Sourcing dressed raccoon furskins from China
Dressed raccoon furskins from China carry 0% to 2% UK duty: unassembled pieces are 0%, whole skins and assembled skins 2%. Wild-fur source controls need checking, and captive-bred status must be distinguished. Confirm species and admissibility before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources dressed raccoon furskins.
Duty by skin form and import eligibility
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 October 2026, heading 4302 covers tanned or dressed furskins, including unassembled pieces and skins assembled without other materials. Whole raccoon skins fall within the other-species line at 2%; unassembled heads, tails, paws and cuttings carry 0%. Dropped skins and other assembled raccoon skins carry 2%. The supplied tariff records show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for these lines.
The tariff attaches restrictions on entry into free circulation, CITES import and export controls, and seal-product controls to these broad lines. Pieces and dropped skins also carry cat-and-dog-fur controls; pieces carry waste import and export controls. These entries cover multiple species and uses. Ask your customs broker to confirm any prohibitions or exceptions under the cat-and-dog-fur and seal-product controls. Confirm the applicable declaration requirements with your customs broker rather than treating every control as a raccoon-specific permit.
If the identified species is CITES-listed, permits are required for movements into or out of Great Britain, including from China. For cuttings shipped as waste under notification controls to England, obtain the relevant authorities’ consent before shipment. Confirm the commodity code from species, dressing and assembly. See the wider furskins and fur articles guide for other species and finished articles.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole dressed raccoon skins, not assembled | 4302 19 99 00 | 2% | None |
| Dressed raccoon heads, tails, paws and cuttings, not assembled | 4302 20 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Assembled raccoon skins made by the dropped-skin method | 4302 30 10 00 | 2% | None |
| Other assembled raccoon skins and pieces, without other materials | 4302 30 99 00 | 2% | None |
Specify raccoon identity, origin and dressing
Write the species name, skin source country, wild or captive-bred status, dressing location and batch identity into the purchase specification. Do not accept a supplier’s use of “raccoon” as sufficient identification. Obtain independent species identification where the documents or samples are unclear.
HMRC describes approved-source certification for fur subject to trapping controls and says the control does not apply to animals born and bred in captivity. Dressing in China is insufficient evidence of admissibility. Ask your broker to confirm the species, source-country eligibility and acceptable documentation before committing to an order.
Specify usable skin dimensions, retained heads or tails, hair length and density, natural or dyed colour, leather softness, permissible holes and repairs, and shedding tolerance. For assembled panels, approve seam placement, hair direction and colour matching. Retain an approved sample and agree chemical testing for the intended use.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 300 whole dressed raccoon skins, illustrative only and subject to import eligibility 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
Identity: match species and source records to the shipment and sampled skins; investigate mixed lots or inconsistent descriptions.
Dressing: flex the leather and check brittleness, tearing, persistent odour, dampness and mould.
Hair and colour: brush and pull sampled areas, compare density and shade with the approved sample, and check dye transfer onto cloth.
Assembly and packing: inspect seams, repairs and hair direction; check usable dimensions, batch separation and packing condition on arrival.
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What goes wrong
Orders fail when a trade name substitutes for species identification, source records do not match the skins, or the buyer assumes that paying duty resolves import restrictions. Hold the order until your broker has confirmed the applicable source and document requirements.
Poor dressing leaves brittle leather, shedding hair or persistent odour. Panels may hide small unusable pieces, weak seams or mismatched shades. Compare unpacked stock with the approved sample and record defects before accepting the lot. Use the quality inspection guide to agree the inspection scope.
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 dressed raccoon skins from China?
The supplied tariff records show 2% for whole dressed skins and assembled skins, and 0% for unassembled heads, tails, paws and cuttings. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded for these lines.
Can I import wild raccoon fur dressed in China?
Do not assume so. HMRC describes approved-source certification for fur subject to trapping controls. Ask your broker to check the skin source country and acceptable documents before ordering.
Are captive-bred raccoon skins exempt from trapping controls?
HMRC says the trapping control does not apply to animals born and bred in captivity. Have your broker check the evidence of captive breeding and all other applicable controls.
What should I check when dressed raccoon skins arrive?
Check species and batch records, usable dimensions, leather flexibility, hair retention, odour and dye transfer. For assembled panels, check seams, repairs, hair direction and colour matching.