Granite and sandstone blocks from China
Granite, porphyry, basalt, sandstone and other building stone from China, crude, roughly trimmed or merely sawn into blocks and slabs, pay 0% UK duty with no anti-dumping duty. Once polished or edged, stone moves to heading 6802. Test declarations to BS EN 1467 and BS EN 1468 cover density, absorption, strength and frost resistance. Cambridge China Bridge sources stone.
Granite blocks, sawn slabs and sandstone from China pay 0% UK duty. Test standards for strength, absorption and frost, silica dust, and a worked example.
Zero duty on rough and sawn stone
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, granite that is crude or roughly trimmed (2516 11 00 00) or merely cut by sawing into rectangular blocks or slabs (2516 12 00 00), sandstone (2516 20 00 00) and other monumental or building stone such as basalt (2516 90 00 00) carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Stone that has been polished, flamed, edged or otherwise worked is in heading 6802, covered in our marble and granite guide, and setts, kerbs and flagstones of natural stone are in heading 6801. Confirm the commodity code from the surface finish and shape.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granite, crude or roughly trimmed | 2516 11 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Granite, merely sawn into blocks or slabs | 2516 12 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Sandstone | 2516 20 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other monumental or building stone | 2516 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Test standards and dust
Rough blocks are specified under BS EN 1467 and rough slabs under BS EN 1468, which list the properties the supplier should declare: petrographic description to BS EN 12407, apparent density and open porosity to BS EN 1936, water absorption to BS EN 13755, flexural strength to BS EN 12372, compressive strength to BS EN 1926 and frost resistance to BS EN 12371. Ask for recent reports from the same quarry bed.
Granite and sandstone contain quartz, so cutting and finishing them releases respirable crystalline silica, which has a workplace exposure limit in HSE's EH40 list; UK processors need wet cutting and extraction.
Worked duty example
For a made-up shipment of 25 tonnes of sawn grey granite slabs, 30 mm thick under 2516 12 00 00, add the £2,400 of freight and insurance to the £11,000 free-on-board price and customs sees £13,400. Duty on sawn granite is zero, leaving import VAT of £2,680, 20% of the customs value. For a VAT-registered buyer that is a cash-flow cost rather than a lasting one. Once the slabs are polished or edged they move to heading 6802, which is covered in our marble and granite guide. The duty and VAT guide walks through the calculation.
What goes wrong
Stone loads fail on colour, flaws and breakage. Blocks from a different part of the quarry vary in colour and grain from the approved sample; hidden cracks, veins and iron spots appear only after cutting; slabs are thinner or out of square; and slabs packed flat or in weak bundles crack in the container.
Approve colour against a sample from the same bed and inspect every block face wet to reveal veins and cracks, measure slab thickness and squareness on a sample of each bundle, check test reports against the declared properties, and inspect A-frame or crate packing and lashing before the container is sealed.
Cambridge China Bridge sources granite, basalt and sandstone blocks and sawn slabs for stone processors, masons and builders' merchants, with quarry checks before the order. See how we verify suppliers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on granite blocks from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, crude, trimmed and sawn granite and sandstone carried 0% from China.
When does granite move to heading 6802?
Once it has been polished, flamed, edged or otherwise worked beyond sawing.
Which standards cover rough stone blocks and slabs?
BS EN 1467 for rough blocks and BS EN 1468 for rough slabs, with test methods such as BS EN 1936 and BS EN 12372.
Is cutting granite a health risk?
Yes. It releases respirable crystalline silica, which has a workplace exposure limit in HSE's EH40.