Importing guide · China to UK
Importing plastic toys from China to the UK
Toys are one of the most tightly regulated products you can import, and one of the most often stopped at the border. Test reports come first.
Rates checked against the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026. Your exact product may fall under a different code: check it before you order.
What to watch
- Get test reports against the EN 71 series for the exact toy, from an accredited laboratory, before you order.
- Put your name and address on the toy or its packaging, with the age warnings in English.
- Check that the age grading on the box matches what the test reports cover.
The UK rules
General Product Safety Regulations 2005
General product safety
- Supply only products that are safe in normal and foreseeable use.
- Give users the warnings and instructions they need, in English.
- Act if a product turns out to be unsafe, including telling the authorities.
Product Safety and Metrology (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and the product rules below
Your duties as importer of UKCA or CE marked goods
- Check the manufacturer carried out the right conformity assessment, drew up the technical documentation and affixed the marking.
- Put your name, trade name or trademark and postal address on the product (or its packaging or documents where that isn’t possible).
- Keep the technical documentation available, typically for 10 years after each product is placed on the market.
- Co-operate with market surveillance authorities.
- If you sell it under your own brand, or change it, you take on the manufacturer’s duties.
Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011
Toy safety
- Check the toy meets the safety requirements and carries the right warnings in English.
- Put your name and address on the toy, or where that isn’t possible its packaging.
Work it out for your order
- Landed-cost calculatorSet up for code 9503 00 75 00: add your price, quantity and freight.
- Price checkIs a quote too cheap? Compare it with what UK importers declare per kilo.
- Product rules checkerThe rules above, with a checklist to print and send to the supplier.
- Quote comparerCompare suppliers by landed cost.
- Spec sheet and AQLPut the quality standard in writing, with the inspection sample size.
Questions about importing plastic toys
What is the import duty on plastic toys from China?
Goods from China under commodity code 9503 00 75 00 pay 4% customs duty, with no anti-dumping duty, and 20% import VAT on top. Checked against the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026.
What rules apply to plastic toys imported into the UK?
General product safety, Your duties as importer of UKCA or CE marked goods, Toy safety. As the importer you are responsible for making sure the plastic toys meet them before they go on sale.
How much does the UK import from China under this code?
£47.0m in the 12 months to July 2026, under the 8-digit code 95030075 (plastic toys and models, incorporating a motor), according to HMRC’s overseas trade statistics.
Importing plastic toys?
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