Sourcing bare copper earth straps from China

UK duty on bare braided copper earthing straps

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7413 covers stranded wire, cables, plaited bands and similar copper goods that are not electrically insulated. The relevant other-goods line, 7413 00 00 90, carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table shows strap forms sharing this line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches import and export waste controls to this line. For imports of waste subject to notification controls into England, shipment can start only after consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved. This guide concerns new straps for use. If the consignment contains discarded straps or scrap, ask your customs broker to confirm the requirements for the shipment from China.

Confirm the commodity code using the material, absence of insulation and finished construction, including any attached fittings. Treat the table as a starting point for that check. For braid supplied in other forms, see bare copper braids.

Specify the braid and its fixing ends

Specify copper grade, actual conductor cross-section, strand diameter, braid width and thickness, finished length and flexibility. State that the braid is bare copper and whether the ends are compressed, welded or fitted with terminals. Give fixing-hole dimensions, hole centres, end orientation and the contact-face finish on a drawing.

HSE says electrical installations and equipment must be safe. Ask the installation designer to agree the required electrical performance and service conditions before ordering. Include resistance across the finished strap, connection strength, movement at the braid-to-end transition and batch test records in the purchase specification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,800 bare braided copper earthing straps under 7413 00 00 90, invoiced at £7,760 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,560. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,560, so it is £1,912. 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

Copper and construction: check material records, strand diameter and conductor cross-section against the approved sample; investigate suspected copper-clad aluminium.

Fixing geometry: measure finished length, hole dimensions and centres; check that contact faces sit flat against the mating parts.

Electrical continuity: measure resistance across the finished strap, including its ends, and compare with the agreed acceptance limit.

Ends and packing: check for loose strands, cracks, burrs and oxidation; flex samples at the end transition and inspect packing for crushing or moisture.

What goes wrong

A wide braid can still contain less copper than ordered because its strands are thinner or its weave is more open. End connections can add resistance even when the braid itself matches the specification. Misplaced holes prevent fitting, while a stiff end transition can concentrate movement and break strands.

Approve a finished sample with its actual end construction, then compare production samples with the drawing and agreed electrical tests. Check incoming straps before assembly, keeping batch identities with inspection records. See quality inspection explained.

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.