Sourcing electric rotary hammers from China

UK duty on electric rotary hammers

Heading 8467 covers hand-held powered tools. For rotary hammers, distinguish cordless drills from corded electropneumatic drills. The other-drills row is a classification alternative, not an interchangeable code. Separately supplied parts need their own assessment. The hand-held power-tools guide covers the wider heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, complete electric tools in the relevant lines carry 2% duty for goods from China, while the listed parts line carries 0%. The supplied tariff data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines.

Confirm the mechanism, power source and whether the shipment contains complete tools or separate parts before choosing a code. Use finding your commodity code. A supplier's description of a tool as a hammer drill does not explain its mechanism.

Specify the hammer mechanism and drilling task

State the concrete or masonry to be drilled, hole diameter and depth, drill-bit shank system, impact energy, loaded drilling performance and intended duty cycle. Specify rotation, hammer-drilling and chiselling modes where needed, together with the auxiliary handle, depth stop and overload-clutch behaviour. For cordless models, identify the battery platform, supplied packs and charger.

Approve a production-representative sample using the intended bits and material. Compare drilling time, bit changes, handling, heat build-up and performance after repeated work. Agree spare chuck components, seals, brushes where fitted and the repair process.

For Great Britain, obtain the exact model's declaration of conformity, English instructions, marking and technical evidence. Confirm with the relevant authority which electrical, electromagnetic compatibility and battery obligations apply to the supplied configuration. Electrical equipment producers must register annually; establish who will fulfil that role for tools placed on the UK market.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial order of 10 corded electric rotary hammers under 8467 21 91 00, invoiced at £468 free on board, with £52 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £520. Duty at 2% is £10.40. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £530.40, so it is £106.08. Import taxes total £116.48; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £10.40 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the tool, carton, declaration and test reports to the approved model and supplied battery or charger configuration.

Bit retention: check insertion, locking, release and dust seals with the agreed drill bits; look for excessive play and damaged chuck parts.

Loaded operation: trial hammer-drilling and any agreed chiselling mode; check switches, mode selection, auxiliary-handle security and abnormal heat or grease leakage.

Documents and packing: check English instructions, marking, vibration and noise information, accessories and transit damage. Use quality inspection explained to agree the inspection scope.

What goes wrong

A tool can run normally without load yet drill slowly, overheat or lose hammer action in concrete. Loose bit retention, leaking seals and slipping mode selectors can also become apparent during a task trial. Record these observations against the approved sample before accepting the batch.

Another model's report does not establish the supplied tool's compliance. Manufacturer vibration information also does not equal an employee's exposure in actual use. Confirm employers' applicable workplace equipment and hand-arm vibration duties with the relevant authority, and include the intended drilling task in tool selection and exposure planning.

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.