Sourcing knee replacement implants from China

Zero duty on knee replacement implants

Heading 9021 includes orthopaedic appliances and artificial body parts. Knee replacement implants fall within the artificial-joints line, 9021 31 00 00. The table shows knee replacement variants sharing that line; it does not classify surgical instruments or ancillary fixation hardware.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the artificial-joints line carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line. Medical-device market requirements need checking separately.

Confirm the commodity code against the exact implant and supplied configuration. For the wider heading and related fixation products, see orthopaedic bone fixation plates. The market checks below concern Great Britain.

Specify the knee system and component combinations

Specify total, partial or revision replacement, cemented or cementless fixation, component materials, coatings, sizes and left or right orientation. List the femoral component, tibial tray, bearing insert and any patellar component by catalogue reference. Obtain the manufacturer's compatibility matrix and identify the instruments needed for the supplied system. Ask for wear, fatigue, biocompatibility and sterilisation evidence covering the actual design and materials through testing and certification.

Manufacturers must meet applicable medical-device marking and conformity assessment requirements. For the UKCA route, check the approved-body certificate covering the implants before market placement. Confirm with MHRA whether the overseas manufacturer must appoint a UK Responsible Person, and devices must be registered with the MHRA before placement on the Great Britain market. Confirm with MHRA whether you need to notify the manufacturer or responsible person of your intended import and how importer details should be submitted.

Manufacturers must continually gather device performance and safety information throughout the post-market surveillance period. Agree how your business will pass complaints and implant batch details to the manufacturer, and obtain named contacts for investigating problems.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small-business batch of boxed total knee replacement sets in assorted sizes under 9021 31 00 00, invoiced at £10,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £10,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,900, so it is £2,180. 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

System and sizes: reconcile catalogue references, sizes, side markings and component combinations with the order and manufacturer's compatibility matrix.

Materials and surfaces: review material and coating records; inspect designated inspection samples for scratches, burrs, contamination and damaged bearing surfaces without opening sale stock.

Sterile packaging: check sealed packs for punctures, lifted seals and transit damage; reconcile sterilisation records, batch references, expiry markings and storage instructions.

Documents and traceability: match the manufacturer and product references across conformity documents, registration records, labels and instructions. Record shipment batches during quality inspection, keeping clinical stock sealed.

What goes wrong

Matching size names can conceal incompatible trays, inserts or femoral components. Substituted coatings, missing sizes, incorrect side markings and unavailable instruments can make a shipment unsuitable for the intended system. Freeze catalogue references and approved combinations in the purchase specification, and require written agreement before substitutions.

Outer cartons can look intact while sterile seals are damaged. A certificate for another implant family does not establish conformity of the supplied knee system, and you should confirm with MHRA what registration does and does not establish about regulatory approval. Hold damaged packs and document mismatches apart from releasable stock while the manufacturer investigates.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For components and parts, see sourcing for manufacturers.