Drilling and milling machines from China
Metal drilling, boring, milling and tapping machines from China pay 0% or 2% UK duty with no anti-dumping duty: boring-milling and boring machines are 0%, while drilling, knee-type and other milling and tapping machines are 2%. They must meet the UK machinery supply rules, and machining centres have their own heading. Cambridge China Bridge sources them.
Pillar and radial drills, knee-type mills, boring mills and tapping machines from China pay 0% or 2% UK duty. Machinery safety, accuracy tests and an example.
0% or 2% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, machine tools for drilling, boring, milling, threading or tapping by removing metal, heading 8459, carried 2% on goods from China for way-type unit head machines, drilling machines, knee-type and other milling machines and threading or tapping machines, and 0% for boring-milling and other boring machines, with no anti-dumping measure on any line.
Machining centres that change tools automatically are classified under heading 8457, lathes under 8458 (see our lathes guide) and hand-held drills under 8467. Confirm the commodity code from the machine type and control.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other drilling machines, numerically controlled | 8459 21 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Other drilling machines, other (such as pillar and radial drills) | 8459 29 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Other boring-milling machines, numerically controlled | 8459 31 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other boring machines, numerically controlled | 8459 41 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Milling machines, knee-type, numerically controlled | 8459 51 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Milling machines, knee-type, other | 8459 59 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Other milling machines, not numerically controlled, other than tool milling machines | 8459 69 90 00 | 2% | None |
| Other threading or tapping machines | 8459 70 00 00 | 2% | None |
Machinery rules
A drilling or milling machine placed on the UK market must meet the essential health and safety requirements of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, with a declaration of conformity, marking and instructions in English. The type standards are BS EN 12717 for drilling machines and BS EN ISO 16090-1 for milling machines, covering guards, spindle and table movement and control functions.
The electrical equipment is expected to follow BS EN 60204-1, and chuck guards on pillar drills are among the first things an inspector looks at.
Specifying a machine
Specify table size and travels, spindle taper, power and speed range, drilling or milling capacity in steel, quill travel, feeds, control brand and options, digital readouts, coolant and swarf handling, positioning accuracy and repeatability with the test method, and the voltage and supply. Name a test part for the factory to cut at acceptance.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 8 CNC knee-type milling machines, entered under 8459 51 00 00: £96,000 free on board plus £6,000 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £102,000. The 2% duty on milling machines comes to £2,040, and import VAT is 20% of £104,040, which is £20,808. If you are VAT-registered you normally reclaim the £20,808, leaving £2,040 as the real cost at the border. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Accuracy: check geometric accuracy such as spindle run-out and table flatness and squareness to the methods of ISO 230-1, and axis positioning accuracy and repeatability to ISO 230-2 on CNC machines, against the figures in the contract.
Safety: check chuck and spindle guards, interlocks and emergency stops against BS EN 12717 or BS EN ISO 16090-1 as applicable, and check the electrical panel against BS EN 60204-1.
Cutting test and documents: cut the agreed test part at the factory and measure it, and check the declaration of conformity, English manual, wiring diagrams and spares list before crating.
What goes wrong
Drilling and milling machines fail on accuracy, guarding and controls. Gibs and slides are loose or badly scraped so accuracy drifts, machines lose alignment in transit because they were not locked and levelled, chuck guards and interlocks are missing on export models, and the control or digital readout differs from the one quoted.
Run an acceptance test on your own part, lock slides and brace the machine for shipping, and repeat the accuracy check after installation. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources drilling and milling machines for UK workshops, schools and resellers, checking the builder's assembly and inspection capability before an order. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on milling machines from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, knee-type and other milling machines carried 2% from China, and boring-milling machines 0%.
Are machining centres the same code?
No. Machining centres with automatic tool change are classified under heading 8457.
What safety standard covers drilling machines?
BS EN 12717 for drilling machines and BS EN ISO 16090-1 for milling machines.
Is there anti-dumping duty?
No line of heading 8459 had a UK anti-dumping measure on 26 September 2026.