Sourcing CCTV and security cameras from China
CCTV cameras, doorbell cameras and video recorders from China pay 0% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. An internet-connected camera is a connectable product, so since 29 April 2024 it needs no universal default password, a published way to report security issues and a published update period. Cambridge China Bridge sources own-brand security cameras with those checks in the specification.
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Zero duty on cameras and recorders
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, digital and video cameras outside the specialist high-speed, radiation-hardened and night vision subheadings carried 0% duty on goods from China, as did video recording apparatus such as network video recorders. No line carried an anti-dumping measure. For action cameras, see sourcing action cameras from China. For vehicle recording, see sourcing vehicle dash cameras.
Night vision in the tariff means a specific technical class, not the infrared illumination on an ordinary CCTV camera, but it is worth confirming the commodity code against the camera's actual sensor and features. For thermal imaging equipment, see our thermal camera sourcing guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders, other | 8525 89 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Video recording or reproducing apparatus, other than magnetic tape | 8521 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
The product security rules decide the product
Since 29 April 2024, Schedule 1 of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (Security Requirements for Relevant Connectable Products) Regulations 2023 has set three requirements for connectable products sold in the UK. Passwords must be unique per product or set by the user. Unique-per-product passwords must not be based on incremental counters or publicly available information, or otherwise unacceptably guessable; they may be derived from product identifiers only using an encryption method or keyed hashing algorithm accepted as part of good industry practice. The manufacturer must publish at least one point of contact for reporting security issues, with when to expect an acknowledgement and status updates. And the minimum period for security updates must be published, clearly and in English, and may be extended but not shortened.
For an own-brand camera, those obligations fall on the brand as well as the factory, so they belong in the specification: the password scheme, who runs the reporting contact, and how long the firmware will be supported. The PSTI guide covers the roles in detail.
Firmware, apps and cloud
An own-brand camera is really three products: the hardware, the firmware and the app or cloud service it talks to. Before choosing a factory, ask who writes and updates the firmware, where the app and the video are hosted, and what happens to both if the factory stops supporting the model. A support period you publish has to be one the supply chain can deliver.
Wi-Fi cameras are also radio equipment, so ask for the radio test reports for the exact model, and as electrical goods they bring WEEE obligations.
Worked duty example
An invented example rather than a quote: 500 own-brand four-camera kits, shipped as 2,000 cameras under 8525 89 00 00 at £36,000 free on board and 500 network video recorders under 8521 90 00 00 at £14,000, with £1,200 of freight and insurance. The customs value is £51,200. Both lines were 0% when re-read on 27 September 2026, so no duty is due, and import VAT at 20% is £10,240, which a VAT-registered buyer normally reclaims.
With the border cost at zero, the landed cost of a camera kit is set by the unit price, freight and the product security work: the password scheme, the reporting contact and the support period have to be designed in before the order, not added afterwards. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.
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What goes wrong in production
Water ingress is the commonest hardware failure in outdoor cameras, so ask for the ingress protection rating and a test on production units, and check the cable glands and seals at inspection. Image quality is the commonest complaint: a sensor or lens swapped after approval looks the same on the outside, so name both in the specification and compare night images with the approved sample. For cameras intended for immersion, see our underwater digital camera sourcing guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources own-brand CCTV and security cameras with the product security requirements, firmware support and radio paperwork settled before the order, and inspects the units before they ship. See how our sourcing service works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on CCTV cameras from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, digital and video cameras carried 0% duty from China, as did network video recorders, with no anti-dumping duty.
What do the PSTI rules require of a security camera?
Since 29 April 2024: no universal default password, a published contact for reporting security issues, and a published minimum period for security updates, which cannot be shortened.
Who is responsible for PSTI compliance on an own-brand camera?
The brand as well as the factory. Put the password scheme, the reporting contact and the firmware support period into the specification before ordering.
What is the most common fault with outdoor cameras?
Water ingress. Ask for the ingress protection rating, test production units, and check the seals and cable glands at inspection.