Sourcing lead-free tin solder bars from China

UK duty on lead-free tin solder bars

Heading 8001 covers unwrought tin. Cast solder bars supplied as unwrought tin alloys fall within 8001 20 00 00. The table shows alloy variants sharing that commodity line. For the wider product family, see tin ingots and solder wire.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 13 November 2026, both heading lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. This does not replace a product compliance assessment.

Give your customs broker the composition, manufacturing form and intended use to confirm the commodity code. Distinguish unwrought cast solder bars from worked bars, wire, solder paste and flux-coated products.

Specify the alloy for your solder pot

Specify the alloy designation, tin and alloying-metal content, permitted lead and other impurities, bar dimensions, individual weight and batch identification. Use ISO 9453 for soft solder alloy compositions, and request a certificate of analysis for each production lot. Agree a trial using your solder pot, flux and actual assemblies before accepting bulk material.

Confirm with the relevant authority which lead restrictions and exemptions apply to the intended electrical equipment. Match the solder specification to the intended equipment and applicable exemption, if any. For a new substance import, assess whether UK REACH registration is required. Chemical classification and labelling must be handled by someone with scientific competence.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,500 kg of lead-free tin-copper solder bars under 8001 20 00 00, invoiced at £27,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,900, so it is £5,580. 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

Composition: match each lot to its analysis certificate and independently test samples for tin, alloying metals, lead and agreed impurities.

Bars: check dimensions, weight, surface contamination and excessive loose oxide against the agreed sample and specification.

Process trial: check melting, wetting and dross formation using the intended pot, flux and assembly materials.

Packing: check alloy and lot labels, dry protective packing and pallet security; reconcile received weights with the packing list.

What goes wrong

A lead-free label can hide lead contamination or the wrong alloy. Reduced silver content, mixed batches and impurities can produce material that differs from the approved sample. A generic certificate without matching lot identification gives little assurance about the delivered bars.

Keep lots separate until analysis and process trials are accepted. Investigate poor wetting against the alloy, flux and process conditions before blaming the bars alone. Put sampling and acceptance checks into the inspection brief.

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.