Sourcing automotive door locks from China

Duty on automotive door locks

Heading 8301 covers base-metal locks, lock parts and keys. Automotive door locks fall within the line for locks of a kind used for motor vehicles. Separately supplied lock parts and base-metal keys have their own lines. The other-locks row is a classification comparison for auxiliary products, not an alternative code for an ordinary automotive door lock.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the listed lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for these lines. Import VAT is separate; see UK import duty and VAT.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual construction and whether the shipment contains complete locks, parts or separate keys. Do not assume a standalone actuator or remote-control unit has the same classification as a complete lock. For other products in this heading, see locks, padlocks and cylinders.

Specify vehicle fit and safe release

State the vehicle make, model, body variant, production period and reference part number. Identify the door position and handedness. Agree mounting points, striker engagement, cable or rod connections, cylinder dimensions, key profile and supplied clips. For powered assemblies, specify operating voltage, connector layout, pin functions and central-locking behaviour.

The General Product Safety Regulations apply to products intended or reasonably likely to be used by consumers, subject to specific safety provisions taking precedence where applicable. For covered replacement locks sold in Great Britain, the importer must ensure safety before placing them on the market. Ask for test evidence matching the supplied assembly, including retention and release behaviour, rather than relying on a catalogue compatibility claim.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,500 replacement automotive door locks under 8301 20 00 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £26,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £26,000, so it is £5,200. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: compare production samples with the approved drawing and reference assembly; check mounting holes, handedness, striker alignment and cable travel.

Operation: check key insertion, locking, unlocking and release from inside and outside. Where fitted, check child-lock, central-locking and power-loss behaviour against the agreed specification.

Durability: check repeated operation, return springs, retention, corrosion protection and water sealing against the agreed test plan. Inspect burrs, loose fasteners and damaged connectors.

Arrival: check carton labels against door position and part reference, inspect transit damage and record batch identities. Repeat fit and function checks before releasing stock; use the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A lock can look correct but have the wrong cable travel, connector pin arrangement or mounting offset. Mixed handed parts cause installation errors; weak springs and inconsistent key cutting cause sticking. Agree a fitted reference sample and require approval before the factory changes materials, tooling or electrical components.

If a potential safety defect affects imported aftermarket locks, the independent importer bears the responsibilities specified in the vehicle aftermarket safety-defects code. The code requires producers or distributors to inform the competent authority immediately about aftermarket-part safety issues. Keep batch and customer records so affected stock can be identified.

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.