Sourcing lawn mowers and robot mowers from China
Electric, petrol, robot and manual lawn mowers from China pay 0% UK duty, as do their parts, with no anti-dumping duty. Lawn mowers are outdoor equipment with legal noise limits, 96 dB sound power for a cutting width up to 50 cm, and must carry a noise mark; robot mowers with an app are connectable products too. Cambridge China Bridge sources own-brand mowers to a tested specification.
Lawn mowers, robot mowers and their parts pay 0% UK duty from China. The outdoor noise limits, noise marking and battery checks that decide the range.
Zero duty on every type
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, powered mowers with a horizontal rotary blade, including electric robot mowers, other electric and petrol mowers, cylinder mowers, manual mowers and mower parts all carried 0% duty on goods from China. None carried an anti-dumping measure.
Mowers are bulky for their value, so the landed price depends on how many fit in a container. Ask the factory for the carton size and the container quantity when it quotes, and confirm each commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric robot mowers | 8433 11 10 10 | 0% | None |
| Other electric rotary mowers | 8433 11 10 90 | 0% | None |
| Self-propelled rotary mowers without a seat, not electric | 8433 11 59 00 | 0% | None |
| Other powered rotary mowers | 8433 11 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Other electric mowers (for example cylinder) | 8433 19 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Mowers without a motor | 8433 19 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Parts | 8433 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Noise limits and the noise mark
The Noise Emission in the Environment by Equipment for use Outdoors Regulations 2001 list lawnmowers in Schedule 1, among the equipment subject to noise limits. Schedule 3 sets the permissible sound power level by cutting width: for a mower cutting up to 50 cm it is 96 dB, and the limit rises for wider machines. Every mower placed on the market must also carry its guaranteed sound power level.
Ask the factory for the noise test report for each model and cutting width, and check that the figure on the label matches it. A factory that sells the same mower in markets without these rules may fit a louder engine or blade; the specification should name the tested configuration.
| Cutting width | Permissible sound power level |
|---|---|
| Up to 50 cm | 96 dB |
Machinery, batteries and robot mowers
A mower is machinery, so it needs the machinery conformity assessment and technical file; the CE and UKCA guide sets out the documents. Cordless mowers carry large lithium battery packs, which are dangerous goods in transport, so ask for the battery test summary and plan the freight before booking.
A robot mower that talks to an app or the internet is a connectable product, so the PSTI rules on passwords, security reporting and update periods apply, and the firmware support has to be agreed with the factory. Boundary wire, docking and rain sensing are the functions to test on samples.
Season and spares
Mowers sell from spring, so production has to land before it. Plan the order backwards from the selling date, with time for inspection and a margin for delay. Blades, grass boxes, batteries and chargers should be ordered with the first run, because a mower that cannot be kept running comes back.
Cambridge China Bridge sources own-brand lawn mowers and robot mowers to a tested specification, checks the noise and machinery documents, and times production for the season. See how our sourcing service works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on lawn mowers from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, electric, petrol, robot and manual lawn mowers and their parts carried 0% duty from China, with no anti-dumping duty.
Is there a UK noise limit for lawn mowers?
Yes. The 2001 outdoor equipment noise regulations list lawnmowers in Schedule 1, and Schedule 3 sets 96 dB sound power for a cutting width up to 50 cm, with higher limits for wider machines.
Do robot mowers fall under the PSTI rules?
A robot mower that connects to an app or the internet is a connectable product, so the PSTI requirements on passwords, security reporting and update periods apply.
When should mowers be ordered from China?
Early enough to land before spring, with time for inspection and a margin for delay, and with spares ordered in the first run.