Sourcing crowfoot wrench sets from China

UK duty on crowfoot wrench sets

Heading 8204 covers hand-operated spanners and wrenches and interchangeable spanner sockets. Crowfoot heads connect to a separate drive handle and reach fasteners where a conventional socket cannot fit. The table shows product variants under the interchangeable socket line, rather than separate tariff lines. For the wider product family, see socket wrench sets.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, all supplied heading 8204 lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied facts list no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual head design, drive connection and complete packing list. Interchangeable heads should be assessed against 8204 20 00 00; a fixed hand wrench has a different description within this heading. Adding other types of hand tool can change the classification of a retail set.

Specify the jaws and drive connection

Specify open-ended or flare-nut heads, metric or imperial openings, the size list and the drive square. Provide drawings showing jaw width, head thickness, overall envelope and the distance between the drive centre and fastener centre. Check access around pipework and recessed fittings using an approved sample.

Agree steel grade, heat treatment, hardness, finish and proof-load acceptance criteria. Ask for measurements and test results for each size rather than a generic socket report. If buyers will use the heads with a torque wrench, request instructions explaining how head position and effective length affect the setting.

For sets intended or likely to be used by consumers in Great Britain, the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 apply. Products must be safe under normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Agree suitable handling instructions and assess slipping jaws, fractured heads and sharp edges.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of metric open-ended crowfoot wrench sets; values are illustrative, not a quotation under 8204 20 00 00, invoiced at £4,500 free on board, with £450 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,950. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,950, so it is £990. 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

Jaw fit: gauge each opening against the drawing, check contact on representative fasteners and look for burrs around the mouth and pipe clearance slot.

Drive engagement: fit heads to the intended handles, check retention and excessive play, and confirm the drive square is clear of plating build-up.

Strength and finish: verify hardness and agreed proof-load results, inspect for cracks or permanent jaw spreading, and check coating adhesion and corrosion.

Set contents: reconcile size markings with the packing list, check for duplicate or missing heads, and confirm the case retains every head during handling.

What goes wrong

Oversize jaws slip and round fasteners; thin or poorly heat-treated jaws spread under load. Flare-nut heads can have a clearance slot that obstructs the pipe or removes too much supporting material. A loose drive connection makes positioning difficult, while excessive plating can prevent engagement.

A set can pass a visual check yet fail in use because only the largest head was tested. Agree checks across the size range and keep the approved sample with its drawings. Do not accept a change to head thickness, steel or jaw geometry solely because the size marking remains the same.

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.