Sourcing bile and glands from China
Heading 0510 has a single UK duty rate of 0% for goods from China. Veterinary and species controls need checking before ordering; the tariff code does not confirm that a particular Chinese material can enter Great Britain. Specify species, preservation and intended processing. Cambridge China Bridge sources bile and glands.
Zero duty, with animal-product controls
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, heading 0510 covers ambergris, castoreum, civet, musk, cantharides and bile, plus glands and other animal products used in pharmaceutical preparation, fresh, chilled, frozen or otherwise provisionally preserved. The supplied record contains a single commodity line. The table separates product descriptions under that same code.
Goods from China carry 0% duty. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. It attaches veterinary control, CITES import and export controls, and seal-product import control. Ask your customs broker to confirm the veterinary requirements and eligibility of the specific Chinese material. For the outside-feed-chain animal by-product route, ask the Animal and Plant Health Agency to confirm the risk category and any health-certificate requirement.
Provide species, animal part, preservation method and intended use when confirming the commodity code. For Great Britain, ask the Animal and Plant Health Agency to confirm any CITES permit requirements and the species-specific route. Seal products can enter Great Britain for sale only under the Inuit and other indigenous communities’ exemption. Obtain a separate destination check for Northern Ireland.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bile, whether or not dried | 0510 00 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify species, preservation and processing use
Describe the animal species and tissue or secretion precisely. Distinguish dried bile from liquid bile, intact glands from mixed tissue, and natural aromatic material from substitutes. State the intended downstream process and whether the consignment is fresh, chilled, frozen or otherwise provisionally preserved.
Agree identity testing, moisture, foreign matter, packaging and storage conditions with the receiving processor. For glands, specify trimming and acceptable tissue condition. For bile, agree physical form, colour and the analytical characteristics needed by the process. Retain an approved sample and ask for batch-specific test results.
Before committing to a Chinese supplier, ask your broker and the Animal and Plant Health Agency to confirm the applicable import route, country eligibility and documents. Arrange factory verification to compare the actual material, preservation process and batch records with the purchase specification.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small trial consignment of dried bile for pharmaceutical processing, subject to import eligibility confirmation under 0510 00 00 00, invoiced at £1,500 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,400, so it is £480. 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: compare species, animal part, batch marks and sample identity results with the order and accompanying documents.
Condition: inspect glands for thawing, leakage and deterioration; inspect dried bile for damp, caking and foreign matter.
Testing: match the laboratory report to the shipped batch and compare the agreed identity, moisture and analytical results.
Packing: check container integrity, seals and storage records before dispatch and on arrival. Plan sampling with the inspection guide.
What goes wrong
A supplier may offer a generic animal-material description while the shipment contains different species or mixed tissues. Dried bile can arrive damp or diluted with foreign material; glands can deteriorate after interrupted temperature control. A report from the display sample does not establish the identity or condition of the shipped batch.
Do not commit to production while import eligibility remains unresolved. A zero-duty classification does not settle the veterinary route or species-specific permission. Keep the illustrative order separate from the supplier's quotation, and use the import duty and VAT guide when planning the landed cost.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on bile and glands from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty for 0510 00 00 00, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Veterinary, CITES and seal-product controls are attached.
Can I import animal glands from China for pharmaceutical processing?
Confirm the species, preservation and intended use with your broker and the Animal and Plant Health Agency before ordering. The tariff entry alone does not establish eligibility for a particular Chinese consignment.
Does natural musk need a CITES permit?
Identify the source species first. For Great Britain, ask the Animal and Plant Health Agency to confirm any CITES permit requirements and the route for the actual material.
What should I check when dried bile arrives?
Check species and batch identity, package integrity, damp, caking and foreign matter. Compare batch-specific analytical results with the agreed specification and retained sample.