Subheading · Chapter 49 · Heading 4909
4909.00: Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings
Subheading 4909.00 belongs to heading 4909 (printed or illustrated postcards) in chapter 49.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 4909 00 00 00 Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Import requirements 1
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Iraq, Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2020/707, S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code "EU") | Free | |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Malaysia | Free |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | £50.1m | 84.5% | -11.1% |
 Netherlands | £2.1m | 3.5% | -10.2% |
 Vietnam | £1.6m | 2.7% | -44.9% |
 Italy | £850k | 1.4% | +17.7% |
 India | £814k | 1.4% | -22.7% |
 Poland | £698k | 1.2% | +47.6% |
 United States | £613k | 1% | +25.3% |
 Ireland | £361k | 0.6% | -2.1% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU
TürkiyeWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$31.6kUS$31.6k+US$639k+US$7.4m+> US$49.9m
Exports: 158
- China: US$551.1m
- Vietnam: US$95.8m
- United Kingdom: US$78.1m
- Germany: US$50.7m
- United States: US$49.9m
- Netherlands: US$37.7m
- France: US$17.5m
- Italy: US$11.4m
- South Korea: US$9.9m
- Sweden: US$9.4m
- Poland: US$9.1m
- Belgium: US$9.1m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$7.9m
- Switzerland: US$7.4m
- Canada: US$6.1m
- India: US$4.9m
- Slovakia: US$4.4m
- Ireland: US$4.1m
- Philippines: US$4.1m
- Türkiye: US$4m
- Sri Lanka: US$4m
- Japan: US$3.7m
- Spain: US$3.2m
- Austria: US$2.8m
- Mexico: US$2.7m
- Czechia: US$2.6m
- Denmark: US$2.2m
- Hungary: US$1.5m
- Australia: US$1.4m
- South Africa: US$1.1m
- Taiwan: US$1m
- Portugal: US$894.3k
- Malaysia: US$700.5k
- Bangladesh: US$691.5k
- Israel: US$639k
- Singapore: US$595.5k
- Thailand: US$507.9k
- Indonesia: US$497.5k
- Greece: US$410.2k
- Serbia: US$391.9k
- United Arab Emirates: US$363.7k
- New Zealand: US$331.3k
- Russia: US$331.1k
- Colombia: US$286.9k
- Romania: US$277.8k
- Norway: US$245.6k
- Chile: US$222.9k
- Estonia: US$187.2k
- Haiti: US$183k
- Lithuania: US$167.7k
- Latvia: US$160.5k
- Kenya: US$145.6k
- Bulgaria: US$145.2k
- Lebanon: US$131.5k
- Croatia: US$116.6k
- Jordan: US$112.1k
- Rwanda: US$99.4k
- Brazil: US$93.9k
- North Macedonia: US$89.1k
- Finland: US$83.3k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$126kUS$126k+US$721.8k+US$5m+> US$31.7m
Imports: 204
- United States: US$400.5m
- Canada: US$86.8m
- United Kingdom: US$86.3m
- Germany: US$68.1m
- Netherlands: US$34.3m
- Switzerland: US$33m
- Belgium: US$31.7m
- Ireland: US$28.4m
- France: US$26.3m
- Australia: US$25.8m
- Austria: US$21.3m
- Japan: US$16.1m
- Poland: US$11.1m
- Denmark: US$9.6m
- Italy: US$9m
- Norway: US$8.9m
- Sweden: US$8.1m
- Spain: US$7.7m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$6.3m
- China: US$5.2m
- Portugal: US$5m
- New Zealand: US$5m
- Singapore: US$4.3m
- Thailand: US$4.2m
- Czechia: US$4.1m
- Malaysia: US$3.5m
- South Korea: US$3.2m
- Hungary: US$3m
- Finland: US$2.5m
- Mexico: US$2.3m
- United Arab Emirates: US$2.3m
- Slovakia: US$2.2m
- Philippines: US$2m
- Luxembourg: US$1.8m
- Greece: US$1.7m
- Vietnam: US$1.5m
- Taiwan: US$1.4m
- Slovenia: US$1.3m
- Romania: US$1.3m
- South Africa: US$1.3m
- Saudi Arabia: US$1.2m
- India: US$1.2m
- Indonesia: US$1m
- Ghana: US$986.3k
- Israel: US$970.6k
- Malta: US$891.2k
- Kyrgyzstan: US$870.7k
- Russia: US$805.4k
- Bulgaria: US$792.3k
- Madagascar: US$732k
- Brazil: US$721.8k
- Cyprus: US$704.9k
- Qatar: US$693.1k
- Estonia: US$671.8k
- Kazakhstan: US$658.9k
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$628.3k
- Egypt: US$615.1k
- Serbia: US$598.5k
- Nigeria: US$583.4k
- Costa Rica: US$578.8k
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$551.1m | 54.6% |
| 2 | Vietnam | US$95.8m | 9.5% |
| 3 | United Kingdom | US$78.1m | 7.7% |
| 4 |  Germany | US$50.7m | 5% |
| 5 | United States | US$49.9m | 4.9% |
| 6 | Netherlands | US$37.7m | 3.7% |
| 7 |  France | US$17.5m | 1.7% |
| 8 | Italy | US$11.4m | 1.1% |
| 9 |  South Korea | US$9.9m | 1% |
| 10 |  Sweden | US$9.4m | 0.9% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$400.5m | 39.7% |
| 2 |  Canada | US$86.8m | 8.6% |
| 3 | United Kingdom | US$86.3m | 8.6% |
| 4 | Germany | US$68.1m | 6.8% |
| 5 | Netherlands | US$34.3m | 3.4% |
| 6 |  Switzerland | US$33m | 3.3% |
| 7 |  Belgium | US$31.7m | 3.1% |
| 8 | Ireland | US$28.4m | 2.8% |
| 9 | France | US$26.3m | 2.6% |
| 10 |  Australia | US$25.8m | 2.6% |
Binding rulings for similar goods 24
Decisions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CROSS) and HMRC (Advance Tariff Rulings) on goods classified here. A ruling binds only its holder, but shows how the authorities classify similar goods. The descriptions are the authorities’ own, in English.
- N364117 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a Valentine’s Day cards with novelties kit from China.
- N356168 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of greeting cards, calendars, and journals from China
- N354672 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of Valentine’s Day card puppets from China
- N353994 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of greeting cards and calendars from China and Vietnam
- N353018 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of Valentine’s Day cards with novelty items from China
- N350036 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of paper cards with envelopes from Cambodia
- 600015372 HMRC
16pk party invites set Lets party invites include - 16x invites 16x white envelopes size -15cm x 10cm
- 600015273 HMRC
Seed paper postcard of approximately 140gsm, made from natural, biodegradable cotton fibres and embedded with crushed wildflower seeds. The postcard is rectangle and in size A6, which is printed upon with a company logo. These are marketed as biodegradable promotional items. No guarantee of…
24 rulings in total for this code
Subheading 4909.00 is a single line in the EU Combined Nomenclature, where the duty is duty-free.
The Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule has one tariff line for subheading 4909.00; the duty is duty-free.
156 countries pay no duty in the UK thanks to trade agreements and preference schemes such as DCTS Comprehensive and European Union, against a standard rate of .
Imports of these goods into the UK came to £59.3m between September 2025 and August 2026 (down 12% on the year before); China supplied 85%, followed by Netherlands.
In 2024, countries exported these goods worth US$1bn (+8.2% year on year).
The largest exporter was China (US$551.1m), followed by Vietnam.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings?
Printed or illustrated postcards; printed cards bearing personal greetings, messages or announcements, whether or not illustrated, with or without envelopes or trimmings fall under HS subheading 4909.00, part of heading 4909, in section X of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on printed or illustrated postcards in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 4909.00 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on printed or illustrated postcards in the EU?
Under the Turkish Customs Tariff Schedule, imports under 4909.00 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most printed or illustrated postcards?
China, with US$551.1m in 2024 (54.6% of world exports).
Which countries can export these goods to the UK duty-free?
156 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, CARIFORUM. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were China (85%), Netherlands (4%) and Vietnam (3%), out of total imports of £59.3m.