Sourcing DDAC from China
Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) from China normally carries 6% UK duty under the residual quaternary ammonium line. Its listed suspension covers other substances. For disinfectant use, check the active-substance status and applicable biocides route before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources didecyldimethylammonium chloride.
DDAC: standard duty of 6%
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2923 covers quaternary ammonium salts and hydroxides, alongside lecithins and other phosphoaminolipids. For DDAC, the relevant candidate is the residual line 2923 90 00 90, carrying 6% duty on goods from China. The supplied facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Only this residual line is relevant to the product table.
The residual line has a 0% suspension restricted to named substances other than DDAC. Do not assume DDAC qualifies. The tariff also attaches dangerous-chemical export and waste export controls. These are labelled as export controls; ask your customs broker to confirm any requirement affecting your transaction.
Confirm the commodity code using the chemical identity, full composition and supplied form, especially for formulated products. Do not confuse the chloride with didecyldimethylammonium perfluorooctane sulphonate. See the benzalkonium chloride guide for wider heading context and the duty and VAT guide for the calculation method.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Didecyldimethylammonium chloride, subject to confirmation of form and composition | 2923 90 00 90 | 6% | None |
Specify DDAC content, solvent and intended use
Write the full chemical name into the purchase specification. Agree active content by weight, solvent composition, water content, appearance, impurity limits and the analytical method. Ask for a batch certificate of analysis and an English safety data sheet for the actual supplied composition. Compare offers on active content rather than the weight of solution alone.
For industrial use, confirm your UK REACH position with HSE for the planned annual substance import volume. For disinfectant supply, check the active-substance status for the intended market and the applicable authorisation route. Where product authorisation is required, obtain it before supply. Check the relevant Article 95 supplier listing and request supporting supply documents.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 10 tonnes of didecyldimethylammonium chloride under 2923 90 00 90, invoiced at £42,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £43,800. Duty at 6% is £2,628. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £46,428, so it is £9,285.60. Import taxes total £11,913.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £2,628 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the purchase specification, drum labels, batch certificate and safety data sheet to didecyldimethylammonium chloride.
Active content: have representative batch samples tested against the agreed assay and analytical method; compare the result with the certificate.
Composition: check the declared solvent and water content, appearance and agreed impurities against the approved sample.
Packaging and documents: check seals, closures, leaks and batch markings; compare hazard labels with the English safety data sheet. Use the inspection guide to agree the sampling and reporting brief.
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What goes wrong
A lower active content or an undeclared solvent change can make a nominally identical delivery unsuitable for your formulation. A generic certificate may describe a different grade or batch. Hold a delivery with mismatched identity, assay or documents until the discrepancy is resolved, and test a retained sample before accepting a replacement.
A chemical assay does not establish the regulatory route for disinfectant supply. Resolve active-substance status, any required product authorisation and supplier-list questions before ordering. Record the agreed composition and require approval before the factory changes it.
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 DDAC from China?
The relevant residual line, 2923 90 00 90, carries a standard duty of 6%. Its named suspension does not cover DDAC. The supplied facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty.
Can I sell imported DDAC as a disinfectant?
Check the active-substance status for your market and the applicable biocides route. Where product authorisation is required, obtain it before supply, and check the relevant Article 95 supplier listing.
What should a DDAC factory quote specify?
Specify chemical identity, active content, solvent and water content, agreed impurities, analytical method and packaging. Request batch analysis and a safety data sheet for the supplied composition.
What should I test when DDAC arrives?
Check identity and active content against the agreed method, then solvent and water content and specified impurities. Match results to the batch certificate and inspect closures, seals and labels.