Sourcing human serum albumin from China
Human serum albumin for laboratory use falls within China tariff categories carrying 0% to 6% duty, subject to classification. The tariff attaches veterinary control; confirm its applicability to the exact human-derived or recombinant product before dispatch. Cambridge China Bridge sources human serum albumin for laboratory use.
Laboratory albumin: 0% to 6% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 3502 covers albumins, albuminates and other albumin derivatives. For human serum albumin, distinguish purified albumin from derivatives and record whether it is human plasma-derived or recombinant. The table separates powder and solution presentations under the same candidate code; each remains subject to classification.
For goods from China, 3502 90 20 00 carries 0% for other albumins unfit, or to be rendered unfit, for human consumption. Other albumins under 3502 90 70 00 and derivatives under 3502 90 90 00 carry 6%. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed. These lines attach veterinary control; ask your customs broker to confirm the requirement for the exact human serum albumin product. The derivatives line also attaches a Home Office controlled-drugs export flag; confirm applicability with your broker.
A laboratory-use label alone does not establish the appropriate tariff category. Give your broker the composition, source, processing, physical form and intended use to confirm the commodity code. For the wider heading, see bovine serum albumin sourcing. HMRC's therapeutic-substance relief guidance excludes goods imported for commercial use; do not assume that research stock qualifies.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human serum albumin powder, unfit for human consumption | 3502 90 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Other human serum albumin, outside the unfit category | 3502 90 70 00 | 6% | None |
| Human albuminates and other human albumin derivatives | 3502 90 90 00 | 6% | None |
Specify the source and experimental performance
Specify human plasma-derived or recombinant human albumin explicitly, including the expression source for recombinant material. Agree powder or solution, albumin identity, purity and assay method, aggregation, solubility and intended experimental use. For solutions, record concentration, buffer, preservatives and stabilisers. Request a batch certificate of analysis and an approved sample.
Agree endotoxin and microbiological acceptance, storage conditions, transport conditions and remaining shelf life for your application. For plasma-derived material, request sourcing, donor-screening and pathogen-reduction information for review by your laboratory. Employers must assess workplace health and safety risks; use the supplier's information to inform that assessment. Keep the purchasing specification and sales description limited to the agreed laboratory use.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative only: 1 kg of laboratory human serum albumin powder, conditional on classification and confirmation of the import route under 3502 90 20 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,000, so it is £3,600. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match human or recombinant origin, product description and batch number across the containers, invoice and certificate of analysis.
Composition: check purity, concentration, buffer and additives against the specification; compare identity and aggregation results using the agreed methods.
Performance: test dissolution and suitability in your actual assay or culture process against the approved sample. Arrange sampling through the inspection guide.
Condition: inspect seals, leakage, powder caking and discolouration; compare transport records and remaining shelf life with the agreed conditions.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
A supplier substitutes recombinant material for plasma-derived albumin, supplies bovine albumin, or adds a stabiliser that interferes with the experiment. A purity result alone does not establish suitability. Lock the source and formulation in the purchase specification and compare the arriving batch with the approved sample.
The importer treats the laboratory label as sufficient evidence for the duty category or overlooks the tariff's veterinary-control flag. Confirm classification and the applicable import requirement before dispatch. Temperature excursions, aggregation or a changed buffer can also leave an apparently acceptable batch unusable; agree evidence and acceptance methods before ordering.
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 human serum albumin from China?
The supplied lines carry 0% under 3502 90 20 00 and 6% under 3502 90 70 00 or 3502 90 90 00, subject to classification. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed.
Does human serum albumin need veterinary import paperwork?
The UK Trade Tariff attaches veterinary control to the relevant lines. Ask your customs broker to confirm its applicability and the documents needed for the exact human-derived or recombinant product from China.
Can I claim therapeutic-substance relief for commercial laboratory stock?
HMRC's guidance excludes goods imported for commercial use from this relief. Do not assume that describing stock as a research reagent establishes eligibility.
What should I specify when buying laboratory human serum albumin?
Specify plasma-derived or recombinant origin, identity, purity method, aggregation, formulation, endotoxin acceptance and storage conditions. Approve a sample in your intended experiment and request batch analysis.