Float glass from China

Zero duty in every thickness

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, float glass and surface-ground or polished glass in sheets of heading 7005, whether with an absorbent, reflecting or non-reflecting layer, coloured throughout or clear, in every thickness band, and wired glass, carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. The tariff also asks for the area in square metres as a supplementary unit.

Toughened and laminated safety glass is in heading 7007, covered in our toughened and laminated glass guide, and insulating glass units are in 7008. Confirm the commodity code from the coating and thickness. For glass blocks or mosaic, see our glass blocks and glass mosaic guide. For security glazing, see our guide to sourcing laminated anti bandit glass.

Standards and building use

Basic soda lime float glass is defined by BS EN 572-2, which sets its thickness tolerances and the optical and visual faults allowed, and supplied or cut sizes by BS EN 572-8. Glass with a reflective, solar control or low-emissivity coating is covered by the BS EN 1096 series, and soft low-emissivity coatings must be processed into units within the maker's stated time and edge-deleted before sealing.

Glass for buildings is a construction product under the Construction Products Regulation as it applies in Great Britain, so it needs a declaration of performance to the evaluation of conformity standard BS EN 572-9 and UKCA or CE marking. Float glass in doors, low windows and other critical locations must meet the applicable glazing safety requirements before installation; in England, suitable robust glazing, small panes or permanent protection can be alternatives to toughened or laminated glass. For balustrade applications, see our guide to sourcing laminated balustrade glass. For fire-resistant building glazing, see our fire resistant laminated glass sourcing guide.

Worked duty example

An invented example rather than a quote: a container of 6 mm clear float glass, commodity code 7005 29 80 00, bought for £11,000 free on board, with £3,200 of freight and insurance, so £14,200 is the value customs works from. No duty is due on float glass; import VAT at 20% of £14,200 is £2,840. If you are VAT-registered, that VAT is normally reclaimable. Once the glass is toughened or laminated it moves to heading 7007, which has its own rates. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.

What goes wrong

Float glass fails in the container. Sheets stacked damp or without interleaving powder or paper stick together and stain with iridescent corrosion; racks move and sheets crack; edges chip; bubbles, stones and distortion exceed the faults allowed; thickness sits outside the tolerance; tints vary between batches; and coated sheets are scratched or have been stored past their processing window.

Inspect sampled sheets against the BS EN 572-2 fault limits under the viewing conditions it sets, measure thickness with a micrometer, check optical distortion against a striped board, compare tints under the same light, check coated glass with an emissivity meter and for scratches, and check the A-frames or crates, interleaving, desiccant and lashing before loading.

Cambridge China Bridge sources clear, tinted and coated float glass by the container for glass processors, glaziers and furniture makers, with rack and packing checks before shipment. See our container programmes.