Sourcing bare stranded brass cables from China

UK duty on bare stranded brass cables

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7413 covers stranded wire, cables, plaited bands and the like of copper, not electrically insulated. Bare stranded brass cables within this heading fall under the other-goods line, 7413 00 00 90, carrying 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches import and export waste controls. Ask your customs broker to confirm their application if the consignment includes scrap or material described as waste. For waste imports into England subject to notification controls, the exporter in China must apply to the competent authority in the country of dispatch for consent. Confirm the applicable procedure before dispatch.

Check the alloy composition, stranded construction and absence of electrical insulation when confirming the commodity code. Only the other-goods line is relevant to this cable family in the supplied tariff record. See the wider bare stranded copper guide for the broader heading.

Specify the brass alloy and cable construction

Write the brass alloy designation and agreed composition into the order, including permitted lead content. Request a batch material certificate and agree how composition will be checked. A yellow surface does not establish that the strands are solid brass rather than coated steel.

Specify strand count, individual wire diameter, finished cable diameter, lay direction and lay length. Agree temper, flexibility, coil length, net weight and permitted joints. State the intended use and agree any tensile, breaking-load or electrical-resistance acceptance test rather than accepting a generic copper-conductor report.

For leaded brass or any plating, ask for the supplier's statement on restricted substances under UK REACH. Keep the material declaration linked to the actual alloy and production batch.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small-business stock order: coils of bare stranded brass cable under 7413 00 00 90, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £5,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £5,800, so it is £1,160. 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

Material: match the batch certificate to coil labels and check sample composition against the ordered brass alloy.

Construction: count strands, measure individual wire and finished cable diameters, and compare lay direction and tightness with the approved sample.

Condition: inspect for broken wires, sharp projecting ends, corrosion, kinks and strands that open during the agreed bend check.

Quantity and packing: verify coil length and net weight separately, secure loose ends and check that packaging prevents crushing and tangling. Use the inspection guide to prepare the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

Colour can conceal the wrong material. Brass-coated steel, a different brass alloy or mixed batches may look acceptable while behaving differently during bending or termination. Require composition evidence and test samples from the shipment rather than relying solely on the sales sample.

Fewer or thinner strands, an unsuitable temper and loose lay can change flexibility and strength. Short coils and heavy packaging can also conceal a quantity shortage. Agree separate checks for construction, performance, length and net weight before paying the balance.

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.