Sourcing LED track lighting from China
LED track lighting from China carries 2% to 4% UK duty across the relevant fitting lines, depending on classification and material. Confirm the applicable electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility and hazardous substance requirements for mains models with the relevant authority. Check the complete track and driver combination. Cambridge China Bridge sources LED track lighting.
Duty on LED track lighting
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, heading 9405 covers luminaires, lighting fittings and their parts, alongside illuminated signs. This guide concerns LED track lighting only. The selected lines carry 2% or 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions recorded.
The selected lines have a DCMS Export Licence entry attached by the UK Trade Tariff; ask your customs broker to confirm its relevance to the shipment. The heading data also attaches an import control of mercury to some other lines. Official guidance says those controls concern products with intentionally added mercury or mercury compounds. Confirm the requirement with your broker if your proposed code carries that control.
Send the broker drawings, housing material, mounting details and confirmation that the fitting is designed solely for LED light sources. A track spotlight and a ceiling fitting should not automatically share a code. Confirm the commodity code before ordering. See commercial lighting for the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| LED ceiling or wall fittings of other materials, including metal | 9405 11 90 90 | 2% | None |
| LED spotlights and searchlights | 9405 42 10 00 | 2% | None |
| Other LED lighting fittings of plastics | 9405 42 31 00 | 4% | None |
| Other LED lighting fittings of other materials, excluding hand-made | 9405 42 39 90 | 2% | None |
Specify the track, adapter and driver together
Specify the actual track profile, conductor arrangement, adapter locking mechanism and intended supply. Approve a working assembly using the track, connectors and heads you will supply. Record beam angle, light output, colour temperature, colour rendering, housing finish, driver model and the intended dimmer or control system.
Mains lighting must meet electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility and hazardous substance restriction rules. Obtain declarations and model-specific test reports. Light sources have ecodesign and energy information requirements, and lamps and luminaires have waste electrical equipment producer registration obligations. For Great Britain, the importer must ensure that instructions are in easily understandable English. Arrange testing and certification around the agreed assembly.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 400 LED track spotlights, illustrative order under 9405 42 10 00, invoiced at £22,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £25,500. Duty at 2% is £510. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £26,010, so it is £5,202. Import taxes total £5,712; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £510 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Fit: assemble production heads on the approved track; check adapter locking, contact alignment, connector fit and retention when the head is adjusted.
Light: compare beam shape, colour consistency and output with the approved sample; test flicker and dimming using the intended controller.
Construction: compare chips, drivers, wiring and housings with the frozen bill of materials; check earth connections where fitted and temperature during operation.
Arrival: inspect bent tracks, cracked adapters and damaged optics; match model identification, instructions and supplied components to the order.
What goes wrong
A head can look compatible yet lock poorly or make unreliable contact with the buyer's track. Dimming can flicker or drop out when the production driver differs from the sample. Uneven colour becomes conspicuous when heads illuminate the same wall or display.
Freeze the approved track and adapter drawings, driver and light-source components. Require written approval before substitutions and retest the changed assembly. Keep an approved sample for comparison and inspect a working production assembly before shipment.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on LED track lighting from China?
The selected fitting lines carry 2% or 4%, depending on classification and material. The supplied tariff data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions for these lines.
Will Chinese track heads fit my existing lighting track?
Confirm with drawings and a working sample on your actual track. Check the conductor layout, adapter contacts, locking mechanism and connectors before approving production.
What compliance documents should I ask for?
Ask for declarations and test reports naming the supplied model and components, covering electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility and hazardous substance restrictions. Check light-source energy information too.
How do I prevent driver substitutions?
Name the approved driver and light-source components in the bill of materials. Require written approval for changes, compare production samples and retest any changed assembly.