Detailed Procedures for Exporting Furniture Made from Natural Wood and Engineered Wood
Export procedures for wooden furniture are currently a topic of great interest among businesses involved in import–export activities. Compared with many other commodities, furniture products require relatively complex procedures. So what exactly are the procedures for exporting wooden furniture? The article below by K PLUS will provide a detailed explanation.
Conditions for Exporting Wooden Furniture
Under current regulations, furniture products made from wood are not included in the list of prohibited export goods; therefore, enterprises may export them as normal. However, the type of wood used for furniture must be legally permitted for production and export under current regulations. Exporters should check whether the wood they intend to export falls under the list of prohibited or restricted species (subject to the CITES Convention).
Furniture products made from natural wood that falls under the prohibited list are not allowed to be exported. Manufacturers and transporters may even be subject to penalties in accordance with the law.
To enjoy tariff preferences in the importing country, exporters should ask the importer to check with local customs authorities regarding applicable permits, especially the Certificate of Origin (C/O).
For all wooden furniture products, phytosanitary inspection and fumigation are required prior to export. In particular, to complete all export procedures for wooden furniture, enterprises must submit documents proving the legal origin of forest products to customs authorities for verification.
It can be said that proving the legal origin of forest products is a very important procedure to ensure the shipment is eligible for customs clearance and import into foreign markets. Therefore, enterprises must not overlook this step. If an enterprise lacks experience in handling wooden furniture export procedures, it is advisable to use customs clearance services provided by logistics companies.
HS Codes for Wooden Furniture Products
When exporting goods, determining the HS code is essential for all enterprises, as it helps identify applicable tax regulations.
Wooden furniture products fall under Chapter 94 – Furniture; bedding, mattresses, mattress supports, cushions and similar stuffed furnishings; lamps and lighting fittings; illuminated signs and nameplates; prefabricated buildings.
Chapter 94 includes many specific HS subcodes for different furniture items. Enterprises should refer to the current export tariff schedule to identify the correct code based on the actual product.
Some reference HS codes include:
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940350 – Wooden furniture used in bedrooms
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940360 – Other wooden furniture
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940161 – Other seats with wooden frames, upholstered
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940169 – Other seats with wooden frames, other types
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940190 – Parts of seats (excluding those of heading 94.02)
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940390 – Parts of other furniture
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940340 – Wooden furniture used in kitchens
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940490 – Mattress supports; articles of bedding and similar furnishings
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940389 – Furniture made of rattan, wicker, and similar materials (such as bamboo, rattan)
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940330 – Other wooden furniture used in offices
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940151 – Seats made of bamboo or rattan
Export Procedures for Furniture Made from Natural Wood
Compared with furniture made from engineered wood, natural wood furniture involves much more complicated export procedures, as the origin of the wood must be verified prior to export.
Therefore, export procedures for furniture made from natural wood such as tables, chairs, beds, and cabinets require full preparation of customs documents and dossiers proving the legal origin of forest products. These requirements are stipulated in Clause 1, Article 17 of Circular No. 01/2012/TT-BNNPTNT dated January 4, 2012, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Required documents include:
1. Legal forest product dossier
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If the wood is purchased from a wood processing factory in Vietnam, the enterprise must submit a sales invoice in accordance with Ministry of Finance regulations, along with a forest product list certified by the local forest ranger authority.
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If the wood is purchased from farmers, a forest product list certified by the local authority is required.
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If imported wood is used as raw material, the dossier must include the customs declaration for the imported timber.
2. Customs dossier for exporting wooden furniture
The customs documents include:
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Export customs declaration
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Forest product list
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Commercial invoice
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Input invoice for purchasing natural wood materials from factories or enterprises
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Packing list
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Bill of lading
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Sales contract
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Fumigation certificate
Export Procedures for Furniture Made from Engineered Wood
For furniture made from engineered wood such as MDF or MFC, export procedures are similar to those for ordinary goods. Enterprises are not required to prepare a legal forest product dossier and only need to submit standard export customs documents.
Specifically, the required documents include:
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Export customs declaration
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Commercial invoice
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Packing list
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Sales contract
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Fumigation certificate
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Bill of lading
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Other supporting documents (if any)
Tax Policy for Wooden Furniture Products
When exporting wooden furniture, enterprises should carefully review tax regulations. Based on the HS code of the exported product, applicable export taxes can be determined.
If you are unable to handle wooden furniture export procedures on your own, you may use the customs clearance services provided by K PLUS. K PLUS will support and assist you in completing export procedures quickly, accurately, and at the most cost-effective rates.
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