Sourcing drawn and blown sheet glass from China
Drawn and blown glass in sheets from China, such as restoration-style drawn glass, hand-blown cylinder glass for stained glass and optical sheet glass, whether tinted, flashed or coated, pays 0% UK duty on all five lines of heading 7004, with no anti-dumping duty. Buyers check thickness, the intended distortion or seeds, colour, size and crating.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 October 2026, heading 7004 covers drawn glass and blown glass, in sheets, whether or not having an absorbent, reflecting or non-reflecting layer, but not otherwise worked, split into glass coloured throughout, opacified, flashed or layered, and other glass, each with a line for optical glass. All five lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Float glass is heading 7005, covered in our float glass guide, and rolled and patterned glass in our patterned and wired glass guide; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coloured, opacified, flashed or layered, optical glass | 7004 20 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Coloured or layered, with a non-reflecting layer | 7004 20 91 00 | 0% | None |
| Coloured, opacified, flashed or layered, other | 7004 20 99 00 | 0% | None |
| Other glass, optical | 7004 90 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other drawn or blown sheet glass | 7004 90 80 00 | 0% | None |
Specifying sheet glass
Specify the glass type, thickness range, sheet size, colour and whether flashed, the degree of seeds, reams and distortion wanted for restoration or art glass, and crated packing with interleaving. Glass used where building regulations require protection against impact must meet the applicable requirements; in England, suitable robust glazing, small panes or permanent protection can be alternatives to toughened or laminated glass.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 500 sheets of hand-blown coloured glass under 7004 20 99 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £10,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,200, so it is £2,040. 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
Glass: check colour and texture against the approved sample under daylight.
Dimensions: check sheet size and thickness range.
Packing: check crates, interleaving and breakage. 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
Sheet glass orders fail on colour, texture and breakage. Colour differs from the sample, texture is too even or too distorted for the use, and loosely crated sheets arrive broken.
Cambridge China Bridge sources glass for UK stained glass studios, restorers and makers from small lots; see small orders.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on stained glass sheet from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 October 2026, drawn and blown sheet glass under heading 7004 carried 0% from China.
Is float glass in heading 7004?
No. Float glass is heading 7005.
What is flashed glass?
Clear glass with a thin coloured layer on one side, used in stained glass.
Can drawn glass be used for safety glazing?
Only if it meets the applicable building regulations for its location and use. In England, suitable robust glazing, small panes or permanent protection can be alternatives to toughened or laminated glass.