Sourcing solid silicone rubber from China
High-consistency silicone rubber from China normally pays 6% UK duty; narrowly specified materials can qualify for 0%, giving a conditional range of 0% to 6%. Match the compound to the tariff wording and check chemical compliance before supply. Cambridge China Bridge sources high-consistency silicone rubber.
Normally 6%, with narrowly defined suspensions
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, heading 3910 covers silicones in primary forms. This guide concerns uncured high-consistency silicone rubber supplied as gum or compound for processing. Ordinary grades fall within the other-silicones line. Finished seals and other cured articles need classification by the finished product.
The listed lines carry 6% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures recorded. Named suspensions give 0% only within their descriptions and conditions. The liquid platinum-cure suspension does not describe ordinary solid rubber. The table includes specialist materials for comparison; their chemical identity and use must match the wording. The tariff attaches waste import and export controls. For waste imports into England under notification controls, check all competent-authority consents and an approved, valid financial guarantee before movement.
Give your broker the composition, physical form, cure system and intended use to confirm the commodity code and any suspension eligibility. For recovered material from China, ask the broker to confirm the waste-control procedure before shipment. See the liquid silicone rubber guide for the neighbouring product family within this heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other silicones, including ordinary high-consistency silicone rubber | 3910 00 00 90 | 6% | None |
| Silicones used to manufacture long-term surgical implants | 3910 00 00 40 | 6% | None |
| Listed fluoropropylsiloxane and vinylsiloxane block copolymer | 3910 00 00 20 | 6% | None |
| Listed vinyl-terminated silicone preparation containing treated silica | 3910 00 00 55 | 6% | None |
Specify the gum, cure system and finished properties
State whether you need base gum or a ready-to-process compound, the polymer identity, filler, colour and intended moulding or extrusion process. Agree the peroxide or addition-cure system, whether curing agent is included, mixing instructions, cure conditions and any post-cure. Set acceptance criteria for cured hardness, tensile strength, elongation, tear strength and volatile content.
Ask for the technical data sheet, safety data sheet and batch certificate of analysis. Substances and mixtures supplied on the Great Britain market must be classified and labelled under its chemical classification and labelling regulation. Check the UK REACH position for siloxane monomers and additives. Agree storage conditions, shelf life and packaging that protects the compound from contamination.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of ordinary high-consistency silicone rubber under 3910 00 00 90, invoiced at £17,000 free on board, with £1,400 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,400. Duty at 6% is £1,104. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,504, so it is £3,900.80. Import taxes total £5,004.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,104 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: check the producer, grade, batch and cure-system description against the approved sample and order.
Cure: make a test slab using the agreed mixing and curing process; check for incomplete cure, bubbles and surface defects.
Properties: compare cured hardness, tensile strength, elongation, tear strength and heating loss with the agreed limits and batch certificate.
Arrival: check package seals, contamination, production date and remaining shelf life; retain a labelled sample from each batch.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
A matching hardness result can hide poor tear strength or excessive volatile content. A substituted filler or changed cure package can alter processing and finished properties. Contamination can leave specks, bubbles or incompletely cured areas. Compare the delivered batch with the approved material using your actual process.
Buyers also confuse ordinary solid compounds with narrowly suspended liquid or specialist grades. Obtain composition evidence before accepting a zero-duty claim. Keep commercial acceptance separate from the factory's generic data sheet, and agree the inspection checks before production.
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 high-consistency silicone rubber from China?
Ordinary grades normally pay 6%. Named materials can qualify for 0% suspensions only when the description and conditions match. No anti-dumping or countervailing measure is recorded in the supplied tariff data.
Does the liquid silicone rubber suspension cover solid rubber?
Its wording covers specified liquid platinum-catalysed addition-cure mixtures. Do not claim it for ordinary high-consistency rubber. Check any specialist suspension against the actual composition.
What should I test before accepting a batch?
Cure a test slab using your agreed process. Compare hardness, tensile strength, elongation, tear strength and volatile content with the specification, then check package seals and batch identity.
Can I use an industrial grade for food-contact parts?
Do not rely on an industrial data sheet alone. Confirm the applicable Great Britain food-contact requirements with the relevant authority; agree testing for the intended finished article and use.