Sourcing metal-core PCBs from China

Zero duty on metal-core printed circuits

Heading 8534 covers printed circuits. For metal-core boards, distinguish multilayer circuits containing only conductor elements and contacts from other such circuits and circuits with other passive elements. Aluminium and copper cores do not have separate lines in the supplied tariff facts, so the table repeats the relevant codes for those core choices.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 October 2026, all supplied lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied facts list no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.

Confirm the commodity code against the fabrication drawing and supplied condition. Mounted components can change classification, as explained in the wider printed circuit board guide. Do not apply a bare-board code automatically to an assembled lighting module.

Specify the core and dielectric together

Send fabrication files and a controlled drawing specifying aluminium or copper core, core thickness, copper thickness, circuit layers, dielectric material and thickness, surface finish, solder mask, routing and mounting holes. State whether mounting holes and edges must remain electrically isolated from the core.

Specify thermal conductivity with its test method, dielectric withstand testing with agreed acceptance criteria, and flatness at the heat-sink contact surface. Approve a sample in the intended assembly: a conductivity claim alone does not establish the complete board's thermal performance.

Official guidance says business-to-business component parts are outside the hazardous-substance regulations themselves, but a final assembly within scope must comply, including its components. Obtain material declarations for the dielectric, mask and finish to support that assessment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5,000 bare aluminium-core printed circuit boards under 8534 00 19 00, invoiced at £20,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £21,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,500, so it is £4,300. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Construction: compare the core, dielectric and copper build with the approved drawing; inspect sample cross-sections for voids and separation.

Isolation: check circuit-to-core insulation using the agreed test procedure, and inspect routed edges and mounting holes for burrs or exposed copper.

Thermal fit: measure flatness and hole positions, then check sample boards against the intended heat sink and thermal interface.

Batch release: review every board's electrical test record, inspect finish and solder mask registration, and retain batch identification and material declarations.

What goes wrong

A substituted dielectric can change heat transfer or insulation performance. Burrs near mounting holes can bridge the circuit to the metal core, while uneven boards leave gaps against the heat sink. Poor adhesion can show up as blistering or separation during assembly.

Agree material substitutions and test acceptance before production. Inspect samples from the delivered batch and check thermal performance in the intended assembly before releasing stock for use. Match reports to the drawing revision and batch rather than accepting a generic factory report.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For components and parts, see sourcing for manufacturers.