Sourcing fishing floats from China

Fishing float duty and controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 19 October 2026, fishing floats fall within other fishing tackle under 9507 90 00 00, carrying 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Heading 9507 also covers rods, hooks, reels, nets and hunting requisites; see the wider fishing tackle guide.

The tariff attaches an import control on cat and dog fur. Imports and exports of that fur, including products made from it, are banned: exclude it from floats and bundled accessories. The record also attaches an export control on cat and dog fur and a DCMS export licence measure. Ask your customs broker to confirm the relevance of those export measures to any onward export.

The table shows float types sharing the same tariff line, rather than separate commodity codes. Give your broker the materials, construction and contents of any retail set, and confirm the commodity code before shipment.

Specify buoyancy and line attachment

Define the float style, body material, stem material, antenna colour and visibility, overall dimensions and intended fishing conditions. State whether the marked loading refers to added shot or includes the float's own loading. Agree the water test method and acceptance criteria against an approved sample.

Specify fixed or sliding attachment, eye finish, stem straightness, coating and seals. For hollow bodies, agree a soak test followed by a buoyancy check. Consumer floats supplied in Great Britain must be safe; include sharp stems, exposed wire and detachable parts in your product review.

For float sets supplied with shot, confirm England's rules on supplying lead weights for weighting fishing lines, including any weight limits and exceptions, with the relevant authority. Specify non-lead shot for sets where those restrictions apply.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 fishing floats; illustrative order, not a quotation under 9507 90 00 00, invoiced at £1,000 free on board, with £300 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £1,300. Duty at 2% is £26. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £1,326, so it is £265.20. Import taxes total £291.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £26 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Buoyancy: test samples with the agreed loading and compare the visible antenna position with the approved sample.

Seals and finish: soak samples, check for water entry, then inspect coating cracks, loose antennas and bent stems.

Attachments: check eyes and sliding bores for burrs, pull-test attachments and pass the intended line through them to check for abrasion.

Packing and identification: check model and loading marks, batch identification and buyer contact details against the artwork; inspect stem protection and compare arrival samples with retained shipment samples.

What goes wrong

Leaking bodies lose buoyancy, inconsistent body density changes the required shot loading, and loose antennas make bites harder to read. Rough eyes can damage line, while bent stems and crushed packaging leave otherwise usable floats unsuitable for sale.

Keep an approved sample and record the loading method rather than accepting appearance alone. Compare samples across the production batch and repeat the agreed checks on arrival. Use a written inspection brief to make the acceptance criteria clear.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.