Sourcing betamethasone from China
Betamethasone active ingredient from China falls within halogenated corticosteroids, with UK duty of 0% and no trade remedies in the supplied tariff record. Importers of active substances for human medicines must register with the MHRA and meet good manufacturing practice requirements. Cambridge China Bridge sources betamethasone active ingredient.
Betamethasone duty and classification
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 October 2026, heading 2937 covers hormones and their derivatives and structural analogues. Betamethasone active ingredient belongs within halogenated derivatives of corticosteroidal hormones, code 2937 22 00 00. The table shows product forms sharing this tariff line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.
The supplied record gives 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no suspensions on this line. It lists an export waste control, rather than an import control. If rejected material will be returned as waste, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable requirements before arranging shipment.
Confirm the exact substance, chemical form and presentation using our commodity code guide. Finished medicines and bulk medicament mixtures need separate classification. For the wider heading, see our prednisolone active ingredient guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betamethasone active ingredient | 2937 22 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the betamethasone form and batch documents
Write the complete substance name into the enquiry and purchase order. Distinguish betamethasone from its dipropionate and sodium phosphate forms. Agree the pharmacopoeial monograph, assay basis, related substances, residual solvents, water content and particle size. If micronisation matters to your formulation, specify the particle-size test method and acceptance criteria.
For human-medicine use, the UK active-substance importer must register with the MHRA. Confirm the applicable good manufacturing practice requirements with the MHRA before ordering. Confirm the written-confirmation route before ordering; where required, obtain the confirmation from the issuing authority in the exporting country. Ask for manufacturing-site details, batch analysis, storage conditions, retest date and supporting regulatory documents. Use factory verification to check the producer behind the offer.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 25 kg of betamethasone active ingredient; illustrative order and values under 2937 22 00 00, invoiced at £40,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £40,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £40,800, so it is £8,160. 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
Identity: check that the order, container labels and certificate of analysis name the same betamethasone form and batch.
Analysis: arrange independent sampling and tests for identity, assay, related substances and residual solvents against the agreed specification.
Particle size: check the agreed distribution and test method for micronised material, rather than accepting the word micronised on the label.
Packing: inspect seals, liners, moisture damage and batch markings; compare transport records with the agreed storage conditions. See quality inspection explained.
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What goes wrong
An abbreviated quotation can hide a different chemical form. A batch can meet its supplier's assay specification while failing your impurity or particle-size requirements. Agree the full specification and test methods before accepting a sample, and compare arrival results with the approved sample and batch certificate.
Documents can identify a trader while leaving the manufacturing site unclear, or describe a different batch from the material delivered. Resolve site identity and the import documentation route before dispatch. Hold material with broken seals, inconsistent batch markings or unexplained transport conditions pending investigation.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on betamethasone from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 0% for halogenated corticosteroids under 2937 22 00 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm the exact substance and presentation before declaring it.
Do I need MHRA registration to import betamethasone active ingredient?
Yes, if you are a UK-based importer of active substances for human medicines. Confirm that your registration covers the intended activity and substance before ordering.
Where do I obtain a written confirmation for the import?
Confirm whether it is required for your import route before dispatch. Where required for an active substance imported from a third country, obtain it from the issuing authority in that country.
What should I test in a betamethasone batch?
Check identity, assay, related substances, residual solvents and water content against the agreed specification. For micronised material, also check particle size using the agreed method.