Sourcing reusable writing slates from China

UK duty on reusable writing slates

Heading 9610 covers slates and boards with writing or drawing surfaces, whether or not framed. This guide concerns non-electronic reusable writing slates. The supplied tariff facts contain only the commodity line shown above. For the wider product family, see chalkboards.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, goods from China under 9610 00 00 00 carry 2% duty. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control.

Confirm the commodity code against the finished product, its materials and intended use. The site's whiteboard guide distinguishes electronic displays and children's magnetic drawing toys from ordinary writing boards.

Specify the slate surface and writing medium

Specify natural slate or a coated board, usable writing area, thickness, weight, frame material, corner shape and whether each face is writable. State whether users will write with ordinary chalk, liquid chalk or another agreed medium. Approve a sample using the actual writing and cleaning materials intended for sale.

Agree how repeated writing, erasing and damp cleaning will be assessed. Check residual marks, coating wear, chalk visibility and drying after cleaning. Consumer slates supplied in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use; assess edges, splinters and loose frame parts alongside writing performance.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 2,000 reusable writing slates under 9610 00 00 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £590 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,090. Duty at 2% is £61.80. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,151.80, so it is £630.36. Import taxes total £692.16; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £61.80 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Writing face: write across the centre and edges, erase using the agreed method and compare residual marks with the approved sample.

Body and frame: check flatness, chipped slate, sharp edges, splinters, loose joints and movement between the board and frame.

Repeated use: repeat writing and cleaning on sampled slates, checking for coating lift, scratches and swelling around exposed board edges.

Arrival and packing: inspect faces and corners for transit damage, check separators prevent rubbing and compare received stock with the approved sample. Use the quality inspection guide to agree the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A surface that erases cleanly with ordinary chalk may retain liquid-chalk marks. Coatings can look acceptable when new but wear through during cleaning. Natural slate can chip, while coated board edges can swell after damp wiping.

Loose frames and inadequate separators can turn acceptable factory samples into damaged stock on arrival. Put the writing medium, cleaning method, acceptable residual marks and packing arrangement into the purchase specification, then check production samples against it.

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.