Aluminium wire and conductors from China
Aluminium wire and bare stranded aluminium conductors from China, including alloy wire, copper-clad aluminium wire and steel-cored or all-aluminium conductors, pay 0% UK duty on every line of headings 7605 and 7614, with no anti-dumping duty. Buyers check resistance, strength and drums, and copper-clad wire must never be sold as copper.
Aluminium and alloy wire, copper-clad aluminium wire and bare stranded aluminium conductors from China pay 0% UK duty. Conductor, CCA and drum checks explained.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 7605 covers aluminium wire and heading 7614 stranded wire, cables and plaited bands of aluminium, not electrically insulated. All six leaves of 7605 and both leaves of 7614 carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure, no registration and no suspension.
Aluminium rod and bars are heading 7604 (see our aluminium extrusions guide), insulated cable is heading 8544, and bare copper conductors are covered in our bare stranded copper wire guide; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-alloy aluminium wire, over 7 mm | 7605 11 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Copper-clad non-alloy aluminium wire, 2 mm to 6 mm (listed) | 7605 19 00 10 | 0% | None |
| Other non-alloy aluminium wire | 7605 19 00 90 | 0% | None |
| Alloy wire 9.50 mm to 19.15 mm for aeronautical fasteners | 7605 21 00 10 | 0% | None |
| Other alloy wire, over 7 mm | 7605 21 00 90 | 0% | None |
| Other alloy wire | 7605 29 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Stranded wire and cables with steel core | 7614 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other stranded wire and cables | 7614 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Conductors and copper-clad wire
Overhead line conductors are bought to the network operator's specification and a named conductor standard, so ask for type test and routine test reports covering resistance, breaking load, lay length and zinc coating on steel cores.
Copper-clad aluminium wire has an aluminium core with a thin copper layer. It has higher resistance than solid copper, so it must be described as copper-clad aluminium on invoices, labels and product listings, and checked for cladding thickness.
Specifying aluminium wire
Specify alloy and temper, diameter and tolerance, conductor size and stranding, resistance at 20 degrees C, tensile strength and elongation, steel core grade and coating for steel-cored conductors, grease if any, and drum type, length per drum and end sealing.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 20 tonnes of steel-cored aluminium conductor on drums, entered under 7614 10 00 00: £60,000 free on board plus £3,000 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £63,000. Steel-cored aluminium conductor carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £63,000, £12,600, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Tests: witness or review resistance, breaking load and dimensional tests for each lot.
Surface: check for scratches, broken or crossed strands and corrosion.
Drums: check drum strength, lagging, length labels and sealed ends.
What goes wrong
Aluminium wire and conductor orders fail on resistance, strand damage and drums. Resistance is above the standard, strands are broken or loose, steel cores are poorly galvanised, and wooden drums collapse in transit.
Test samples before shipping. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources aluminium wire and conductors for UK cable makers, utilities contractors and fastener makers, checking the mill first. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on aluminium conductor from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, steel-cored and other stranded aluminium conductors under 7614 carried 0% from China.
Is there duty on aluminium wire?
No. Every line of 7605, including alloy and copper-clad wire, carried 0% from China.
Is insulated aluminium cable in 7614?
No. Insulated cable is heading 8544.
Can copper-clad aluminium be sold as copper?
No. It must be described as copper-clad aluminium, because its resistance is higher.