Sourcing sports tactics boards from China

2% duty on writing-surface tactics boards

Heading 9610 covers slates and boards with writing or drawing surfaces, whether framed or unframed. It covers the manual writing-surface coaching boards discussed here. The table shows product variants under the same commodity line, rather than separate tariff classifications. See the wider whiteboards guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, commodity code 9610 00 00 00 carried 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or import controls for this line.

Confirm the construction, writing surface and included accessories through finding your commodity code. Electronic displays and children's drawing toys need separate classification checks. Do not assume the board's code also covers separately imported markers, counters or carrying bags.

Pitch artwork, surfaces and counters

Specify the sport, pitch or court artwork, orientation, usable writing area and whether the board opens flat. Approve the artwork against the buyer's intended coaching use. State the surface material, frame construction, hinge design, handle and carrying case, plus the agreed counter colours, markings and accessory contents.

Agree an erasing test using the supplied markers after ink has been left on the sample for an agreed period. Check that repeated cleaning leaves the pitch lines intact. For magnetic boards, test counter retention with the board held upright and carried in its case.

The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 apply in Great Britain to products intended for or foreseeably used by consumers. Such boards must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Assess loose magnets, sharp frame edges and folding pinch points against the intended users and handling.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 magnetic sports coaching tactics boards, illustrative only under 9610 00 00 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £3,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,000. Duty at 2% is £540. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,540, so it is £5,508. Import taxes total £6,048; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £540 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Artwork: compare pitch lines, orientation, team colours and branding with the approved sample; check alignment across folding panels.

Writing surface: write and erase with the supplied markers; check staining, scratches, flatness and whether cleaning lifts the printed lines.

Counters and construction: check counter contents and magnetic hold; operate hinges, handles and closures, and inspect edges and joints.

Packing: check accessory compartments, face protection and corner protection; open arrival cartons for bent panels, cracked corners and missing parts.

What goes wrong

Pitch lines can rub away with marker ink when the print is insufficiently protected. Weak magnetic hold lets counters slide during a team briefing, while warped folding panels interrupt the writing surface. A sample tested without the supplied marker can conceal staining or poor erasing.

Loose counters can scratch the board in transit, and an unprotected hinge can damage neighbouring panels. Approve the packed sample as well as the open board, then repeat the functional checks on production samples. Use an agreed quality inspection checklist.

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.