Sourcing Ceramic Worktop Tiles from China
Ceramic worktop tiles from China carry 4% UK duty across the relevant lines, plus anti-dumping duty with a 69.70% residual rate unless an exporter rate or exclusion applies. Confirm applicable food-contact requirements with the relevant authority for ceramics intended to touch food, and specify the intended use and check the finished surface. Cambridge China Bridge sources ceramic worktop tiles.
4% duty plus anti-dumping checks
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 6907 covers ceramic tiles, mosaics and finishing ceramics. This guide concerns tiles used to make a tiled worktop, including matching ceramic edges. All listed lines carry 4% duty for goods from China. The snapshot records no suspensions or countervailing duty. Confirm absorption, product form and the commodity code before ordering.
The residual anti-dumping rate is 69.70%. The published background guide records named-exporter rates from 13.90% to 36.50% with the required invoice. It also records an exclusion until 24 November 2027 for tiles with a largest surface over 0.36 square metres or an edge longer than 600 mm, unless surface relief exceeds 3 mm. Confirm the shipment's treatment with your broker; the word worktop does not establish an exclusion. See the wider ceramic and porcelain tile guide.
The tariff attaches an import waste control. For goods from China that are waste and subject to notification controls, the exporter must apply to the competent authority in China for consent. Ask your broker to confirm the shipment's waste status and applicable requirements. The snapshot also lists waste export controls and a cultural-object export licence measure; these are export measures. Confirm them before any relevant onward export.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worktop tiles with water absorption not exceeding 0.5% | 6907 21 00 00 | 4% | 69.70% residual anti-dumping |
| Worktop tiles with water absorption over 0.5% but not exceeding 10% | 6907 22 00 00 | 4% | 69.70% residual anti-dumping |
| Ceramic mosaics for tiled worktops | 6907 30 00 00 | 4% | 69.70% residual anti-dumping |
| Ceramic finishing pieces for worktop edges | 6907 40 00 00 | 4% | 69.70% residual anti-dumping |
Specify the worktop surface and edge system
Specify the tile body, water absorption, dimensions, thickness, surface finish, shade and calibre. Agree flatness and size tolerances, the joint layout, and matching rounded edges, corners and upstand pieces. Give the installer a sample assembly to check the substrate, adhesive, grout and sink-edge arrangement before approving production.
Confirm applicable food-contact requirements with the relevant authority for ceramics intended to touch food. State whether food will touch the tiles directly, and ask a laboratory to assess the actual glaze, decoration and intended use. Request evidence for stain resistance, cleaning chemicals and the agreed heat exposure. For tiles supplied as construction products, confirm with the relevant authority which declaration of performance and product marking requirements apply, and obtain the applicable documents.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative palletised batch of porcelain worktop tiles and matching spare tiles under 6907 21 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,500. Duty at 4% is £700. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,200, so it is £3,640. Import taxes total £4,340; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £700 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Fit: measure sampled tiles and edge pieces against the approved drawings; dry-lay them to check joints, flatness and corner alignment.
Surface: compare the production finish with the approved sample; inspect for glaze pinholes, crazing, scratches and chipped edges.
Batch evidence: match absorption and breaking-strength reports to the supplied tile body; check that food-contact evidence covers the ordered glaze and decoration.
Arrival: compare shade and calibre labels across pallets, count matching trims and spare tiles, and photograph broken tiles and damaged packing before installation.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
A tile can match the catalogue colour yet arrive bowed, with a different shade from its edge pieces. Uneven joints and chipped corners become conspicuous on a worktop. A decorative wall-tile sample also leaves unanswered questions about food contact, staining and cleaning. Approve a tiled sample assembly and inspect the production batch using the quality inspection guide.
A quotation can omit anti-dumping duty or assume that every worktop tile qualifies for the size exclusion. Check the exporter, invoice and actual tile dimensions before comparing landed costs. The illustrative order values exclude any conclusion about anti-dumping relief; use the import duty and VAT guide to calculate the applicable charges.
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 worktop tiles from China?
The relevant lines carry 4% duty, plus anti-dumping duty with a 69.70% residual rate. Confirm whether an exporter-specific rate or the size exclusion applies.
Can ordinary wall tiles be used on a kitchen worktop?
Do not approve them on appearance alone. Check absorption, strength, stain resistance, cleaning performance and suitability for the intended food contact, together with the installer.
Are large ceramic worktop tiles exempt from anti-dumping duty?
The background guide records an exclusion until 24 November 2027 for a largest surface over 0.36 square metres or an edge over 600 mm, unless relief exceeds 3 mm. Confirm eligibility with your broker.
What should I check when worktop tiles arrive?
Check shade and calibre across pallets, flatness, glaze defects, chipped corners and transit damage. Dry-lay tiles with their edge pieces before installation and retain batch labels.