Sourcing ceramic skirting tiles from China
Ceramic skirting tiles from China carry 4% UK duty across the relevant lines, plus anti-dumping duty: named-exporter rates range from 13.90% to 36.50%, with 69.70% residual. Confirm the exporter, invoice and any size exclusion, and obtain the construction-product declaration of performance. Cambridge China Bridge sources ceramic skirting tiles.
4% duty plus anti-dumping duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 6907 covers ceramic wall and paving tiles, mosaics and finishing ceramics. Ceramic skirting belongs within this family. The finishing-ceramics line includes skirtings; plain wall tile strips need checking against the wall-tile descriptions. The table gives candidate lines, rather than a classification based solely on the supplier's product name. See the wider ceramic and porcelain tiles guide.
The supplied tariff facts show 4% duty on every relevant line, a residual anti-dumping rate of 69.70% and no listed suspensions. The published wider guide records named-exporter rates from 13.90% to 36.50%, conditional on the required invoice. It also records a size exclusion until 24 November 2027 for individual tiles with an edge longer than 600 mm or a largest face over 0.36 square metres, unless surface relief exceeds 3 mm. Confirm eligibility for the actual skirting pieces.
The tariff attaches an import waste control and also lists waste export control and a cultural-goods export licence. For waste imported into England under notification controls, shipment needs consent from the Environment Agency and other competent authorities. Ask your customs broker to confirm applicability to your China shipment and any subsequent export. Send the profile drawing, dimensions, absorption results and intended use when confirming the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finishing ceramics, including shaped ceramic skirting tiles | 6907 40 00 00 | 4% | 69.70% residual anti-dumping |
| Plain wall tile strips with water absorption not exceeding 0.5% | 6907 21 00 00 | 4% | 69.70% residual anti-dumping |
| Plain wall tile strips with water absorption over 0.5% but not exceeding 10% | 6907 22 00 00 | 4% | 69.70% residual anti-dumping |
| Plain wall tile strips with water absorption exceeding 10% | 6907 23 00 00 | 4% | 69.70% residual anti-dumping |
Specify the skirting profile and floor match
State whether you want purpose-made skirting or strips cut from wall or floor tiles. Specify finished length, height, thickness, top-edge profile, exposed-end finish and dimensional tolerances. Show internal corners, external corners and end pieces on the drawing. Approve a sample assembled against the intended floor tile, rather than judging the skirting separately.
Agree colour, shade range, gloss, glaze coverage and whether the exposed top edge is glazed or polished. Specify water absorption and request frost-resistance results for outdoor use. Obtain the manufacturer's declaration of performance and product marking for the ceramic tile product, as described in the wider guide. Legitimately CE-marked construction products can continue to be supplied in Great Britain.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: A pallet consignment of shaped ceramic skirting tiles, illustrative only under 6907 40 00 00, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £920 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,920. Duty at 4% is £156.80. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,076.80, so it is £815.36. Import taxes total £972.16; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £156.80 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Profile and dimensions: measure finished height, thickness and length against the drawing; place pieces against a straight edge and assemble corners to check alignment.
Shade and surface: compare skirting and floor samples in daylight across cartons; inspect gloss, glaze coverage, exposed edges and ends for chips or grinding marks.
Performance documents: match the declaration of performance and absorption results to the ordered product; check frost-resistance evidence where specified for outdoor use.
Packing and arrival: check separators, cushioning and corner protection; inspect cartons from different pallets for cracked pieces and keep shade and batch labels with the stock. See quality inspection explained.
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What goes wrong
A matching colour name does not guarantee a matching shade or gloss. Skirting made in a separate firing can look different beside the floor. Cut strips may arrive with an unfinished top edge, uneven heights or chipped ends. Bowed pieces leave gaps against the wall, while missing corner pieces force visible site cuts.
Buyers also miss the anti-dumping charge or assume that the size of the original floor tile gives cut skirting an exclusion. Check the finished imported pieces and exporter documents before ordering. The illustrative order values are not a supplier quotation; an ordinary-duty calculation alone does not include applicable anti-dumping duty. Review the import duty and VAT method before approving the landed cost.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on ceramic skirting tiles from China?
The supplied tariff facts show 4% duty across the relevant lines, plus 69.70% residual anti-dumping duty. Confirm any named-exporter rate or size exclusion before ordering.
Which commodity code covers ceramic skirting tiles?
6907 40 00 00 covers finishing ceramics, including skirtings. Plain wall tile strips need checking against the wall-tile lines. Give your broker the profile drawing and absorption results.
Can ceramic skirting match my porcelain floor tiles?
Approve the skirting beside the actual floor sample. Agree shade, gloss, thickness and top-edge finish, then compare production cartons before dispatch.
What paperwork should I ask the skirting factory for?
Request the declaration of performance, product-marking details and absorption results for the ordered product. Obtain exporter and invoice details for the anti-dumping check.