Sourcing bench drill presses from China
Bench drill presses for metalworking from China carry 2% UK import duty under the drilling-machine lines of heading 8459. New machines supplied in Great Britain must meet machinery safety requirements, carry CE or UKCA marking and come with a declaration of conformity and English instructions. Cambridge China Bridge sources bench drill presses.
2% duty on bench drill presses
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8459 covers machine tools that remove metal by drilling, boring, milling, threading or tapping. This guide focuses on bench-mounted metalworking drills. The selected drilling lines carry 2% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls recorded in the supplied tariff data.
Non-numerically controlled bench drill presses fall within 8459 29 00 00; numerically controlled drilling machines fall within 8459 21 00 00. The table repeats the non-numerically controlled code for different drive arrangements. Variable speed alone does not establish numerical control. Confirm the commodity code from the machine's function and control specification. See the radial drilling machines guide for related machines within the heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belt-driven bench drill presses, not numerically controlled | 8459 29 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Numerically controlled bench drilling machines | 8459 21 00 00 | 2% | None |
Specify the spindle, drive and bench mounting
Specify drilling capacity in the steel you intend to use, chuck capacity, spindle taper, quill travel, throat depth, spindle-to-table clearance and table adjustment. State the speed range, belt or geared drive, motor rating, electrical supply, rotation direction and depth-stop arrangement. Agree spindle run-out and table squareness acceptance criteria and the measurement method.
Ask the factory to drill your agreed test piece with the intended tooling and workholding. Confirm base fixing holes, bench support, vice mounting, guard clearance and access for belt changes. Record which chuck, arbor, vice and spare belts are included.
For supply in Great Britain, the machine must meet essential health and safety requirements and undergo the applicable conformity assessment. New machinery must carry CE or UKCA marking and be supplied with a declaration of conformity and English instructions. Ask for model-specific supporting documents before shipment; use testing and certification support to review the evidence.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 8 belt-driven bench drill presses; illustrative order and values under 8459 29 00 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,200. Duty at 2% is £144. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,344, so it is £1,468.80. Import taxes total £1,612.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £144 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Spindle and table: measure spindle and chuck run-out, quill play and table squareness against the agreed criteria. Check that the table clamp and depth stop hold during the drilling test.
Drive and cutting: check speed selection, belt alignment, pulley security, motor noise and feed movement. Drill the agreed material and inspect hole size, finish and the machine's behaviour under load.
Guards and controls: check chuck and drive guards, fitted interlocks, stop controls and emergency stop operation. Confirm that the guard permits the intended drilling and workholding arrangement.
Documents and arrival: match the machine model to its declaration, marking and English manual. Check the base, column, table and chuck for transit damage, then repeat alignment checks after mounting. Follow our quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
A quoted drilling capacity can conceal poor results in the buyer's actual steel. Chuck or arbor run-out, quill play and a table that slips under feed pressure can produce oversized or angled holes. A guard may obstruct the vice or leave the chuck exposed when adjusted for the workpiece.
Export machines can arrive with different motors, switches or guards from the approved sample. Poor bracing can damage the table or disturb alignment. Record the accepted configuration, photograph the packing and repeat the drilling test after installation before accepting the batch.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on bench drill presses from China?
The selected drilling-machine lines carry 2% duty for Chinese-origin goods in the tariff data read on 1 October 2026. No anti-dumping or countervailing measures are recorded.
What commodity code does a bench drill press use?
Non-numerically controlled metalworking bench drills fall within 8459 29 00 00. Numerically controlled drilling machines fall within 8459 21 00 00. Confirm the function and control specification before declaring.
Do imported bench drill presses need CE or UKCA marking?
New machinery placed on the Great Britain market must carry CE or UKCA marking, a declaration of conformity and instructions in English. Check the documents for the exact model supplied.
How should I test a bench drill press before shipment?
Measure spindle run-out and table squareness, check quill movement and table locking, then drill your agreed material. Inspect the hole and check guards, stop controls and the supplied documents.