Sourcing empty extinguisher cylinders from China
Empty aluminium fire extinguisher cylinders from China carry 6% UK duty; the listed 0% suspensions cover other products. Pressure equipment designed for more than 0.5 bar is subject to design, manufacture and conformity-assessment rules. Cambridge China Bridge sources empty aluminium fire extinguisher cylinders.
Duty on empty aluminium extinguisher cylinders
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7613 covers aluminium containers for compressed or liquefied gas. The supplied line, 7613 00 00 90, carries 6% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty listed. The table shows supply variants under this same commodity line.
The listed 0% suspensions concern specified carbon-overwrapped natural gas or hydrogen containers and empty portable medical oxygen cylinders with a valve and regulator. They do not cover ordinary empty aluminium fire extinguisher cylinders. The tariff also attaches an import control of fluorinated greenhouse gases. Confirm the declaration requirement for your empty cylinders with your customs broker; official guidance says imported F-gas equipment, including ‘empty’ equipment, must be labelled correctly.
Give your broker the cylinder drawing, intended extinguishing agent, pressure specification and details of any supplied valve to confirm the commodity code. For other cylinder applications, see aluminium gas cylinders.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty aluminium fire extinguisher cylinders without valves | 7613 00 00 90 | 6% | None |
Specify the bottle, neck and extinguishing agent
Specify the intended extinguishing agent, aluminium alloy, water capacity, maximum allowable pressure, working and test pressures, wall profile, dimensions and weight. Provide the neck-thread drawing, sealing arrangement, valve interface and finish. State whether the order includes valves, caps or only empty bottle bodies. Have the extinguisher assembler approve the drawing and sample before production.
The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 regulate the design, manufacture and conformity assessment of pressure equipment with a maximum allowable pressure above 0.5 bar. Ask your testing and certification adviser to establish the applicable assessment route for the actual cylinder design and intended use.
Agree the material certificates, design evidence, batch test records and identification details to accompany delivery. Match the internal cleaning and drying specification to the intended extinguishing agent, and agree how necks and sealing surfaces will be protected during shipment.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 empty aluminium fire extinguisher cylinders without valves under 7613 00 00 90, invoiced at £48,000 free on board, with £2,400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £50,400. Duty at 6% is £3,024. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £53,424, so it is £10,684.80. Import taxes total £13,708.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £3,024 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the drawing revision, alloy certificates, batch identification and test records to the delivered bottle design.
Threads and fit: gauge neck threads, inspect sealing faces and trial-fit the approved valve without forcing it.
Body and interior: check dimensions, weight, dents, cracks, coating damage, moisture and loose material inside the bottle.
Tests and packing: review hydraulic and burst test records against the agreed specification; check neck protection and carton restraint at inspection and again on arrival.
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What goes wrong
A valve can appear to fit while its thread or sealing arrangement differs from the approved drawing. Other problems include certificates for another bottle design, missing batch identification, damaged necks, dents hidden beneath paint and moisture left inside after testing. Separate suspect cylinders before assembly or filling.
Approve the bottle and valve together, connect test records to the shipment and inspect interiors before accepting the batch. If the supplier proposes a different alloy, wall profile or neck, obtain the assembler’s review before accepting the change.
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 empty aluminium fire extinguisher cylinders from China?
The supplied UK Trade Tariff line, 7613 00 00 90, carries 6% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is listed.
Do empty extinguisher cylinders qualify for the duty suspension?
Ordinary empty extinguisher cylinders do not match the listed suspensions for specified carbon-overwrapped gas containers or portable medical oxygen cylinders with a valve and regulator.
Which pressure-equipment rules apply to an empty cylinder?
The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 regulate design, manufacture and conformity assessment above a maximum allowable pressure of 0.5 bar. Establish the assessment route for the actual design and use.
What should I check before accepting the cylinders?
Check valve-thread fit, sealing faces, batch-linked test records, dents and internal cleanliness. Confirm the tariff’s fluorinated-gas control declaration with your broker.