Sourcing lubricant antiwear packages from China
Lubricant antiwear additive packages from China carry 4% basic UK duty; eligible listed concentrates can be suspended to 0%. For Great Britain, check UK REACH registration for each constituent substance and chemical classification before sale. Cambridge China Bridge sources lubricant antiwear additive packages.
Duty on antiwear packages and concentrates
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 3811 covers prepared additives for mineral oils and liquids used for the same purposes. This guide covers antiwear packages and relevant concentrates for lubricant blending. Petroleum-oil content and the precise chemical formulation determine which lubricating-oil additive line fits. See the wider fuel and oil additives guide.
The selected lines carry 4% basic duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty or attached import controls recorded. The listed concentrates under 3811 29 00 20, 3811 29 00 30 and 3811 29 00 40 have 0% suspensions. Their footnotes exclude mixtures or preparations containing those products. The suspensions under 3811 21 00 90 cover specified formulations, including an authorised-use detergent provision; they do not give every antiwear package a zero rate.
Give your customs broker the composition, petroleum-oil content, substance identities and intended use. Match every part of a named tariff description before claiming a suspension. Confirm the commodity code for the imported formulation rather than copying a supplier's code for an individual ingredient.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listed mixed-alkyl zinc dithiophosphate additive containing mineral oil | 3811 21 00 26 | 4% | None |
| Listed zinc dithiophosphate and triphenyl phosphorus additive blend | 3811 21 00 28 | 4% | None |
| Other lubricating-oil additive packages containing petroleum oils | 3811 21 00 90 | 4% | None |
| Listed dithiophosphoric acid reaction-product additive concentrate | 3811 29 00 20 | 4% | None |
| Listed sulphur and triphenyl phosphite reaction-product concentrate | 3811 29 00 30 | 4% | None |
| Listed sulphurised isobutylene additive concentrate | 3811 29 00 40 | 4% | None |
Specify the antiwear chemistry and finished blend
State whether you need a zinc-containing or ashless package, its constituent identities, active content, carrier oil and intended engine, hydraulic or gear lubricant. Agree zinc, phosphorus and sulphur content where relevant, viscosity, water content, appearance and storage conditions. Record the proposed blending dosage and the base oil used for approval.
Approve performance in your finished lubricant at the agreed dosage. Request wear-test results with the method, test conditions and sample identity, together with compatibility checks for your detergent, dispersant and other additives. Agree batch acceptance limits, retained samples and written approval before any formulation or carrier-oil substitution.
For supply in Great Britain, check UK REACH registration obligations using the annual aggregate import quantity of each constituent substance: registration applies when that substance reaches 1 tonne or more per year, rather than to the package as a mixture. Classification and labelling need scientific competence. Chemicals must be correctly labelled and packaged before sale, and hazardous chemicals supplied for workplace use require a safety data sheet.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 5 tonnes of the listed zinc dithiophosphate concentrate; illustrative order and values under 3811 21 00 26, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £2,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £26,200. Duty at 4% is £1,048. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,248, so it is £5,449.60. Import taxes total £6,497.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,048 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Chemistry: compare the batch certificate with independent checks of relevant zinc, phosphorus and sulphur content, viscosity and water content against the agreed specification.
Blend performance: mix an arrival sample into your approved base oil at the agreed dosage; check haze, sediment, separation and wear performance against the approved blend.
Containers: check seals, leaks, corrosion, batch identity and delivered weight; photograph discrepancies before releasing the material into production.
Documents: match the formulation and batch to the safety data sheet, classification, labels and UK REACH information. Keep a retained sample and use the quality inspection guide to organise acceptance records.
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What goes wrong
A concentrate can match the supplier's headline phosphorus content yet miss your wear target after blending. Excess carrier oil, changed alkyl chemistry or an unapproved additive substitution can alter performance. Sediment or haze may appear only with your base oil and other additives. Compare production batches with the approved formulation and investigate failed blend checks before use.
A supplier may quote a suspended ingredient code for a finished package that does not meet that description. Resolve the classification using the complete imported formulation. Keep the purchase specification, laboratory results and chemical documents tied to the same product identity.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on antiwear additive packages from China?
The selected lines carry 4% basic duty. Some precisely described concentrates have 0% suspensions. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded for these lines.
Does UK REACH registration apply to the whole additive package?
Registration is assessed for each constituent substance. Check the annual aggregate imports of each substance against the 1 tonne threshold, rather than registering the mixture itself.
Can I use a supplier's wear-test report to approve the package?
Check the formulation, base oil, dosage and test conditions. Approve a trial in your finished lubricant and agree batch acceptance checks before ordering.
Are all zinc antiwear additives duty-free?
No. The listed zinc-containing additives under 3811 21 00 26 and 3811 21 00 28 carry 4% basic duty, with no suspension recorded.