Electrical cable and wire harnesses from China
Insulated cable and wire harnesses from China fall under heading 8544 and pay 0% or 2% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty; most harnesses fitted with connectors are 8544 42 90 90 at 2%. Cable for 50 to 1,000 V AC must meet the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. Check conductor size and copper content, connector brands, crimp pull tests and 100% continuity testing before shipment.
Cable, cable assemblies and custom wire harnesses from China: 0% or 2% UK duty, no anti-dumping duty, the safety rules, and the checks that catch fake copper.
0% or 2% duty, and the connector question
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 28 September 2026, heading 8544 carried 2% on most lines from China and 0% on telecommunications conductors and optical fibre cables, with no anti-dumping duty on any line in the table. The suspensions that appear on some lines are limited to named products, such as one type of 12 V harness or cable for offshore wind manufacture under authorised use, and do not cover ordinary cable or harnesses.
The first split is whether the conductor is fitted with connectors. A cable assembly or harness with connectors, up to 1,000 V, is usually 8544 42 90 90; loose cable on a drum is under 8544 49, split by voltage and conductor diameter. Harnesses made for vehicles have their own line, 8544 30. Confirm the commodity code from the drawing, because the same wires can be classed differently once terminated.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Suspension or relief |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper winding wire, lacquered or enamelled | 8544 11 10 00 | 2% | None |
| Coaxial cable, other | 8544 20 00 90 | 2% | Only a named low-voltage cable type |
| Wiring sets and harnesses of a kind used in vehicles, other | 8544 30 00 89 | 2% | Only a named 12 V utility-vehicle harness |
| Conductors up to 1,000 V fitted with connectors, for telecommunications | 8544 42 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Conductors up to 1,000 V fitted with connectors, other (most cable assemblies and harnesses) | 8544 42 90 90 | 2% | Only named cable types, some under authorised use |
| Conductors without connectors, for telecommunications, up to 80 V | 8544 49 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Conductors without connectors, up to 1,000 V, individual wires over 0.51 mm diameter | 8544 49 91 00 | 2% | None |
| Conductors without connectors, up to 80 V, other | 8544 49 93 90 | 2% | None |
| Conductors without connectors, over 80 V but under 1,000 V, other | 8544 49 95 90 | 2% | None |
| Conductors without connectors, for 1,000 V | 8544 49 99 00 | 2% | None |
| Conductors over 1,000 V, with copper conductors, other | 8544 60 10 90 | 2% | Authorised use, offshore wind cable manufacture only |
| Optical fibre cables, other | 8544 70 00 99 | 0% | None |
The safety and substance rules
Cable and cable assemblies designed for use between 50 and 1,000 V AC, or 75 and 1,500 V DC, are electrical equipment under the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, so they need technical documentation, a declaration of conformity and UKCA or CE marking. Low-voltage harnesses below those limits fall outside those Regulations but are still covered by the general duty to supply safe products and by the requirements of the product they go into.
Cables also fall within the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012, which limit lead, cadmium and other substances in insulation, solder and plating. Ask for a test report on the insulation and sheath compound, not just a supplier statement.
Power, control and communication cable for permanent installation in buildings is also a construction product under Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 as it applies in Great Britain. Ask for the declaration of performance, which states the cable's reaction-to-fire class, and check that the marking on the sheath matches it.
Copper, the most common substitution
The commonest cable fraud is copper-clad aluminium sold as copper, or copper conductors a size smaller than the marking. Both carry less current and run hotter. Specify conductor material, cross-section in mm², number and diameter of strands, and insulation and sheath material and thickness.
At inspection, strip a sample, scrape the conductor to check the colour is copper all the way through, count and measure the strands, and weigh a measured length against the calculated copper weight. Check that any certification mark printed on the sheath matches a certificate you can verify with the body that issued it. Our bare copper wire guide covers the conductor itself.
Custom wire harnesses for UK manufacturers
A harness order should start from a drawing with a bill of materials: wire gauge and colour for every circuit, lengths and tolerances, connector and terminal part numbers, crimp specification, sleeving, labels and pin-out. Name whether connectors must be the branded part or an approved equivalent, because an unapproved lookalike connector is the part most often substituted after the price is agreed. IPC/WHMA-A-620 is the industry standard for cable and harness assembly workmanship; name the class you need.
Approve a first article before bulk production, signed off against the drawing, and keep it as the reference sample. On bulk, ask for crimp pull tests by batch and 100% electrical continuity testing on a test board built to your pin-out, with the test records. First-article checks for metal parts follow the same pattern, and making bulk production match the sample covers holding the factory to it.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 5,000 custom harnesses fitted with connectors, rated below 1,000 V, under 8544 42 90 90, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £1,100 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,100. Duty at 2% is £342. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £17,442, so it is £3,488.40. A VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £342 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection before the balance
Before the balance, inspect against the drawing and the first article: conductor material and size, strand count, insulation thickness, sheath markings, connector and terminal part numbers, crimp height and pull test results, continuity test records, lengths, labels and packing. Quality inspection sets out the stages. For related parts see printed circuit boards, injection-moulded components and EV chargers.
Cambridge China Bridge checks cable and harness makers in China and inspects the goods before shipment; see factory verification and product development.
For power supplies, transformers and inverters, see Power supplies, transformers and inverters from China.
For UK manufacturers buying machinery or components to drawing, see our service for manufacturers, or send a procurement brief.
For circuit breakers, switches, sockets and connectors, see Circuit breakers, switches and connectors from China.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on electrical cable from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 28 September 2026, most heading 8544 lines carried 2% from China and telecommunications and optical fibre cables 0%, with no anti-dumping duty.
What commodity code is a wire harness with connectors?
Usually 8544 42 90 90 at 2% if rated up to 1,000 V; harnesses of a kind used in vehicles are under 8544 30.
How do I check Chinese cable is really copper?
Strip and scrape a sample to check the colour runs through, count and measure the strands, and weigh a measured length against the calculated copper weight.
Does cable need UKCA or CE marking?
Cable designed for 50 to 1,000 V AC or 75 to 1,500 V DC is covered by the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 and needs a declaration of conformity and UKCA or CE marking.