Sourcing brass washers from China

UK duty on brass washers

Heading 7415 covers copper and copper alloy fasteners, including brass washers. Washers, including spring washers, fall under 7415 21 00 00. The table shows buying variants within this same tariff line, rather than separate commodity codes.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the washer line carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line.

Confirm the commodity code using the material and product drawing, especially where a supplier offers brass-plated steel. See the copper and brass fasteners guide for the wider heading.

Specify the brass alloy and washer geometry

State the alloy grade and agreed composition, inside diameter, outside diameter, thickness and tolerances. Specify flat or spring form, temper, edge condition, surface finish and whether any plating is permitted. Attach a drawing and approve a sample fitted to the intended bolt and bearing surface.

For spring washers, agree the free shape and a compression test suited to the assembly. For water or marine use, specify dezincification-resistant brass and agree material testing. If the washers are sold as consumer products, the importer is responsible for their safety. Define the intended use before choosing the test brief.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of brass flat washers under 7415 21 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 with the ordered alloy and arrange composition analysis; cut a sample to check for a plated steel core.

Dimensions: measure hole diameter, outside diameter and thickness across samples from different packs, then check fit on the intended bolt.

Edges and shape: check for punching burrs, cracks, distortion and poor flatness; test spring washers against the agreed compression criteria.

Packing: check quantity, separated sizes, batch identification and protection against moisture and surface staining. Use the inspection guide to agree the sampling brief.

What goes wrong

A washer can look correct while being too thin, made from the wrong alloy or supplied as brass-plated steel. An oversized hole reduces support around the bolt; burrs interfere with seating and can damage adjacent surfaces. Distorted flat washers and spring washers with the wrong temper can behave differently from the approved sample.

Compare production samples with the drawing and approved sample before shipment, then repeat material, dimension and fit checks on arrival. Keep suspect batches separate while the supplier investigates. Colour alone cannot establish the alloy.

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.