Sourcing dressed nutria furskins from China

Duty by skin form

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 October 2026, heading 4302 covers tanned or dressed furskins, including unassembled pieces and skins assembled without adding other materials. For nutria from China, whole skins, dropped skins and other assembled skins carry 2%; unassembled pieces carry 0%. The selected lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension.

The selected codes carry restrictions on entry into free circulation, CITES import and export controls, and seal-product controls. Pieces and dropped skins also carry cat and dog fur controls; unassembled pieces carry waste import and export controls. These are broad commodity lines. Confirm which requirements apply to the identified nutria shipment with your customs broker, including any relevant cat and dog fur or seal-product restrictions.

Confirm the commodity code using the species, dressing and whether skins are whole, cut or assembled. Finished garments require separate classification. See the wider furskins and fur articles guide for other species and finished products.

Specify the nutria skin and dressing

Ask the supplier to identify the species by scientific name and record where the animals originated, separately from where the skins were dressed. Specify whole skins or assembled panels, usable dimensions, colour, guard-hair finish, underfur density, leather softness and permitted repairs. Agree whether the fur is natural, plucked, sheared or dyed, and retain an approved sample.

Ask APHA whether its treated-fur guidance covers the proposed dressed skins before relying on its exemptions. For products covered by that guidance, imports are permitted from any country and no health certificate is required. Obtain the supplier's treatment description so APHA can assess the actual product.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 300 whole dressed nutria skins; FOB and freight values are illustrative under 4302 19 99 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,500. Duty at 2% is £190. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,690, so it is £1,938. Import taxes total £2,128; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £190 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Species and origin: compare supplier records with the approved sample; arrange independent species identification if the hair or skin differs.

Hair and colour: brush and gently pull sampled skins, inspect thin patches, compare guard-hair removal and check dye transfer against the approved sample.

Leather and assembly: flex the skin, check tears and brittle areas, measure usable dimensions and examine panel seams, repairs and hair direction.

Packing and arrival: check for dampness, mould and persistent odour; photograph affected bundles and keep them separate pending assessment.

What goes wrong

A colour description or trade name can be mistaken for species identification. Orders can also fail through uneven plucking, excessive shedding, stiff leather, dye transfer or panels assembled from mismatched grades. Describe the goods accurately when offering them for sale and compare the delivery with the agreed specification before cutting or sewing.

Do not assume that loose cuttings and waste have identical import treatment. For imports into England under waste notification controls, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. Ask your broker to determine the shipment's status before dispatch. Use a quality inspection brief covering species, dressing and assembly.

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.