Sourcing laundry and dry-cleaning machines from China

A flat 2%

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, dry-cleaning machines, drying machines of every capacity, ironing machines and presses, washing, bleaching or dyeing machines, machines for reeling, folding or cutting fabric, dressing and finishing machines, and parts of heading 8451 carried 2% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.

Household and laundry-type washing machines that wash and spin are in heading 8450 instead; confirm the commodity code.

Machinery, electrical and gas

Commercial laundry machines fall under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, with UKCA or CE marking, a declaration of conformity and English instructions. Gas-heated dryers and ironers within the retained Gas Appliances Regulation's scope also need notified or approved body certification for the model; appliances specifically designed for industrial processes carried out on industrial premises are excluded from that Regulation.

Specify the UK supply: single or three-phase, voltage and gas type.

Water and solvents

Machines connected to the mains water supply must meet the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations, including backflow protection; the taps and valves guide explains the duty. Solvent dry cleaning can need an environmental permit from the local authority, so check the solvent before choosing a machine.

Worked duty example

Take a hypothetical order of 10 gas-heated 50 kg tumble dryers, entered under 8451 29 00 00: £38,000 free on board plus £4,000 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £42,000. The 2% duty on commercial dryers comes to £840, and import VAT is 20% of £42,840, which is £8,568. If you are VAT-registered you normally reclaim the £8,568, leaving £840 as the real cost at the border. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.

Inspection checklist

Safety design: commercial washer-extractors, tumble dryers, ironers and presses checked against the relevant part of the BS EN ISO 10472 series for industrial laundry machinery, electrical equipment against BS EN 60204-1, and door interlocks, emergency stops and guards tested on every machine before it is crated.

Gas and water: gas-heated models checked for a certificate under the retained Gas Appliances Regulation that names the UK gas category, burner ignition and flame failure devices tested, and water inlets checked for the backflow protection the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 require.

Performance and build: drum run-out, bearing noise and balance checked on a full load, dryer exhaust temperature and thermal cut-outs tested, ironer roll temperature measured across the width, rating plates checked for UK voltage and phase, and spare parts and manuals packed with each machine.

What goes wrong

Laundry machines fail on interlocks, heating and the supply. Door interlocks that allow the door to open during a spin or heated cycle are the serious safety fault, thermal cut-outs set too high or missing let lint ignite in dryers, and gas burners are certified for a different gas family or pressure from the UK supply. Drum bearings and seals wear early on cheap machines, and control boards built for other voltages fail on a UK three-phase 400 V supply.

Run a full wash or dry cycle on every machine at inspection, check that the door cannot be opened while the drum turns or heats, check the rating plate against the UK supply, carry out earth continuity and insulation resistance tests, confirm the gas appliance certificate covers the model and UK gas category, and check lint filter access and the spare parts list.

Installation and spares

Agree installation drawings, drain and venting requirements, and a spare parts kit, and find a UK engineer who can service the model before ordering. At inspection, run a full cycle on each machine.

Cambridge China Bridge sources commercial laundry, dry-cleaning and textile finishing machines, with safety, gas and installation settled before the order. See how our sourcing service works.