UK Global Tariff · commodity code · HS 4903.00
4903 00 00 00: Children's picture, drawing or colouring books
Children's picture and colouring books
✓ Can be used in a customs declaration Data: UK Global Tariff · checked on 22 October 2026
- 4903 Children's picture, drawing or colouring books
- 4903 00 00 00 Children's picture, drawing or colouring books
What you pay
Importing into UK
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 |
Footnotes
TN701 According to the Council Regulation (EU) No 692/2014 (OJ L183, p. 9), as retained in UK La…
The prohibition shall not apply in respect of:
(a) the execution until 26 September 2014, of trade contracts concluded before 25 June 2014, or of ancillary contracts necessary for the execution of such contracts, provided that the natural or legal persons, entity or body seeking to perform the contract have notified, at least 10 working days in advance, the activity or transaction to the competent authority of the Member State in which they are established.
(b) goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol which have been made available to the Ukrainian authorities for examination, for which compliance with the conditions conferring entitlement to preferential origin has been verified and for which a certificate of origin has been issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 978/2012 and Regulation (EU) No 374/2014, as retained in UK Law, or in accordance with the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
UK: imports by month · HS 4903.00
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | £88.6m | 84.8% | +5.7% |
 Hong Kong SAR China | £4.1m | 3.9% | -52.9% |
 Vietnam | £2.7m | 2.6% | +175.5% |
 United States | £2.4m | 2.3% | -24.9% |
 India | £1.3m | 1.3% | -22.3% |
 Malaysia | £1.3m | 1.2% | -20.7% |
 Germany | £1m | 1% | +25.4% |
 Poland | £1m | 1% | -34.6% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU
TürkiyeBinding rulings for similar goods
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.
- 600016554 HMRC
A Colouring book from the National Trust Colouring Cards and Envelopes series. Consisting of 24 pre-designed cards and envelopes with black and white illustrations, intended for colouring in. There are also blank spaces on the cards and envelopes for messages, signatures, addresses etc. to be…
- 600015278 HMRC
The product is an activity pack for children. The product is packed into a reusable tin containing an embossed design with a plastic handle to carry the contents in. Size of the box 200mm x 165 mmx 65 mm. The tin has a colourful cardboard cover. Contents of tin - 2 Colouring and Activity books,…
- 600011960 HMRC
A Children's book for bath playtime. It has 4 leaves (3 spreads), all leaves with integral handle. The measurement is 195 x 150mm and has a portrait Print. The book has 2 flaps included as part of the book block and folded, 1 flap heat sealed into the gutter. Each flap is double sided with 3mm…
- 600011961 HMRC
A Fabric Book which measures 150 mm x 150 mm (square). It has 4 leaves including the cover. It is made of polyester fibre and Polyethylene Terephthalate. A crinkle section measures 64mm (w) x 25mm (h). It also includes a Teething Ring which has a circular shape and measures 4.5 x 3.5cm. It is made…
- 600011138 HMRC
This is an activity set aimed for children consisting of a 32 page colouring book, 5 felt tip pens and 3 sticker sheets consisting of approximately 50 stickers to enhance the colouring and artwork of favourite characters. They are all packaged together for retail sale, packaged in a card envelope.
- 600010962 HMRC
A children's activity book, consisting of 48 pages. The book is A4 size and has wipe clean pages and cover. It is made of paper with a plastic spiral binding. Included is a black wipe clean pen, held in the spiral binding. The book is 'in the ocean' themed and includes activities such as tracing…
- 600010961 HMRC
A hardback activity book designed for children with space themed activities. It includes a 32 sheet large activity pad. Containing activities such as colouring, mazes, drawing, puzzles and counting tasks. Also includes two small pads, one lined and one plain and 10 coloured felt tip pens, held in…
- 600010739 HMRC
MindShots are are designed to exercise a child’s mind. They are bite sized creative activity packs for kids age 5-10 with paper based colouring, dot to dot, drawing, puzzles and cross words and also include some text that is short and simple. MindShot is made from card / paper that is recyclable.…
Legal notes
Notes
1. This chapter does not cover:
(a) photographic negatives or positives on transparent bases (Chapter 37);
(b) maps, plans or globes, in relief, whether or not printed (heading 9023);
(c) playing cards or other goods of Chapter 95; or
(d) original engravings, prints or lithographs (heading 9702), postage or revenue stamps, stamp-postmarks, first-day covers, postal stationery or the like of heading 9704, antiques of an age exceeding 100 years or other articles of Chapter 97.
2. For the purposes of Chapter 49, the term ‘printed’ also means reproduced by means of a duplicating machine, produced under the control of an automatic data-processing machine, embossed, photographed, photocopied, thermocopied or typewritten.
3. Newspapers, journals and periodicals which are bound otherwise than in paper, and sets of newspapers, journals or periodicals comprising more than one number under a single cover are to be classified in heading 4901, whether or not containing advertising material.
4. Heading 4901 also covers:
(a) a collection of printed reproductions of, for example, works of art or drawings, with a relative text, put up with numbered pages in a form suitable for binding into one or more volumes;
(b) a pictorial supplement accompanying, and subsidiary to, a bound volume; and
(c) printed parts of books or booklets, in the form of assembled or separate sheets or signatures, constituting the whole or a part of a complete work and designed for binding.
However, printed pictures or illustrations not bearing a text, whether in the form of signatures or separate sheets, fall in heading 4911.
5. Subject to note 3 to this chapter, heading 4901 does not cover publications which are essentially devoted to advertising (for example, brochures, pamphlets, leaflets, trade catalogues, yearbooks published by trade associations, tourist propaganda). Such publications are to be classified in heading 4911.
6. For the purposes of heading 4903, the expression ‘children's picture books’ means books for children in which the pictures form the principal interest and the text is subsidiary.
In the UK Global Tariff, 4903 00 00 00 is one of 1 line under subheading 4903.00, children's picture, drawing or colouring books.
No rate is printed on this line itself.
Goods from 156 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard; 156 of them pay no duty at all, for example under DCTS Comprehensive or European Union.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported children's picture and colouring books (HS 4903.00) worth £104.5m (down 1% on the year before), at an average of £3.62 per kg; China supplied 85%, followed by Hong Kong SAR China.
For the same subheading, the EU duty is free, the Türkiye duty is free and the US duty is free.
The UK imported goods of subheading 4903.00 worth US$130m in 2024; the largest supplier was China.
Questions and answers
Which countries get a lower rate on 4903 00 00 00?
156 countries have a preferential rate on this line, 156 of them at 0%, under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union and CARIFORUM and other arrangements. The rate applies only to goods that meet the rules of origin of the agreement, with proof of origin. Choose the country of origin on this page to see its rate.
Where does the UK import these goods from?
For subheading 4903.00 as a whole, the largest supplier in 2024 was China (US$96.5m), followed by Hong Kong SAR China.