Sourcing livestock transport trucks from China

Duty on livestock transport trucks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8704 covers motor vehicles for transporting goods. The diesel livestock truck lines shown carry 10% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions recorded. Classification follows the engine, gross vehicle weight and whether the vehicle is new or used. See the diesel flatbed truck guide for the wider heading. For glass transport, see our glass transport truck sourcing guide.

The tariff attaches fluorinated greenhouse gas import control. Pre-charged equipment includes vehicle air-conditioning. For equipment containing hydrofluorocarbons, registration and quota authorisations are needed when annual imports reach 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent or more. Obtain the refrigerant type and charge from the factory, and have your customs broker confirm the applicable declaration requirements before shipping.

The used truck lines also attach waste import control. Waste shipment controls apply only where the vehicle is waste. For imports into England under notification controls, the exporter must seek consent from the competent authority in the country of dispatch. Have your broker confirm whether a used truck from China is waste and which requirements apply. Confirm the complete vehicle specification using finding your commodity code.

Specify the livestock body and approval route

Specify the species and animal sizes, internal headroom, usable floor area, partitions, ramp surface, side protection, ventilation and wash-down access. Ask for the finished vehicle's unladen weight and axle loads, with the livestock body, water equipment and other fittings installed. Agree how payload will be verified, and obtain drawings showing partition positions and access for cleaning.

Confirm with the relevant vehicle approval authority whether the vehicle needs road approval before first registration in Great Britain and whether an exemption applies. Agree the route for the completed livestock truck, including its body conversion. Separately, ask the animal-transport certifying body whether the intended species and journeys require vehicle approval and arrange inspection where applicable. Animal-transport approval certificates last up to 5 years, or until a modification affects animal welfare.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: a new diesel livestock transport truck under 8704 23 91 00, invoiced at £185,000 free on board, with £9,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £194,500. Duty at 10% is £19,450. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £213,950, so it is £42,790. Import taxes total £62,240; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £19,450 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Body and ramp: check floors and ramps when wet, sharp edges, gaps around partitions, gate latches and ramp side protection against the agreed drawings.

Ventilation and equipment: run fitted fans, water systems and monitoring equipment; check airflow at animal level, leaks, controls and access for servicing.

Payload and chassis: obtain a weighbridge record for the finished truck and compare axle loads, tyre specifications and available payload with the agreed specification.

Identity and cleaning: match vehicle identification numbers to documents; inspect welds, underbody corrosion protection, drainage and areas that trap bedding or manure. Use the inspection guide to agree the report.

What goes wrong

A chassis certificate can be mistaken for evidence covering the completed livestock truck. Other failure points include a body heavier than quoted, slippery ramps, partitions that leave trapping gaps, inaccessible drainage channels and fans that do not ventilate occupied compartments. Make these acceptance checks explicit before the factory builds the body.

Check the delivered configuration before carrying animals. Added decks or changed partitions may affect the animal-transport approval: certificates remain valid only until a modification affects animal welfare. Agree spare ramp hinges, latches, fans and seals, and who will support repairs locally.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.