Sourcing indirect diesel heaters from China

Duty on indirect-fired diesel space heaters

Heading 7322 includes iron or steel air heaters with a motor-driven fan or blower whose heat is not electrically generated. For an indirect-fired diesel model matching that description, the supplied tariff line is 7322 90 00 90. Only this supplied line is relevant to this guide; the radiator lines are omitted.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the supplied line carries 2% duty for goods from China. The data lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension, steel measure or attached import control. This tariff result does not establish product safety compliance.

Confirm the construction, heating method and fan arrangement through the commodity code guide. Separately supplied burners, motors and accessories need their own classification review rather than automatically using the heater code.

Specify the heat exchanger, burner and flue

Specify indirect firing explicitly: combustion gases and delivered warm air follow separate paths through the heat exchanger. Agree the intended installation, useful heat output, airflow, approved fuel, electrical supply, thermostat connection, duct arrangement and flue fittings. Ask for drawings showing the combustion chamber, exchanger and exhaust route.

For machinery supplied in Great Britain, conformity assessment, a declaration of conformity and the relevant conformity marking are required. Request documentation identifying the actual heater model, rather than only its burner or fan. Agree the operating manual, installation drawings, maintenance access and spare parts with the factory; use testing and certification support to review the proposed evidence.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 50 indirect-fired diesel space heaters under 7322 90 00 90, invoiced at £32,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £36,000. Duty at 2% is £720. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £36,720, so it is £7,344. Import taxes total £8,064; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £720 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Heat exchanger: inspect welds, corrosion protection and access panels; witness the agreed leak test and check separation between combustion gases and heated air.

Burner and controls: witness ignition, steady running, thermostat response, flame-failure shutdown, overheat shutdown and the specified cooling sequence under controlled test conditions.

Air and exhaust connections: check fan operation, duct collars, flue fittings and supplied accessories against the approved drawings; investigate soot, smoke or exhaust odour in the warm-air stream.

Arrival condition: check the fuel tank and hoses for leaks, fan guards for damage, wheels and handles for secure fixing, and model identification against the documents. Record defects using the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A direct-fired heater can be substituted for the agreed indirect-fired design, or the quoted output can describe fuel input rather than useful delivered heat. Poor exchanger welds, unsuitable ducting and mismatched flue fittings undermine the installation. Resolve these points on the approved sample and repeat the agreed checks on production.

A successful ignition demonstration does not establish shutdown performance or exchanger integrity. Ask for recorded fault-response tests and inspect the actual shipped configuration. Keep the illustrative order separate from the supplier quotation, and use the import duty and VAT guide when budgeting the shipment.

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.