Sourcing copper wire from China
Bare copper and copper alloy wire from China, refined copper, brass, cupro-nickel and nickel silver, pays 4% UK duty on all six lines of heading 7408, with no anti-dumping duty. Insulated and enamelled winding wire is a different heading. Buyers check the copper grade and conductivity, diameter tolerance, temper, surface and how the wire is wound.
4% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 7408 covers copper wire, split by refined copper and by alloy, and for refined copper by cross-section. All six lines carried 4% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Stranded wire and cable without insulation is heading 7413, covered in our stranded copper wire guide, and insulated or enamelled wire is chapter 85; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refined copper wire, maximum cross-section over 6 mm | 7408 11 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Refined copper wire, over 0.5 mm up to 6 mm | 7408 19 10 00 | 4% | None |
| Refined copper wire, 0.5 mm or less | 7408 19 90 00 | 4% | None |
| Brass wire | 7408 21 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Cupro-nickel or nickel silver wire | 7408 22 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Other copper alloy wire | 7408 29 00 00 | 4% | None |
Specifying wire
Specify the material (refined copper grade, brass, cupro-nickel or nickel silver), diameter and tolerance, temper (hard, half-hard or annealed), conductivity or resistivity for electrical use, tensile strength and elongation, surface condition and any plating such as tin, and the reel or coil size and weight.
Ask for a mill certificate per lot giving composition and tested properties.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 5 tonnes of bare 2 mm copper wire on reels under 7408 19 10 00, invoiced at £45,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £46,200. Duty at 4% is £1,848. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £48,048, so it is £9,609.60. Import taxes total £11,457.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,848 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Dimensions: measure diameter at several points along sample reels.
Properties: test resistivity, tensile strength and elongation on samples against the certificate.
Surface and winding: check for oxidation, scratches and tangles, and reel labels. See our quality inspection guide.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
Wire orders fail on material, tolerance and winding. Copper-clad aluminium or lower-grade copper is substituted, diameter drifts, the temper is wrong for the process, and badly wound reels tangle on the machine.
Cambridge China Bridge sources copper and alloy wire for UK manufacturers with sample testing agreed before production; see small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on copper wire from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, all six lines of heading 7408 carried 4% from China.
Is enamelled copper wire in heading 7408?
No. Insulated and enamelled winding wire is classified in chapter 85.
How do I check the wire is really copper?
Test resistivity and density on samples; copper-clad aluminium fails both.
What temper should I specify?
Hard, half-hard or annealed, depending on whether the wire will be formed, drawn further or used as supplied.