Subheading · Chapter 96 · Heading 9608
9608.10: Ballpoint pens: ballpoint pens
Ballpoint pens
Official description Ballpoint pens
9608.10 is the HS subheading for ballpoint pens, under heading 9608 in chapter 96.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 9608 10 00 00 Ballpoint pens p/st
- 9608 10 10 00 With liquid ink (rolling ball pens) 2%p/st
- Other p/st
- 9608 10 92 00 With replaceable refill 2%p/st
- 9608 10 99 00 Other 2%p/st
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 1
- Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 598
- Documents
- 9014
Import requirements 2
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlImport control - CITES
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 2021 No. 54
- Documents
- C400 Presentation of the required "CITES" certificate
- Y900 Declared goods do not belong to the Washington Convention (CITES)
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | 2% |
| 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 | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | 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 |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | 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 | £41.3m | 54.4% | -7.8% |
 France | £10.2m | 13.5% | -13.2% |
 Japan | £7.6m | 10% | -10.6% |
 Germany | £3.9m | 5.2% | -7.9% |
 Mexico | £2.7m | 3.6% | +13.1% |
 India | £2.4m | 3.1% | -10.5% |
 Italy | £2.2m | 2.9% | +83% |
 Switzerland | £1.5m | 1.9% | +8.3% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU
TürkiyeWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$73kUS$73k+US$3m+US$15m+> US$165m
Exports: 179
- China: US$1bn
- Japan: US$445m
- France: US$228m
- Germany: US$206m
- India: US$165m
- Mexico: US$141m
- Switzerland: US$73m
- United States: US$73m
- Italy: US$62m
- Tunisia: US$57m
- Poland: US$53m
- Czechia: US$47m
- Spain: US$40m
- Netherlands: US$36m
- Slovakia: US$36m
- South Korea: US$28m
- United Kingdom: US$15m
- Kenya: US$14m
- Taiwan: US$13m
- Türkiye: US$13m
- Indonesia: US$11m
- Belgium: US$10m
- Ireland: US$10m
- Malaysia: US$9m
- South Africa: US$9m
- Hungary: US$8m
- Brazil: US$7m
- Vietnam: US$7m
- Sweden: US$6m
- Peru: US$5m
- Slovenia: US$4m
- Singapore: US$4m
- Romania: US$4m
- New Zealand: US$4m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$4m
- Thailand: US$4m
- Denmark: US$4m
- Austria: US$4m
- Russia: US$3m
- Latvia: US$3m
- Portugal: US$3m
- Chile: US$2m
- Greece: US$2m
- United Arab Emirates: US$1m
- Serbia: US$1m
- Egypt: US$1m
- Canada: US$992k
- Australia: US$934k
- Estonia: US$932k
- Guatemala: US$891k
- Panama: US$850k
- Croatia: US$812k
- Nigeria: US$653k
- Sri Lanka: US$650k
- Bulgaria: US$616k
- Aruba: US$608k
- Saudi Arabia: US$606k
- Israel: US$524k
- Lithuania: US$504k
- Finland: US$480k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$2mUS$2m+US$8m+US$38m+> US$93m
Imports: 219
- United States: US$501m
- France: US$193m
- Germany: US$175m
- Mexico: US$124m
- United Kingdom: US$112m
- China: US$96m
- Slovakia: US$93m
- Italy: US$91m
- Spain: US$87m
- Canada: US$80m
- Poland: US$77m
- Netherlands: US$75m
- Russia: US$61m
- South Korea: US$56m
- United Arab Emirates: US$51m
- Czechia: US$50m
- Vietnam: US$47m
- Philippines: US$45m
- Austria: US$41m
- Australia: US$40m
- Japan: US$38m
- Switzerland: US$38m
- Saudi Arabia: US$38m
- Indonesia: US$35m
- India: US$35m
- Belgium: US$32m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$31m
- Brazil: US$28m
- Thailand: US$27m
- Taiwan: US$24m
- Romania: US$22m
- Singapore: US$21m
- Colombia: US$19m
- Chile: US$18m
- Greece: US$17m
- Sweden: US$17m
- Türkiye: US$15m
- Peru: US$15m
- Denmark: US$15m
- Kyrgyzstan: US$15m
- Malaysia: US$14m
- Israel: US$14m
- Hungary: US$14m
- Iraq: US$14m
- Ireland: US$14m
- South Africa: US$13m
- Algeria: US$13m
- Portugal: US$13m
- Morocco: US$11m
- Kazakhstan: US$11m
- Guatemala: US$11m
- Finland: US$10m
- Argentina: US$9m
- Ukraine: US$8m
- Qatar: US$8m
- New Zealand: US$8m
- Tajikistan: US$8m
- Uganda: US$8m
- Kuwait: US$8m
- Ecuador: US$8m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$1bn | 38.2% |
| 2 | Japan | US$445m | 14.5% |
| 3 | France | US$228m | 7.4% |
| 4 | Germany | US$206m | 6.7% |
| 5 | India | US$165m | 5.4% |
| 6 | Mexico | US$141m | 4.6% |
| 7 | Switzerland | US$73m | 2.4% |
| 8 |  United States | US$73m | 2.4% |
| 9 | Italy | US$62m | 2% |
| 10 |  Tunisia | US$57m | 1.9% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$501m | 16.4% |
| 2 | France | US$193m | 6.3% |
| 3 | Germany | US$175m | 5.7% |
| 4 | Mexico | US$124m | 4% |
| 5 | United Kingdom | US$112m | 3.6% |
| 6 | China | US$96m | 3.1% |
| 7 |  Slovakia | US$93m | 3% |
| 8 | Italy | US$91m | 3% |
| 9 |  Spain | US$87m | 2.9% |
| 10 |  Canada | US$80m | 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.
- N364145 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a ballpoint pen from China
- N350094 U.S. CBP
The classification of a direct mail package with a multifunctional pen from China
- N347310 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a ceramic-handled cup, a ballpoint pen, and a miniature plastic ball from China
- N343070 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of gel pens from China
- H337372 U.S. CBP
Request for Further Review of Protest No. 3002-22-104032; Tariff classification of various miniature backpacks, miniature novelty items, and miniature utility items from China.
- N331296 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of a calendar, memo pads, and pen from China
- 600013902 HMRC
Neon pens. A set of 6 assorted neon coloured gel pens. The pens are used for handwriting or colouring by adults or children at school, home or whilst working. The pens consist of a hollow clear plastic shaft with a tube of coloured neon gel ink inside. The ink is dispersed onto paper whilst…
- 600013903 HMRC
Gel pens. A set of 6 assorted coloured gel pens. The pens are used for handwriting or colouring by adults or children at school, home or whilst working. The pens are a hollow clear plastic shaft with a tube of coloured gel ink. The ink is dispersed onto paper whilst writing by a copper rolling…
- 600013904 HMRC
Ballpoint pens. 10 pens in a pack. The body of the pen is made from moulded plastic casing with a colour removable top, denoting the colour of the ink within the pen. The pen has a roller ball at the tip to distribute the ink evenly whilst writing. Three colours in the pack. 3 blue, 3 red, 4 black…
24 rulings in total for this code
The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 9608.10 into 3 tariff lines; the duty is 2%.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, subheading 9608.10 covers 3 tariff lines and the duty is 3.7%.
174 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 2%.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
Imports of ballpoint pens into the UK came to £76m between September 2025 and August 2026 (down 6% on the year before); China supplied 54%, followed by France.
In 2024, countries exported ballpoint pens worth US$3bn (−0.3% year on year).
The largest exporter was China (US$1bn), followed by Japan.
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for ballpoint pens: ballpoint pens?
Ballpoint pens: ballpoint pens fall under HS subheading 9608.10, part of heading 9608, in section XX of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on ballpoint pens: ballpoint pens in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 9608.10 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 2%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on ballpoint pens: ballpoint pens in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 9608.10 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 3.7%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most ballpoint pens: ballpoint pens?
China, with US$1bn in 2024 (38.2% of world exports).
Which countries can export ballpoint pens to the UK duty-free?
174 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of 2% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Is there anti-dumping duty on ballpoint pens?
The UK charges additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. Lower rates apply to the named exporters listed in the measure.
Where does the UK import ballpoint pens from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were China (54%), France (14%) and Japan (10%), out of total imports of £76m.