Sourcing lubricants and motor oils from China
Motor oils, compressor and turbine oils, hydraulic oils and gear oils from China pay 2% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. A lubricant is a chemical mixture, so a hazardous one needs a safety data sheet from the supplier, the label must follow its classification, and specification claims need test evidence. Cambridge China Bridge sources own-label lubricants.
Motor, hydraulic and gear oils pay 2% UK duty from China. Safety data sheets, hazard labels, specifications and packaging are what to settle.
Duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, motor oils, compressor lube oils and turbine lube oils, hydraulic oils, and gear and reductor oils of petroleum origin carried 2% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Synthetic lubricants with no petroleum oil, and greases, can classify elsewhere, so confirm the commodity code against the formulation.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor oils, compressor and turbine lube oils, other | 2710 19 81 90 | 2% | None |
| Hydraulic oils | 2710 19 83 00 | 2% | None |
| Gear oils and reductor oils | 2710 19 87 00 | 2% | None |
Safety data sheets and labels
Article 31 of UK REACH requires the supplier of a substance or mixture that meets the criteria for classification as hazardous to provide a safety data sheet. Many lubricants and additives do, so ask for a GB safety data sheet for each product, in English, before the first order, and label the packs according to the classification; the UK REACH guide explains the importer's role.
Hazard pictograms, signal words and the supplier's UK details go on the pack, so settle the label artwork with the classification in hand rather than adapting a label from another market.
Specifications and claims
Lubricants are sold on viscosity grades and industry or engine maker specifications. A claim that an oil meets a specification or an approval has to be backed by test results, and an engine maker approval is a licence held by the blender, so ask for the evidence behind every claim on the label and test a sample from each batch.
Base oil and additive package decide the product; ask the factory to name both, and to notify any change.
Packaging and shipping
Oils ship in packs, drums, IBCs or flexitanks, and the choice changes the freight and the handling at the UK end. Specify pack sizes, closures and pallet patterns, and check for leaks at the container loading. Packaging supplied into the UK also counts towards packaging EPR.
Cambridge China Bridge sources own-label motor oils, hydraulic oils and gear oils, with the safety data sheets, labels and batch testing settled before production. See how our sourcing service works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on motor oil from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, motor oils, hydraulic oils and gear oils of petroleum origin carried 2% duty from China, with no anti-dumping duty.
Do imported lubricants need a safety data sheet?
Under Article 31 of UK REACH, a supplier must provide one for a substance or mixture classified as hazardous. Ask for a GB safety data sheet in English for each product.
How do I check an oil's specification claims?
Ask for the test results behind each claimed specification, confirm any engine maker approval is held by the blender, and test a sample from each batch.
How are lubricants shipped from China?
In packs, drums, IBCs or flexitanks. Specify pack sizes and closures, and check for leaks at container loading.