Sourcing hydraulic door closers from China

Duty on hydraulic door closers

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, heading 8302 includes automatic door closers of base metal. The supplied automatic-door-closer line, 8302 60 00 90, carries 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty, suspension or import control is listed against that line.

The table distinguishes complete closers from companion hinges and building fittings, rather than treating those accessories as closers. All selected lines carry 0% duty in the supplied tariff data. The wider heading is covered in our furniture fittings guide.

Confirm the commodity code using the complete product description, materials and function, especially where accessories are supplied separately. Budget separately for import VAT at 20%; see import duty and VAT.

Specify the door, mounting and closing action

Specify door width and weight, inward or outward opening, mounting position, arm or slide rail, fixing centres and available frame clearance. Agree adjustable closing force, sweep speed, final latching speed, backcheck if needed, operating temperature range, finish and the contents of the fixing pack. Approve a sample fitted to a representative door.

State whether the closer is intended for an ordinary door or a fire door. Ask for the exact model's performance declaration, assessment evidence and installation instructions, and have the applicable construction-product route checked through testing and certification. Legitimately CE-marked construction products can continue to be supplied in Great Britain without an additional UK marking.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2,000 hydraulic door closers under 8302 60 00 90, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,600. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,600, so it is £1,520. 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

Fit: compare fixing centres, arm geometry, brackets and screw packs with the approved sample; trial-fit the supplied template.

Closing action: test sweep and latching adjustments on a representative door. England's fire-door guidance says the door should close fully into its frame, overcoming latch resistance or floor friction.

Hydraulics: look for oil around the spindle, seals and adjustment valves; repeat opening and closing and check for jerky movement or drifting speed.

Identification and packing: match the product model to the ordered specification and supporting documents; check instructions, protected finishes and separation of loose metal parts.

What goes wrong

A closer can look like the approved sample but have different arm geometry, weak closing force or valves that barely change the speed. Oil leakage, inconsistent latching and missing mounting brackets can make a shipment unsuitable for the intended doors.

Do not accept a different model merely because its casing looks similar. Compare production samples with the fitted reference sample and agree functional checks before dispatch. Use our quality inspection guide to plan shipment checks.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.