Sourcing Brass Machine Screws from China

UK duty on brass machine screws

Heading 7415 covers copper and copper alloy fasteners. Brass machine screws fall within screws, bolts and nuts under 7415 33 00 00. The table shows head variants sharing this commodity code. For related fixings across the heading, see our brass wood screws guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the supplied tariff record lists 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. This describes the tariff record, rather than every obligation associated with selling the goods.

Brass-plated steel screws and screws with a steel core belong under heading 7318, with their own rates. Confirm the material and product description using finding your commodity code. See UK import duty and VAT for the calculation method.

Specify alloy, thread and mating fit

Specify solid brass, the alloy composition or agreed grade, thread system, diameter, pitch, tolerance and threaded length. Define head shape, head dimensions, drive type and finish on a drawing. State how length is measured, particularly for countersunk heads, and identify the mating nut or tapped component.

Agree an assembly trial using the intended component and driver, with an acceptance criterion for tightening and removal. Keep an approved sample alongside the drawing. For consumer applications, businesses importing or selling the product are responsible for its safety. Where children may handle the finished article, confirm with HSE whether a UK REACH lead restriction applies and what supporting evidence to request from the supplier.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of brass machine screws for a hardware distributor under 7415 33 00 00, invoiced at £22,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £22,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £22,900, so it is £4,580. 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: compare the batch certificate and alloy analysis with the ordered grade; section a sample to check for a steel core or brass plating.

Thread: use go and no-go gauges for the ordered thread, measure threaded length and check engagement with the intended mating component.

Head and drive: measure the head and recess against the drawing; check burrs, driver fit and cracking during the agreed assembly trial.

Packing: check size separation, carton descriptions, counts and batch identity; inspect for bent screws, damaged threads and tarnishing. Plan checks with our quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A yellow finish can conceal plated steel, while a substituted brass alloy can change machining and tightening behaviour. Threads may bind because pitch or tolerance is wrong. A shallow drive recess can slip, a countersunk head can sit proud, and the head can break during tightening.

Inspect production samples against the drawing and approved sample, then trial them in the actual assembly. Keep mixed sizes and suspect batches separate until checked. A supplier's photograph cannot establish alloy composition, thread fit or resistance to head failure.

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.