Sourcing cold-heading steel wire from China
Cold-heading steel wire from China carries listed UK duties of 0% to 50%, depending on its finish and composition. Classify the actual wire rather than its intended use, and retain evidence of the steel supply chain for Russia sanctions checks. Cambridge China Bridge sources cold-heading steel wire.
Duty depends on chemistry and surface finish
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7217 covers wire of iron or non-alloy steel. This guide concerns drawn wire bought for cold-heading bolts, screws and rivets. Alloy and stainless steel wire belong elsewhere. Confirm carbon content, maximum cross-sectional dimension and surface treatment through finding your commodity code.
The supplied tariff snapshot lists 50% for the uncoated lines shown and 0% for the other-wire line. It records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. The wider steel wire guide explains tariff-free quotas alongside the steel measure's 50% out-of-quota duty. Have your broker confirm quota eligibility and availability before relying on relief; the snapshot does not establish a quota allocation.
The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to the other-wire lines. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. For a China-to-England shipment subject to notification controls, the exporter applies through the dispatch authority, and shipment requires consent from the Environment Agency and other competent authorities involved. Ask your broker to confirm the attached control against the goods and route.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uncoated wire, carbon below 0.25%, cross-section below 0.8 mm | 7217 10 10 00 | 50% | None |
| Uncoated smooth wire, carbon below 0.25%, cross-section 0.8 mm or more | 7217 10 39 00 | 50% | None |
| Uncoated wire, carbon from 0.25% to below 0.6% | 7217 10 50 00 | 50% | None |
| Other wire, carbon below 0.25%; confirm finish classification | 7217 90 20 00 | 0% | None |
Specify wire for your heading operation
Give the factory the finished fastener drawing and heading sequence. Specify steel grade and chemistry, wire diameter and tolerance, tensile strength, hardness and delivery condition. State whether spheroidising annealing is required, and agree how its condition will be assessed. Ask for trial wire to run through your own tooling before accepting production.
Describe the surface treatment explicitly, including any phosphate treatment, soap or drawing lubricant. Agree acceptable seams, scratches, rust and decarburisation, with test methods and acceptance criteria. Specify coil weight, inner and outer diameter, winding direction and payout arrangement. Request heat-linked chemistry and mechanical results rather than a certificate saying only that the wire is suitable for cold heading.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of uncoated non-alloy cold-heading steel wire under 7217 10 39 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £20,000. Duty at 50% is £10,000. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £30,000, so it is £6,000. Import taxes total £16,000; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £10,000 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Traceability: match coil tags, heat numbers, packing list and mill results; keep different heats identifiable.
Dimensions and condition: measure diameter and ovality along sample coils; compare tensile strength, hardness and annealing evidence with the order.
Surface and forming: inspect for seams, scratches and rust; check lubricant coverage and run an agreed heading trial, examining formed heads for cracks.
Coils and packing: check net weight, coil dimensions, winding and payout; inspect protective wrapping for water entry. Define these checks in your inspection brief.
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What goes wrong
Wire can meet its stated chemistry yet split during heading because its condition or surface quality does not suit the forming sequence. Inconsistent lubrication can cause sticking and tool wear, while tangled coils interrupt feeding. Keep failed trial pieces linked to their heat and coil, and agree the corrective action before accepting replacement material.
A Chinese supplier address does not establish the origin of the steel inputs. Russian-origin listed steel processed into another listed steel product in China can fall under the UK import ban, subject to applicable exceptions or licensing. Retain verifiable supply-chain documentation and have any uncertain origin checked before ordering. A tariff code chosen from the words cold-heading wire alone can also misdescribe the actual finish.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on cold-heading steel wire from China?
The supplied snapshot lists 50% for the uncoated rows and 0% for the other-wire row. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded. Confirm the finish, code and any available quota before shipment.
Does all cold-heading steel wire fall under heading 7217?
No. This heading covers iron or non-alloy steel wire. Alloy and stainless wire belong elsewhere. The words cold-heading describe its intended process, so obtain chemistry and finish details for classification.
What should I ask the factory to test?
Agree chemistry, diameter, ovality, tensile strength, hardness, annealing condition and surface checks. Run trial wire through your heading sequence and inspect the formed heads for cracks.
Are mill certificates enough for steel-origin checks?
They can form part of the evidence. Keep verifiable supply-chain records; a supplier declaration may require further supporting evidence. Do not assume that processing in China resolves Russian-origin steel restrictions.