Sourcing air conditioners from China: F-gas rules

Duty and the F-gas control

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, self-contained and split-system air conditioners for fixing to a window, wall, ceiling or floor, and other air conditioning machines, carried 2% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. The lines pre-charged with hydrofluorocarbons also carry an import control on fluorinated greenhouse gases.

The tariff splits each type by whether it is pre-charged with HFCs, so the refrigerant decides the commodity code as well as the rules.

Quota authorisations and the declaration

GOV.UK says an importer only needs to register on the F gas service and obtain quota authorisations when importing HFCs equivalent to 100 tonnes of CO2 or more in a calendar year, and that above that level the importer of pre-charged refrigeration, air conditioning or heat pump equipment must certify, in a declaration of conformity, that the HFCs are covered by a quota authorisation or delegation. Pre-charged equipment cannot be imported without enough authorisations, and the declaration is kept for five years.

Work out the CO2 equivalent of each shipment from the refrigerant type and charge on the nameplate before booking, because a container of split units can pass the threshold quickly.

Refrigerant bans

GOV.UK lists the product bans that apply to new equipment in Great Britain. Single split systems containing less than 3 kg of refrigerant are banned from 2025 where the refrigerant's global warming potential is above 750, subject to applicable exemptions, including stationary systems used solely to cool products, air-to-water systems and systems fitted to maritime craft. Movable air conditioners are already banned above a GWP of 150, subject to applicable exemptions. Ask the factory for the refrigerant, its GWP and the charge for every model, and choose models that meet the bans.

Installation of split systems also needs a qualified F-gas technician, which is part of the customer's plan, not the import.

Worked duty example

An invented example rather than a quote: 500 HFC pre-charged split-system air conditioners, commodity code 8415 10 90 10, bought for £150,000 free on board, with £6,000 of freight and insurance, so £156,000 is the value customs works from. Duty at the 2% rate for split air conditioners is £3,120. VAT at 20% applies to £159,120, so £31,824. A VAT-registered buyer usually recovers the VAT, so the border adds £3,120 to the landed cost. Check the CO2 equivalent of the shipment too: a container like this can pass the 100-tonne F-gas threshold. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.

Inspection checklist

Electrical safety: ask for the test report to BS EN 60335-2-40 for each model, and check end-of-line earth continuity, insulation and electric strength records on sampled indoor and outdoor units.

Noise: ask for sound power levels of indoor and outdoor units measured to BS EN 12102-1, and check the figures on the label and in the manual match the report.

F-gas labels and transit: check the nameplate shows the refrigerant, charge in kilograms and CO2 equivalent as Article 12 of retained Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 requires, and check compressor transit bolts and outdoor unit packing on sampled cartons. Check compressor transit bolts and outdoor unit packing before shipping air conditioners from China to the UK.

What goes wrong

Air conditioners fail on refrigerant, capacity and leaks. Units arrive charged with a different refrigerant or charge from the nameplate, or with a refrigerant whose global warming potential breaches the GB ban for that equipment type, cooling capacity and seasonal efficiency fall short of the energy label, brazed joints leak after installation, and control boards fail in the first season. Energy labels and product information sheets are missing or do not match the tested model.

Confirm refrigerant, GWP and charge on each model's nameplate before ordering, ask for capacity tests to BS EN 14511 and seasonal efficiency to BS EN 14825 that support the energy label under the ecodesign and energy labelling rules for air conditioners, helium or nitrogen leak-test production units, run each sample through a cooling and heating cycle, and check labels, manuals and spare control boards before shipment.

Performance and after-sales

Ask for the cooling and heating capacity and efficiency test data for each model, the noise level of indoor and outdoor units, and the electrical safety evidence, and check nameplates at inspection. Spare parts, remotes and PCBs should be in the first order; WEEE obligations apply.

Cambridge China Bridge sources air conditioning units, with the refrigerant, F-gas quota position and after-sales parts planned before the order. See how our sourcing service works.

Related guides: Sourcing refrigerant gas blends from China. For hydronic equipment, see our hydronic fan coil sourcing guide. For vehicle applications, see our guide to bus air conditioning units.

For display fridges, bottle coolers and commercial freezers, see Commercial fridges and display freezers from China.