printed retirement cards from China

Duty on printed retirement 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 retirement greeting cards fall within this description. The table shows product variants under the same commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The supplied snapshot records 0% duty for goods from China under 4909 00 00 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension recorded. Import VAT is separate from duty; the reference greeting-card guide applies 20%. Use the UK import duty and VAT guide when preparing the landed-cost calculation.

The snapshot attaches a DCMS Export Licence control. Official guidance says cultural-object imports into Great Britain have no licensing requirements. Ask your customs broker to confirm how the listed control and any document waiver affect your declaration. Confirm the commodity code against the finished card. For wider heading coverage, see the printed get-well greeting cards guide.

Retirement wording, board and printed proofs

Specify the retirement message, spelling, punctuation, illustration, inside verse and space for colleagues to sign. Distinguish retirement wording from a general leaving message. Agree the folded size, board weight, grain direction, finish and envelope paper. Approve a physical printed proof on the ordered board, including the inside and back, before authorising the print run.

Use artwork you own or have permission to reproduce. Consumer cards supplied in Great Britain must be safe; review detachable decorations and exposed sharp edges. Confirm with the relevant authority whether envelopes and sleeves count as packaging for producer-responsibility purposes. Record the packaging materials and weights for your compliance assessment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order only: 20,000 printed retirement 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

Wording and artwork: compare the cover, inside verse and back with the approved proof; check retirement wording, spelling and space for signatures.

Print and finish: compare colour with the physical proof, check small lettering and foil alignment, and rub decorated areas to check for shedding.

Board and folding: check the agreed stock, clean trimming and fold position; open and close cards to look for cracking and uneven panels.

Envelopes and packs: try finished cards in their envelopes, check design counts and barcodes, and inspect for dampness, crushed corners and scuffed faces. Use these checks in your inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A retirement card can arrive with the correct cover but the wrong inside verse when artwork versions are mixed. Fine foil lettering can fill in, dark backgrounds can show scuffs, and folds can crack when the board or grain direction changes. An envelope approved using an unfinished sample may fit poorly after decorations are added.

Keep the approved artwork and physical proof together, identify each design clearly on the packing list, and approve the card and envelope as a pair. Check mixed-design cartons for the agreed assortment rather than accepting the total carton count alone. Moisture-resistant packing helps protect the board during transport.

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.