Sourcing Ceramic Door Knobs from China

0% duty on ceramic door knobs

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 6914 covers other ceramic articles. Relevant lines for ceramic door knobs carry 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no listed suspension. Plain and decorated porcelain knobs can share a code; the table separates these buying styles.

The tariff attaches cat and dog fur and waste import controls. Imports of cat and dog fur and products made from it are banned. For waste subject to notification controls entering England, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. For goods from China, ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable waste procedure and tariff declarations before shipment.

Give your broker the ceramic material, photographs and details of the metal fittings and complete assembly to confirm the commodity code. Do not assume a complete latch or lock set has the same classification as a ceramic knob. For the wider heading, see ceramic umbrella stands.

Specify the knob, spindle and bonded insert

State whether the knob is a turning handle or a fixed pull. Specify the ceramic body, knob shape, projection, spindle profile, compatible door thickness, rose dimensions, fixing method and supplied screws. Approve a drawing and an assembled sample fitted to the intended latch or door.

Specify the metal insert, its fixing into the ceramic, the metal finish and the agreed resistance to twisting and pulling. Match glaze colour and decoration to a physical sample, including acceptable variation between firings. Agree packing that separates ceramic surfaces from screws and metal fittings.

Consumer products supplied in Great Britain must be safe. For these knobs, assess sharp chips, fracture during use and detachment from the insert. Agree tests on the complete assembly rather than accepting a ceramic sample alone.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 4,000 stoneware door knobs for a hardware retailer under 6914 90 00 90, invoiced at £15,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,500, so it is £3,300. 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: assemble sampled knobs with the intended spindle, latch and door thickness; check alignment, clearance and secure fixing.

Joint: apply the agreed twisting and pulling checks; look for insert movement, loose screws and cracks around the ceramic neck.

Glaze: compare colour and decoration with the approved sample; check for chips, sharp glaze runs, crazing and visible firing defects.

Packing: check individual cushioning, separation of hardware, correct fixings and product identification; inspect arrival cartons for impact damage. Use a written inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A knob can match the photograph yet fail to fit the spindle or leave insufficient clearance at the rose. Inserts can turn inside the ceramic, screws can loosen, and cracks around the neck can develop when the fixing is tightened. Check an assembled production sample before accepting the batch.

Mixed firings can produce mismatched pairs, while loose screws can scratch glaze in transit. Keep the approved sample available for inspection and specify separate hardware packing. Check replacement stock for the same fit and finish as the original batch.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.