Sourcing formamide from China
Formamide from China carries 6% UK duty under the residual acyclic-amide line; its listed suspensions concern other substances. A GB importer must resolve UK REACH registration at or above one tonne per year. Agree water content, purity and application tests before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources formamide.
Formamide duty and the residual amide line
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2924 covers carboxyamide-function compounds and amide-function compounds of carbonic acid. Formamide falls within the residual acyclic-amide description at 2924 19 00 90, subject to confirmation for the actual goods. The table shows purchasing specifications sharing that code, rather than separate tariff lines.
The supplied line records 6% duty for goods from China and no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Its suspensions name other chemicals; do not assume they cover formamide. The attached control is export control for waste, rather than an import control. Ask your customs broker to confirm its relevance if the consignment is waste or recovered material.
Confirm the substance identity, composition and commodity code before shipment. See the dimethylformamide guide for a related product within the wider heading. Formamide and dimethylformamide should have separate specifications.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formamide for industrial processing | 2924 19 00 90 | 6% | None |
Specify formamide for its actual application
State whether the order is for industrial processing, analytical work or molecular biology. Agree assay, water content, acidity, colour and relevant impurities, together with test methods and acceptance criteria. For sensitive laboratory applications, require an application test rather than accepting a generic purity result.
Request a batch-specific certificate of analysis and agree sealed packaging, sampling arrangements and storage instructions. Confirm applicable safety data sheet and GB classification labelling requirements with HSE for the supplied formamide. HSE states that GB-based entities importing a substance at or above one tonne per year must submit a UK REACH registration; confirm your registration arrangements before ordering.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: An illustrative tonne of industrial formamide in sealed drums under 2924 19 00 90, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £980 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,480. Duty at 6% is £208.80. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,688.80, so it is £737.76. Import taxes total £946.56; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £208.80 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the purchase specification, drum labels, safety data sheet and batch certificate to formamide.
Batch results: check assay, water, acidity and agreed impurities against the approved methods and limits.
Packaging: inspect seals, closures, leakage and external contamination before accepting drums into stock.
Application: test a retained sample in the intended process before releasing the batch for use.
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What goes wrong
A supplier substitutes dimethylformamide, supplies an industrial specification against a laboratory order, or provides a certificate copied from an earlier batch. Water or impurity results can meet a supplier's general specification while failing your application. Match the certificate to the delivered lot and investigate discrepancies before use.
A drum inspection cannot establish chemical purity. Agree independent sampling and testing where the application warrants it, using testing and certification support. Keep any disputed batch separate while you compare the delivered material with the approved specification.
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 formamide from China?
The supplied tariff line 2924 19 00 90 records 6% for goods from China. Its listed suspensions name other substances, not formamide; no anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded.
Do I need UK REACH registration for formamide?
HSE states that GB-based entities importing a substance at or above one tonne per year must submit a registration. Confirm the arrangements covering your imports before ordering.
Is formamide the same as dimethylformamide?
They are different purchasing identities. Specify formamide explicitly and match the supplier's substance identification across the order, label, safety data sheet and certificate.
What should a formamide certificate of analysis show?
The delivered batch identity, assay, water content, acidity and agreed impurities, with test methods. For laboratory use, add acceptance tests relevant to your application.