Circuit breakers, switches and connectors from China

0% or 2% duty on heading 8536

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 8536 carried 2% from China on fuses, automatic circuit breakers, relays and general plugs and connectors, and 0% on other protection apparatus such as surge protectors, on switches, lamp holders, printed-circuit connectors and wire terminals. No line in the table carried anti-dumping duty. The suspensions on some relay and connector lines are limited to named products used in manufacturing.

Classify by function and rating: a miniature circuit breaker up to 63 A is 8536 20 10 90, a wall switch over 60 V 8536 50 80 00, a terminal block 8536 90 10 00. Everything in heading 8536 is for up to 1,000 V; switchgear for higher voltages is heading 8535, and assembled boards and panels such as consumer units are heading 8537. Confirm the commodity code from the datasheet.

Safety rules, and the plug and socket exception

Breakers, switches, relays and connectors designed for 50 to 1,000 V AC are electrical equipment under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, so they need technical documentation, a declaration of conformity, UKCA or CE marking and the importer's name and address. Ask for test reports to the product standard the part is built to, for example BS EN 60898-1 for miniature circuit breakers or BS EN 61008 and 61009 for residual current devices, and check the rating on the report matches the part.

Plugs and socket-outlets for domestic use are excluded from those Regulations and covered instead by the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994, amended most recently in 2026. A standard UK plug must be of a type approved by a notified body as conforming to BS 1363, and plug fuse links are specified by BS 1362. Ask for the notified body approval for the exact plug or socket type, not a general test report.

The same products fall within the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012. And the UK Trade Tariff flags import controls on mercury for breakers, relays and switches: Regulation (EU) 2017/852 as it applies in Great Britain prohibits importing the mercury-added products in its Annex II. Ask the factory to confirm in writing that the parts contain no mercury.

Counterfeits and relabelled parts

Protection devices are a known target for counterfeiting: breakers and RCDs marked with a well-known brand, or with ratings and certification marks they do not meet. A fake breaker that does not trip is a fire risk, and the importer carries the liability. Buy branded parts only through the brand's authorised channel, and for own-brand parts check the certificate with the body that issued it, using the certificate number and the factory name.

At inspection, take samples from the bulk for trip testing at the rated current, check the contact material and terminal screws against the approved sample, and weigh parts against the sample; lighter breakers often have smaller contacts or a weaker trip mechanism.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 10,000 own-brand miniature circuit breakers up to 63 A under 8536 20 10 90, invoiced at £12,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £12,600. Duty at 2% is £252. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £12,852, so it is £2,570.40. A VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £252 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Related guides and how we help

For related products see electrical cable and wire harnesses, power supplies and transformers, switchgear enclosures and parts, high-voltage switchgear and timer switches.

Cambridge China Bridge checks electrical component makers in China, matches certificates to the factory and the part, and inspects the goods before shipment; see factory verification, testing and certification and our service for manufacturers.

For control panels, distribution boards and PLCs, see Control panels and distribution boards from China.