Sourcing 8620 case-hardening bars from China
UK duty on the relevant 8620 case-hardening steel bar lines ranges from 0% to 50%. Classify by composition, working condition and diameter, not the grade name alone. Hot-rolled lines show a rebar anti-dumping measure; genuine engineering bar needs the exemption declaration. Cambridge China Bridge sources 8620 case-hardening steel bars.
Duty depends on how the bar is supplied
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7228 covers other alloy steel bars and rods, sections and hollow drill bars. This guide concerns 8620 case-hardening bar only. The selected hot-rolled round-bar lines show 50%; forged bar shows 0%; cold-finished round bar shows 0% at diameters of 80 mm or more and 50% below 80 mm.
The hot-rolled lines also show 22.50 % residual anti-dumping duty. The published alloy-bar guide explains that this targets high-fatigue-performance concrete reinforcing bar; other bars use additional code 8W01 and pay no anti-dumping duty. It also describes 0% steel quotas alongside the 50% rates. Ask your broker to confirm quota availability and the exemption declaration. The supplied snapshot lists no countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for the selected lines.
Confirm the commodity code using the mill chemistry, cross-section, diameter and manufacturing route. A grade name alone does not establish the line, and peeled or ground bar needs its actual processing described. See the wider alloy steel bars guide for heading coverage and the duty and VAT guide for landed-cost calculations.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other hot-rolled alloy round bars, diameter 80 mm or more | 7228 30 61 00 | 50% | 22.50% residual anti-dumping |
| Other hot-rolled alloy round bars, diameter under 80 mm, excluding rebar | 7228 30 69 99 | 50% | 22.50% residual anti-dumping |
| Other alloy steel bars, not further worked than forged | 7228 40 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Other cold-formed or cold-finished alloy round bars, diameter 80 mm or more | 7228 50 61 00 | 0% | None |
| Other cold-formed or cold-finished alloy round bars, diameter under 80 mm | 7228 50 69 00 | 50% | None |
Specify the 8620 grade and carburising route
State the exact grade specification and its edition, required chemistry, delivery condition, diameter, length, straightness and machining allowance. Identify whether the bars are hot-rolled, forged, cold-drawn, peeled or ground. Treat any proposed equivalent grade as a change requiring your technical approval, rather than accepting a supplier's cross-reference table.
Agree incoming hardness and the intended carburising and hardening route with your machinist or heat-treatment contractor. Define the finished component's case-depth, surface-hardness and core-property acceptance criteria in the drawing. Ask for heat-specific mill certificates showing chemistry, condition and mechanical results, with ultrasonic testing where the application needs it.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of hot-rolled 8620 round bar under 80 mm, not rebar under 7228 30 69 99, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £20,000. Duty at 50% is £10,000. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,000, so it is £6,000. Import taxes total £16,000; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £10,000 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match bundle tags and bar markings to the heat numbers on the type 3.1 inspection certificates; keep different heats identifiable after cutting.
Chemistry and condition: independently check sample chemistry and incoming hardness against the agreed grade and delivery condition before releasing the batch for machining.
Dimensions and defects: measure diameter, ovality, straightness and usable length; inspect for seams, rust, handling damage and decarburisation, and review agreed ultrasonic results.
Packing: check moisture protection, secure bundles and readable identification. Specify solid wood packaging requirements in the contract with the exporter.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
A substituted grade or mixed heat can machine acceptably but respond differently during carburising and hardening. Missing heat identification makes a certificate difficult to connect to the actual bars. Surface seams, decarburisation and internal defects can emerge only after machining or heat treatment; agree sampling and acceptance before shipment, then hold suspect material separately on arrival.
Budgeting every 8620 bar at 0% overlooks the processing and diameter distinctions in the tariff. Quota exhaustion or a missing rebar exemption declaration can also change clearance costs. Have the broker review the mill documents and declaration before dispatch, and use factory verification to check the supplier's production and traceability capability.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on 8620 steel bars from China?
The selected lines show 0% to 50%: forged bar and cold-finished round bar of 80 mm or more show 0%; selected hot-rolled rounds and smaller cold-finished rounds show 50%. Ask your broker about quota eligibility.
Does 8620 engineering bar attract rebar anti-dumping duty?
The hot-rolled lines list 22.50 %, but the published alloy-bar guide limits it to high-fatigue-performance rebar. Other bars use additional code 8W01; have your broker confirm the declaration and supporting description.
What mill certificate should accompany 8620 bars?
Ask for a type 3.1 inspection certificate identifying each heat, chemistry, delivery condition and mechanical results. Match its heat numbers to the bars and agree independent chemistry and hardness checks.
Will the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism affect these bars?
Confirm with HMRC or your customs broker whether and when these lines fall within the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism. Discuss registration exposure with your adviser and request supplier emissions data before arranging later imports.