Sourcing collated roofing nails from China

Duty on collated roofing nails

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 13 October 2026, iron or steel wire nails in strips or coils under 7317 00 20 00 carried 0% duty from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension, steel measure or import control for this line.

Heading 7317 covers iron or steel nails and similar articles, excluding articles with copper heads. The table shows product variants within the same collated-wire-nail line, rather than separate tariff classifications. Loose nails are outside this guide's focus.

Confirm the material, manufacturing method and presentation with your customs broker using finding your commodity code. See the wider nails, staples and tacks guide for other products in this heading.

Roofing nailer fit, heads and coatings

Specify the target roofing nailer and agree shank diameter, nail length, head diameter, head shape, point, shank profile and dimensional tolerances. Record the collation material, angle, spacing and coil shape. Approve samples by test-firing them in the actual tool and roofing assembly before accepting the production specification.

Write down the steel grade, coating process and agreed coating thickness or mass. Keep hot-dip galvanised, electro-galvanised and stainless products separate in the specification. Select the finish for the roof exposure and substrate rather than accepting an unspecified 'galvanised' description.

For nails intended for structural timber connections, the reference guide identifies BS EN 14592. Confirm with the relevant authority or a compliance adviser whether a declaration of performance and UKCA or CE marking are required. Confirm the declared intended use covers your application. Where CE marking has been legitimately affixed, Great Britain does not require UKCA marking in addition.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 25 tonnes of collated roofing nails, illustrative stock order under 7317 00 20 00, invoiced at £22,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £24,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £24,000, so it is £4,800. 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

Dimensions: measure shank diameter, length and head diameter against the agreed drawing; check head centring, point formation and bent shanks.

Gun feeding: test-fire production samples in the target roofing nailer; check feeding, head seating and collation break-up, including coils taken from transit-tested cartons.

Material and finish: check the ordered material and coating, inspect for bare patches and rust, and compare coating measurements with the agreed acceptance criteria.

Packing and documents: reconcile coil counts and carton contents with labels; keep batches identifiable and check the performance declaration and marking for structural timber products.

What goes wrong

Incorrect collation geometry or distorted coils cause feeding problems. Off-centre heads, bent shanks and weak collation can turn a dimensionally acceptable nail into unusable stock. Compare arrival samples with the approved sample and repeat the gun trial before releasing the batch.

Thin or uneven coatings can rust and stain the roof assembly. A broad head alone does not prove suitability for the specified roofing material or structural connection. Settle the intended use, coating and acceptance checks before ordering; arrange testing and certification support where needed.

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.