Sourcing restaurant dining chairs from China
Restaurant dining chairs from China carry UK duty of 0% to 4% across the wooden-frame, metal-frame and rattan lines shown here. The responsible person must assess the premises' fire risks; agree upholstery evidence for the intended restaurant before production. Cambridge China Bridge sources restaurant dining chairs.
Restaurant chair duty depends on construction
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 9401 covers seats and their parts. Wooden-frame and metal-frame dining chairs, upholstered or not, carry 0% duty from China; rattan seats carry 4%. The selected lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no tariff suspension. Import VAT is 20%.
The tariff attaches CITES and torture-related import controls to the wooden-frame and metal-frame lines, and cat and dog fur controls to every selected line. For CITES-listed materials from China, confirm the applicable permits with the broker before ordering. Cat and dog fur products are banned from import. The torture-related ban includes restraint chairs fitted with shackles or other restraint devices; check any unusual design against the official description.
Confirm the frame material, upholstery and complete-chair description with your customs broker and use finding your commodity code. The tariff also lists export measures, including cultural-object licensing; ask the broker to confirm their relevance if re-exporting. Our banquet chairs guide covers the wider seating heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upholstered dining chairs with wooden frames | 9401 61 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Dining chairs with wooden frames, not upholstered | 9401 69 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Upholstered dining chairs with metal frames | 9401 71 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Dining chairs with metal frames, not upholstered | 9401 79 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Rattan dining chairs | 9401 53 00 00 | 4% | None |
Specify chairs for the restaurant and its tables
Agree seat height and width, back angle, arm clearance beneath the tables, frame material, joint construction and floor glides. State whether chairs will be stacked and how staff will move them. Approve a sample with the intended table and flooring, then retain its drawings, material list and finish sample.
For upholstered chairs, specify the cover, filling, seams and cleaning method together. The responsible person must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment of the premises. Ask them to agree the upholstery fire performance and supporting test evidence before production. Use testing and certification support to agree checks for the exact chair construction.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 300 upholstered wooden-frame restaurant dining chairs, illustrative only under 9401 61 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
Frame: check joint fit, welds, fastener security, rocking on a level surface and stability against the approved sample.
Upholstery: match the cover and filling to the agreed material list and test report; check seam tension, exposed staples and cushion attachment.
Finish and flooring: check colour consistency, splinters, sharp edges, coating damage and secure glides on the restaurant's floor.
Packing and assembly: check carton protection, crushed corners, moisture damage, fittings and assembly instructions; assemble a chair from delivered stock.
What goes wrong
Loose joints, uneven legs and weak welds can appear after repeated movement and cleaning. Glides detach and scratch floors; upholstery loosens at the seat edge. A chair that looks correct in a photograph may have arms that catch beneath the tables or a finish that marks during stacking.
Material substitutions also break the connection between an approved sample and its test evidence. Require approval before changing the cover, filling or frame, and compare delivered stock with the retained sample. Record defects before distributing chairs across the dining room.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on restaurant dining chairs from China?
The selected wooden-frame and metal-frame chairs carry 0%; rattan chairs carry 4%. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded for these lines in the supplied tariff reading.
What fire evidence should I ask for on upholstered restaurant chairs?
Ask the person responsible for the premises' fire risk assessment to agree the upholstery specification and supporting tests. Reports should match the actual cover, filling and chair construction.
Can I import restaurant chairs made with protected timber?
CITES controls may apply. Identify the species and ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable permits before ordering chairs containing listed materials.
What should I check when dining chairs arrive?
Check rocking, joints, welds, glides, upholstery materials and packing damage. Assemble delivered stock and compare it with the approved sample and the restaurant's tables.