Carbide inserts and tool tips from China
Plates, sticks, tips and the like for tools, unmounted, of cemented carbide or cermets from China, including indexable turning, milling and drilling inserts and brazed tips, pay 0% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. Inserts are bought on ISO 1832 designation, ISO 513 application group, grade and coating, and proven by cutting tests on your own material.
Indexable carbide and cermet inserts, brazed tips, plates and sticks for cutting tools from China pay 0% UK duty. ISO 1832, ISO 513 grades, coatings and tests.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, plates, sticks, tips and the like for tools, unmounted, of cermets, heading 8209, carried 0% on goods from China for indexable inserts and for other tips and plates, with no anti-dumping measure.
Tool holders and complete tools with inserts are classified as tools or tool holders (see our machine tool holders guide and drill bits and saw blades guide), and tungsten carbide powder under chapter 28 (see our silicon and tungsten carbide guide).
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indexable inserts of cemented carbide or cermet | 8209 00 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Other plates, sticks and tips (such as brazed tips, blanks) | 8209 00 80 00 | 0% | None |
Designation and grades
Indexable inserts are designated to ISO 1832 (shape, clearance angle, tolerance class, chipbreaker, size, thickness and corner radius), and grades are classified by ISO 513 application group (P steel, M stainless, K cast iron, N non-ferrous, S heat-resistant alloys, H hardened materials). Compatible inserts may name the holder they fit, but must not carry another maker's trade marks.
Specifying inserts
Specify the ISO designation, application group and grade, substrate and coating (CVD or PVD), chipbreaker geometry, tolerance class, the materials and cutting data you will run, packaging per box, and lot marking.
Worked duty example
Suppose, purely for illustration, you import 20,000 coated carbide turning inserts under 8209 00 20 00. At £36,000 free on board and £800 to ship and insure, the customs value is £36,800. With 0% duty on carbide inserts, the only charge is import VAT: 20% of £36,800, or £7,360. VAT-registered businesses usually recover that in their next return. The method is set out in how UK import duty and VAT work.
Inspection checklist
Dimensions: measure inscribed circle, thickness and corner radius on samples against the tolerance class, and check edges under magnification for chips.
Coating and grade: check coating adhesion and colour consistency, and ask for hardness and grade data for each lot.
Cutting test: run samples on your own machine and material and compare tool life with your current insert before ordering volume.
What goes wrong
Insert orders fail on grade, edges and consistency. The grade is wrong for the material so tool life collapses, cutting edges are chipped, coating peels, tolerance varies between lots so parts drift out of size, and branded packaging gets goods seized.
Run cutting trials, check edges and lots, and approve neutral packaging. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources carbide inserts and tips for UK machine shops and tooling distributors, and has no minimum order of its own; the factory's minimum per grade and geometry applies. See small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on carbide inserts from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, indexable inserts of cemented carbide or cermet (8209 00 20 00) carried 0% from China.
Are tool holders the same code?
No. Holders and complete tools are classified as tools or tool holders, not under 8209.
Which standards describe inserts?
ISO 1832 for the designation and ISO 513 for the application groups of cutting grades.
How should I compare a new supplier's inserts?
Run a cutting test on your own machine and material and compare tool life with your current inserts.