Sourcing fire extinguisher refills from China
Preparations and charges for fire extinguishers from China, such as ABC dry powders, foam concentrates and charged grenades, pay 0% UK duty on both lines of heading 3813, with no anti-dumping duty. The tariff attaches an ozone-depleting substances control, so declare that the product contains none. Buyers check test data and compatibility with the extinguishers being refilled.
0% duty and the ozone control
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 October 2026, heading 3813 covers preparations and charges for fire extinguishers and charged fire-extinguishing grenades. Both lines carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Both lines carry an ozone-depleting substances control: goods clear on a declaration that they do not contain those substances. ODS-containing agents are restricted to permitted uses and require an import licence for import into Great Britain; halons for servicing must be recycled and for permitted critical uses. The lines also carry the waste import control, answered by a not-waste declaration.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparations and charges for fire extinguishers for certain aircraft | 3813 00 00 10 | 0% | None |
| Other preparations and charges for fire extinguishers; charged fire-extinguishing grenades | 3813 00 00 90 | 0% | None |
Specifying the agent
Specify the agent type and fire classes it is for, the active content (for example monoammonium phosphate for ABC powder), flow and moisture properties, the foam concentrate type and dilution, and the standard the supplier tests to. A refill must be compatible with the extinguisher's approval, so servicing companies should use agents that the extinguisher manufacturer approves.
Ask for the safety data sheet, and for foam concentrates the full composition, including whether it contains fluorinated surfactants, so you know exactly what you are buying.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 5 tonnes of ABC dry powder extinguishing agent in 25 kg bags under 3813 00 00 90, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £1,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £8,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,000, so it is £1,600. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Documents: check the ODS declaration, certificate of analysis and safety data sheet.
Properties: test moisture, flow and caking of powders, and dilution and expansion of foam.
Packing: check sealed bags or drums and batch marks. See our quality inspection guide.
What goes wrong
Extinguishing agent orders fail on grade, caking and compatibility. Active content is lower than stated, powders cake with moisture, and refills do not match the approval of the extinguishers being serviced.
Cambridge China Bridge sources safety consumables for UK fire service companies with documents agreed before production. See testing and certification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on fire extinguisher powder from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 October 2026, fire extinguisher preparations under heading 3813 carried 0% from China.
Why does extinguisher powder need an ozone declaration?
Heading 3813 carries an ozone-depleting substances control; declare that the agent contains none. ODS-containing agents may only be imported for permitted uses with the required licence; halon fire-extinguishing uses are restricted to permitted critical uses.
Can any powder be used to refill an extinguisher?
Refills should match the agent the extinguisher manufacturer approves.
Are complete extinguishers in heading 3813?
No. Complete fire extinguishers are machinery of heading 8424.