Sourcing Isoborneol from China
Isoborneol provisionally classified under 2906 19 00 90 carries 0% UK duty from China, with no listed trade remedy. Confirm the applicable UK REACH registration requirements with HSE and ensure correct chemical labelling and packaging before sale in Great Britain. Cambridge China Bridge sources isoborneol.
Isoborneol duty and tariff flags
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 2906 covers cyclic alcohols and their specified derivatives. The supplied facts contain no named isoborneol line. For unformulated isoborneol, use 2906 19 00 90 as the classification to confirm, rather than treating a supplier's description as a customs ruling. See the borneol guide for the wider heading.
The supplied line carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. Import VAT is normally 20%. The tariff attaches Home Office controlled-drug import and export controls, plus a waste-export control. Confirm their applicability to the actual substance with your customs broker. Home Office guidance requires a licence for imports or exports of controlled drugs or precursor chemicals; it does not establish that isoborneol itself needs one.
Give your broker the substance identity, composition, impurity profile and intended use, then confirm the commodity code. A blend needs its own classification review. The table contains only the relevant residual line because the supplied facts do not provide separate isoborneol tariff lines. See UK import duty and VAT for the calculation method.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isoborneol, subject to confirmation under other cycloterpenic alcohols | 2906 19 00 90 | 0% | None |
Specify isoborneol identity and impurity profile
Write isoborneol explicitly in the purchase specification. Agree whether the order is for an individual isomer or an isomer mixture, and require the analysis to distinguish isoborneol from borneol. Set contractual acceptance criteria for assay, borneol content, residual camphor, water, residual solvents, appearance and melting range. Agree the test methods before approving a sample.
Request a batch certificate of analysis, chromatogram and safety data sheet for the offered material. Match the intended use to the agreed grade; do not accept a food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical suitability claim on the strength of assay alone. Specify sealed packaging, a suitable liner and storage conditions agreed with your receiving site.
For Great Britain, confirm the applicable UK REACH registration requirements with HSE. If this is a new substance for your business, assess whether registration is required before ordering. Correct labelling and packaging are supply-chain responsibilities before placing chemicals on the market.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 2 tonnes of isoborneol under 2906 19 00 90, invoiced at £32,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £33,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £33,500, so it is £6,700. 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 the drum labels, batch certificate, safety data sheet and purchase specification to isoborneol and the agreed isomer composition.
Analysis: check batch-specific assay and chromatographic separation of isoborneol, borneol and camphor. Arrange independent testing against the agreed acceptance criteria.
Condition: inspect seals, liners and closures for damage or contamination. Check appearance and caking against the retained sample without opening containers outside your site's handling procedure.
Traceability: reconcile batch identifiers and received weights with the packing list. Keep each batch identifiable while awaiting acceptance results.
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What goes wrong
A certificate reporting total alcohol content can conceal an unacceptable borneol proportion. Residual camphor, inconsistent isomer composition or an analysis copied from a previous batch can also defeat the agreed specification. Require batch-specific results and retain a comparison sample rather than accepting a familiar product name.
Damaged liners, loose closures and damp packaging can leave material contaminated or difficult to handle. Separate suspect stock pending investigation. Before returning rejected material to China, ask your customs broker to confirm the tariff's export controls and whether the material's condition changes the applicable requirements.
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 isoborneol from China?
The supplied tariff facts show 0% for 2906 19 00 90, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm that this residual line fits your isoborneol. Import VAT is normally 20%.
Does importing isoborneol require UK REACH registration?
Confirm the applicable UK REACH registration requirements with HSE for imports into Great Britain. For a new import, assess whether registration is required before placing the order.
How do I check that isoborneol is not borneol?
Require a batch chromatogram and an agreed method that distinguishes the substances. Specify isoborneol assay and acceptable borneol content separately.
Does the tariff's controlled-drug flag mean isoborneol needs a licence?
The flag alone does not establish that. Ask your customs broker to confirm applicability to the exact substance. Controlled drugs or precursor chemicals require a Home Office import or export licence.