Plan the import before the goods leave.
Prepare the product, supplier, costs and broker information before your first commercial import.
Scope: ordinary commercial imports to Great Britain. Check route-specific rules and specialist treatment separately.
The short answer
Start with the goods and the movement, not a guessed percentage for “China imports”. The commodity, origin, value, route and intended use affect the information and checks you need. A supplier’s export paperwork is useful evidence, but it does not replace your UK import review.
Get the business and goods ready
For a permanent commercial import to Great Britain, follow the GOV.UK import checklist, including the EORI and declaration arrangements. Identify the product clearly enough to review classification and any product-specific licensing, certification or marking requirements. Northern Ireland movements can follow different rules; confirm the correct route.
Ask the supplier for a usable data set
Request the legal supplier details, invoice currency and references, product descriptions, quantities, unit and line values, country-of-origin information, net/gross weights and packaging details. For uncertain descriptions, collect composition, function, photographs or specifications. Keep the original description alongside any clarified wording.
Compare the complete commercial offer
Record what the quote includes: goods, freight, insurance, handling, delivery and any stated clearance service. Ask who arranges the broker and who is intended to be importer. Record that agreement rather than assuming that a delivered-price label supplies every answer. Compare offers using the same delivery scope and saleable quantities.
Prepare the agent instruction
Agree who will make the declaration. Supply the reviewed goods data, valuation inputs and supporting documents; identify gaps explicitly. GOV.UK advises retaining commercial invoices and customs records. After clearance, compare actual charges with the estimate so your next purchase is based on evidence.
A workable first-shipment checklist
Create a draft shipment; enter the supplier and proposed goods; attach document references; identify unanswered questions; review the commodity candidates; establish costs and rates; prepare broker information; record actual bills. If the next order repeats the product, reuse the data as a starting point and recheck quantities, origin and current treatment.
Official sources / what may change
Sources reviewed 5 October 2026. Rates, measures and route-specific requirements may change. Verify them for the actual movement; no tariff rate is preselected by this guide.