Sourcing cash register housings from China

Zero duty on non-electronic cash register parts

Heading 8473 covers parts and accessories suitable solely or principally for machines of headings 8470 to 8472, excluding covers, carrying cases and similar goods. This guide concerns fitted cash register housing components without electronics. Describe their structural function and intended machine rather than simply declaring a plastic cover.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, line 8473 29 90 00 carried 0% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. The table shows housing variants under the same tariff line, rather than separate commodity lines.

Confirm the commodity code using drawings, photographs, intended use and a list of included components. Do not assume a housing for a computer-based terminal has the same classification. See the calculators and cash registers guide for the wider product family.

Specify the shell and its mounting points

Give the factory the machine model, revision and housing drawing. Specify resin or metal grade, wall thickness, colour, texture, inserts, screw bosses, clips, display opening, keyboard aperture, cable exits and ventilation slots. List screws, feet and seals separately. Approve a sample fitted around the actual internal assembly before releasing production.

Ask for material and coating information, including substances on the UK REACH Candidate List. Importing or supplying articles containing listed substances may trigger notification obligations to the Health and Safety Executive. Conformity marking is required only where sector-specific regulations require it; assess the supplied configuration before asking the factory to add CE or UKCA.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5,000 replacement cash register housing sets without electronics under 8473 29 90 00, invoiced at £30,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £31,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £31,500, so it is £6,300. 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

Fit: install sampled shells on the intended machine revision; check screw alignment, display clearance, keyboard movement and access to the receipt path.

Construction: check wall thickness against the drawing, flatness, clip engagement, insert retention and screw bosses for cracking during assembly.

Finish: compare colour and texture with the approved sample; inspect for moulding flash, sink marks, scratches, coating defects and sharp edges.

Packing: check that shells cannot rub together or load their clips in transit; verify part and revision labels against the packing list. Include these checks in the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A shell can match the catalogue photograph but fit a different machine revision. Misplaced bosses force assembly, bowed panels leave gaps, and thick coatings obstruct clips or openings. Test the fitted sample with the internal assembly and retain it alongside the approved drawing.

Material substitutions can change stiffness, appearance and clip durability. Agree the material grade and finish in writing, require approval before changes, and compare production samples with the retained sample. On arrival, record cracked bosses, distorted panels and transport scratches before assembling the stock.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.