Sourcing dry freight box truck bodies from China
Dry freight box truck bodies from China carry 4% UK duty across the supplied heading lines. For a body fitted to a new chassis, confirm the completed vehicle's approval and registration requirements with the relevant vehicle approval authority. Agree chassis mounting, floor loading and weather sealing before production. Cambridge China Bridge sources dry freight box truck bodies.
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UK duty on dry freight box truck bodies
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 8707 covers bodies, including cabs, for vehicles of headings 8701 to 8705. Dry freight box bodies for goods vehicles normally fall under 8707 90 90 00. The table shows product variants sharing that general code, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.
All supplied lines carry 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions listed. The supplied tariff also attaches a DCMS Export Licence entry. Ask your customs broker to confirm its relevance to the shipment. Official guidance states that importing objects of cultural interest into Great Britain has no licensing requirements.
Confirm the commodity code for the actual shipment, especially a knocked-down body or separately shipped panels, doors and tail lifts. The industrial-assembly line has a restricted description and should not be selected merely because assembly happens after import. See the curtainsider truck bodies guide for related bodies within the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium dry freight box truck bodies | 8707 90 90 00 | 4% | None |
Chassis fit, floor loading and dry cargo protection
Send the factory the chassis manufacturer's mounting drawings. Fix internal dimensions, door opening, subframe arrangement, wheel clearance and body weight in the order. Specify wall and roof materials, floor construction, forklift use, cargo restraint points and the loads each must support. Choose rear doors or a roller shutter, and agree seals, drainage and replacement hardware.
For a new chassis-cab completed with the body, confirm approval and registration requirements with the relevant vehicle approval authority and agree responsibility for meeting them. Check lighting, reflectors, side guards and underrun protection against the finished vehicle's approval requirements. Individual vehicle approval can be used for modified goods vehicles. Ask the bodybuilder to confirm the route and documents for your vehicle before production.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 50 aluminium dry freight box truck bodies under 8707 90 90 00, invoiced at £150,000 free on board, with £20,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £170,000. Duty at 4% is £6,800. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £176,800, so it is £35,360. Import taxes total £42,160; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £6,800 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Fit: measure mounting positions, subframe dimensions, body diagonals and door opening against the approved drawings before dispatch and again on arrival.
Structure: inspect welds, rivets, panel bonding, floor joints and cargo restraint attachments. Obtain test evidence matching any agreed body-strength or floor-loading claim.
Weather sealing: water-test roof joints, corners and door seals. Check inside for leaks, trapped water, lifted floor edges and damaged panel faces.
Doors and delivery: operate locks, hinges or roller shutters through their full travel. Check packing supports, panel damage, loose hardware and the assembly instructions against the packing list. Use the inspection guide to define the report.
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What goes wrong
A body can match the advertised length yet miss the chassis mounting points or leave insufficient wheel clearance. Heavy floors and subframes can also upset the buyer's intended payload. Approve the mounting drawing and body-weight declaration before fabrication, then compare the delivered body with those documents.
Leaking roof seams, poorly bonded panels, delaminating floors and sagging doors can damage dry cargo or stop loading. A generic test report may describe another construction. Record the materials and joint details in the order, inspect before loading, and photograph transport damage on arrival before assembly.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on dry freight box truck bodies from China?
The supplied tariff snapshot shows 4% duty across heading 8707, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions listed. Dry freight goods-vehicle bodies normally use 8707 90 90 00.
Does an imported box body need vehicle approval?
Agree the approval route and responsibility with the bodybuilder and chassis supplier before ordering.
What should I specify for a forklift-loaded box body?
Give the factory the forklift and cargo loading details. Agree floor construction, support spacing, loading method and test evidence rather than accepting an unspecified floor-load claim.
How do I check whether a box body will keep cargo dry?
Water-test roof seams, corners and door seals before dispatch. Repeat checks after arrival, inspect the interior for moisture, and operate the doors to confirm that seals remain seated.