Sourcing bench vices from China

Bench vice duty: 2%

Heading 8205 includes vices, clamps and similar articles, but excludes accessories for and parts of machine-tools or water-jet cutting machines. This guide covers manually operated bench vices. The table shows different bench vice configurations sharing the same commodity line.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 16 October 2026, bench vices under 8205 70 00 00 carry 2% duty on goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line.

Give your customs broker the product drawing, mounting arrangement and intended use to confirm the commodity code. For mixed tools across the wider heading, see the hand tool sets guide. For paint-removal tools, see our paint scraper sourcing guide.

Specify the body, jaws and mounting

Agree whether the body is grey cast iron, ductile iron or cast steel, and ask for material evidence rather than relying on paint or catalogue wording. Specify jaw width, opening, throat depth, replaceable jaw plates, pipe jaws and the mounting-hole pattern. Define whether the base is fixed, swivelling or clamped to the bench.

Set acceptance criteria for jaw parallelism, slide movement, screw operation and clamping performance using an approved sample. Agree the test method and applied load with the factory. The General Product Safety Regulations 2005 apply in Great Britain to products intended for, or foreseeably used by, consumers; assess whether your intended sales fall within that scope.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of fixed-base bench vices under 8205 70 00 00, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,000. Duty at 2% is £120. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,120, so it is £1,224. Import taxes total £1,344; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £120 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Body and mounting: inspect castings for cracks, cavities and repaired areas; compare material records and mounting holes with the agreed specification.

Jaws and slide: check jaw alignment, plate seating and fasteners; move the slide through its travel and check that the workpiece seats evenly.

Screw and base: operate the screw under the agreed test load; check for binding, slipping threads, bent handles and movement in the locked swivel base.

Packing and arrival: check rust protection, protected handles and restrained movement inside cartons; inspect unpacked vices for cracked mounting ears and transit damage.

What goes wrong

A vice can look sound under paint while its casting contains cavities or cracks. Misaligned jaws grip only at an edge, loose jaw plates mark or release the workpiece, and a poorly fitted screw binds or slips. A swivel base that moves after locking makes the vice difficult to use accurately.

Keep the approved sample and agreed test record available for comparison. Inspect beneath accessible painted edges and around mounting ears, test clamping with representative workpieces, and check packed samples for movement. Agree how the supplier will deal with failed castings and damaged units 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.