Sourcing brass nuts from China

UK duty on brass nuts

Heading 7415 covers copper and copper-alloy fasteners, including brass nuts. Nuts fall within 7415 33 00 00, the line for screws, bolts and nuts. The table shows different nut styles within that same commodity line. See the copper and brass fasteners guide for the wider heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, brass nuts from China carried 0% duty. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls for this line. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.

Confirm the commodity code using the material and product drawing. Brass-plated steel nuts are steel fasteners under heading 7318, with their own rates. Keep the alloy description consistent across the purchase order, material certificate and customs paperwork.

Specify the alloy and mating thread

State the brass grade and agreed composition limits, nut style, thread system, diameter, pitch, tolerance and handedness. Give the dimensions across flats, nut thickness and finish on a drawing. For cap nuts, specify usable internal thread depth so the mating bolt does not bottom out before the joint clamps.

Define the mating bolt or stud, intended tightening method and acceptance test. If the nuts will contact drinking water or face marine exposure, specify dezincification-resistant brass and agree suitable testing. For consumer articles children may handle, request evidence against the applicable UK REACH lead restriction.

UK businesses importing or selling consumer products are responsible for their safety. For nuts sold for consumer use, assess the intended assembly and foreseeable handling rather than treating a material certificate as proof of finished-product safety.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2 tonnes of brass hexagon nuts; illustrative order, FOB value and freight 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 batch certificates and sample alloy analysis with the ordered grade; section a sample to check for plated steel.

Threads: use the agreed go and no-go gauges, check pitch and handedness, and assemble samples with the intended bolt or stud.

Dimensions and performance: measure across flats and thickness, check cap clearance, and test tightening to the agreed acceptance criteria.

Finish and packing: inspect for burrs, cracks and damaged threads; check quantities, batch identification and separation of sizes. Use the quality inspection guide to brief the inspector.

What goes wrong

Substituted alloy, undersized nut bodies and poorly cut threads can leave a joint that assembles but strips or cracks during tightening. A brass-coloured finish can conceal steel. An approved appearance sample does not settle the material or thread specification.

Cap nuts can bottom out on the bolt while the joint remains loose, and mixed thread pitches can cause cross-threading. Approve samples with the actual mating parts, retain the drawing and agreed gauges, and compare arrival samples with the approved batch.

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.