Sourcing industrial slave clocks from China
Industrial slave clocks from China normally pay 4% UK duty as electrically operated clocks; the wider heading has a 2% to 4% range. Before GB sale, check applicable electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility requirements. Prove compatibility with the installed master clock. Cambridge China Bridge sources industrial slave clocks.
Industrial slave-clock duty and classification
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 9105 covers other clocks. Electrically operated wall clocks and other electrically operated clocks from China carry 4% duty. Non-electrical clocks carry 2%; the comparison rows do not mean that an electrically driven slave clock qualifies for that rate. The supplied tariff facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions.
The tariff attaches CITES import and export controls and a cultural-goods export licence entry. Check casing and decorative materials for protected species. CITES-listed specimens entering Great Britain require a permit, and the corresponding exporting-country documentation must also be obtained. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable declaration and any onward-export requirements.
Confirm the commodity code using the complete clock's mounting arrangement, operation and technical description. Movements sold separately belong in other headings. For the wider product family, see electric master clocks.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrically operated wall clocks, including wall-mounted slave clocks | 9105 21 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Other electrically operated clocks, including other slave-clock formats | 9105 91 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Non-electrical wall clocks, for classification comparison | 9105 29 00 00 | 2% | None |
| Other non-electrical clocks, for classification comparison | 9105 99 00 00 | 2% | None |
Specify the master-clock interface
An industrial slave clock displays time supplied or corrected by a master clock. Specify whether the interface uses electrical impulses or a data connection. For impulse models, agree signal voltage, polarity, pulse duration, pulse interval and current demand. For connected models, agree the protocol, addressing and configuration method. Give the factory the installed master clock's interface documentation.
Agree analogue or digital display, viewing distance, dial contrast, mounting orientation, enclosure material, cable entry and terminal access. Specify behaviour during lost signals, power interruption, restart and time correction. Test a sample with the buyer's actual master clock and representative cabling before approving production.
For Great Britain, mains-powered clocks and mains adaptors need electrical safety evidence. Assess electromagnetic compatibility scope for the finished clock; the rules cover equipment liable to generate electromagnetic disturbance, subject to exceptions. For equipment within scope, importers must check conformity assessment and provide their name and postal address, with permitted alternatives where product labelling is impossible. Confirm with the relevant environmental regulator whether waste electrical equipment obligations apply to the electrically operated clocks and whether battery producer obligations apply to any supplied batteries.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 50 wall-mounted industrial slave clocks, illustrative order under 9105 21 00 00, invoiced at £25,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £26,500. Duty at 4% is £1,060. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,560, so it is £5,512. Import taxes total £6,572; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,060 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Synchronisation: connect sampled clocks to the agreed master clock, compare displayed time, exercise correction commands and confirm recovery after interrupted signals and power.
Interface and wiring: check terminal markings, polarity, cable access and current demand against the approved specification. Test representative cable runs and confirm that all connected clocks respond.
Display and mounting: check hand clearance, dial alignment, digital segment operation and readability from the agreed viewing position. Inspect brackets, fixings, front panels and packed protection.
Evidence and identification: match the delivered model and power supply to the compliance documents. Check applicable conformity marking, importer details, installation instructions and the agreed wiring diagram.
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What goes wrong
A clock can run correctly on the factory's controller but fail on the buyer's master clock. Mismatched pulse polarity or duration can cause missed steps; excessive circuit load or cable losses can leave distant clocks behind. A data-connected clock may remain unsynchronised because its configuration differs from the installed network.
Check correction behaviour as well as normal running. Hands may catch after transport, loose terminals can interrupt the signal, and restart behaviour can leave displays showing different times. Keep the approved interface settings and sample results with the order, then repeat the functional checks on arrival. Use quality inspection guidance to agree acceptance checks.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on industrial slave clocks from China?
Electrically operated industrial slave clocks carry 4% duty under the relevant wall-clock or other-clock line. The wider heading's non-electrical lines carry 2%. The supplied facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty.
Will a Chinese slave clock work with our existing master clock?
Confirm the interface rather than relying on the product name. Match pulse characteristics or the data protocol, then test a sample with your master clock and representative cabling.
What should we test when industrial slave clocks arrive?
Test synchronisation, correction commands, signal-loss behaviour and restart. Also check terminals, hand clearance or display segments, mounting fixings and transit damage.
Do industrial slave clocks need electrical compliance checks?
Yes. Mains-powered clocks and adaptors need electrical safety evidence. Assess electromagnetic compatibility scope for the finished model, and check the documents and identification applicable to that configuration.