Sourcing oil pour point depressants from China
Lubricant pour point depressants from China normally carry 4% UK duty; 0.00 % suspensions are restricted to listed formulations and conditions. GB importers must ensure correct chemical labels and packaging. Assess UK REACH coverage and test the additive in your base oil. Cambridge China Bridge sources lubricant pour point depressants.
Duty and formulation-specific suspensions
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. Lubricant pour point depressants sit within the lubricating-oil additive family. Petroleum-oil-containing preparations and preparations without those oils have separate branches. The table repeats a residual line to show different buying specifications; the listed polymethacrylate line is only a candidate where its complete chemical description matches.
The selected lines carry 4% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no attached import controls in the supplied tariff data. They also show 0.00 % suspensions restricted by formulation, with authorised-use conditions on some entries. These are not a general exemption for pour point depressants. Some residual-line suspension descriptions in the supplied data are incomplete, so ask your customs broker to confirm eligibility before claiming relief.
Give your broker the composition, petroleum-oil content and intended lubricating-oil use to confirm the commodity code. For the wider additive family, see lubricant viscosity index improvers. A supplier's product name alone is insufficient to select the listed polymethacrylate line.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polymethacrylate pour point depressant in petroleum oil, other | 3811 21 00 90 | 4% | None |
| Other pour point depressant preparations without petroleum oils | 3811 29 00 90 | 4% | None |
| Listed amino-functional polymethacrylate in mineral oil, only if composition matches | 3811 21 00 25 | 4% | None |
Specify performance in your base oil
Specify the polymer chemistry, active content, carrier oil, appearance, viscosity at an agreed temperature, blending conditions and storage instructions. Define the base-oil blend, additive package, treatment level, cooling procedure and pour-point acceptance result. Compare treated and untreated oil using the same method. Ask for batch analysis and retain an approved sample.
For Great Britain, chemical labels and packaging must be correct before placing the mixture on the market. A safety data sheet is required when a hazardous chemical is supplied for workplace use. Ask for an English sheet and a documented UK REACH assessment covering the polymer, carrier and other constituents; registration is assessed per substance and legal entity.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative pilot blending order: 5 tonnes of petroleum-oil-containing pour point depressant under 3811 21 00 90, 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
Identity: compare the batch number, carrier declaration and analysis certificate with the approved formulation; investigate any unexplained change.
Condition: inspect seals and containers for leakage, and sample for sediment, separation, water contamination and viscosity changes.
Performance: blend the arrival sample into your actual base oil at the agreed treatment level and repeat the agreed cooling and pour-point test.
Documents: reconcile the safety data sheet, chemical label, batch certificate and UK REACH assessment with the material received. Set the sampling scope through your inspection plan.
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What goes wrong
A result obtained in the supplier's reference oil may not repeat in your base-oil blend. Changing the carrier, polymer concentration or additive package can change the result. A satisfactory pour point also does not establish every aspect of cold-temperature pumping performance; specify any additional application tests separately.
Excess dilution, inconsistent batches, contamination and separation can undermine an approved sample. Hold a disputed batch apart from production stock, compare retained samples and repeat the agreed tests before blending it into saleable oil.
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 lubricant pour point depressants from China?
The selected lubricating-oil additive lines carry 4%. Listed formulations may qualify for 0.00 % suspensions subject to their conditions. The supplied data shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty.
Which commodity code covers a pour point depressant?
Check 3811 21 00 90 for other petroleum-oil-containing preparations and 3811 29 00 90 for other preparations without those oils. A specifically listed composition needs separate checking.
Does the supplier's pour-point test prove it will work in my oil?
Use the supplier's result as a starting point. Test the additive in your actual base-oil blend and additive package, using the agreed treatment level and cooling procedure.
Do I need UK REACH paperwork for a polymer additive?
Ask for a substance-by-substance assessment covering the polymer, carrier and other constituents. Registration is per substance and legal entity; a generic statement about the finished mixture is insufficient.