Sourcing sticky note pads from China

Zero duty on paper memorandum pads

Heading 4820 covers paper and paperboard stationery, including memorandum pads. For ordinary paper sticky note pads, start with 4820 10 30 00, described as notebooks, letter pads and memorandum pads. The table shows product variants against the same tariff line, rather than separate codes.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the supplied heading data shows 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls. Import VAT is normally 20%. See UK import duty and VAT.

Confirm the commodity code against the finished pad's material and construction before declaring it. This guide concerns paper pads; do not assume plastic flags or mixed stationery sets use the same code. See notebooks, folders and office stationery for the wider heading.

Specify the paper and removable adhesive

Specify sheet dimensions, sheets per pad, paper grammage, colour, fibre composition, adhesive-strip position and width, backing card and retail packing. Agree the surfaces the notes must stick to, the application method, dwell time and removal test. Keep an approved sample for comparison, including print colour and writing performance.

For paper made from virgin pulp placed on the Great Britain market, confirm with the relevant authority whether timber due diligence is required of the importer first placing it there. Ask for fibre composition, species and country of harvest. For pads likely to be used by consumers, general product safety rules require safe products to be supplied in Great Britain.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 32,200 plain sticky note pads under 4820 10 30 00, invoiced at £5,200 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,000, so it is £1,400. 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

Adhesion: check that sheets peel individually, hold on the agreed surfaces and remove without adhesive residue or paper damage.

Paper: check dimensions, sheet count, colour, flatness and pen performance against the approved sample.

Print: check artwork, registration and legibility, and rub printed areas to check transfer.

Packing: check pad counts, backing cards, crushed corners and moisture damage on arrival. Use the same checks before dispatch; see quality inspection explained.

What goes wrong

Weak adhesive lets notes lift or fall; excessive adhesive leaves residue or tears the receiving paper. Uneven coating makes performance vary within a pad. Test production samples on the intended surfaces rather than judging tack by touch.

Paper can curl after damp storage, printed colours can differ from the approved sample, and pads can contain fewer sheets than ordered. Record defects by batch and compare arrival samples with retained production samples before accepting repeat supply.

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.