Sourcing metal door knockers from China

Duty and classification for metal door knockers

Heading 8306 covers non-electric base metal bells and similar goods, ornaments, frames and mirrors. This guide concerns functional metal door knockers. The table shows purchasing variants against the bells-and-similar-goods line, subject to confirmation for the finished product. These variants are not separate tariff lines. See the wider heading guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the supplied record gives 0% duty for goods from China under 8306 10 00 00. It lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for that line. The heading's 2% rate belongs to base metal frames and mirrors.

Confirm the commodity code with your customs broker using photographs, material specifications, mounting details and the complete product's function. Do not choose an ornament line solely because a knocker has a decorative face. If using a supplier's code, check that its treatment applies in the UK.

Specify the knocker, strike plate and fixings

Specify the alloy, casting or fabrication method, overall size, projection, fixing centres and intended door construction. Agree surface-mounted or through-door fixing, screw material, thread, usable length and supplied washers. State whether the strike plate is separate or integral, and approve a complete fitted sample.

Agree the hinge or pivot construction, movement clearance and contact point. Specify the actual plating or coating, colour and lacquer, and agree corrosion and adhesion checks for the intended exposure. Keep an approved finish sample and require individual packing that prevents the moving ring striking or rubbing the backplate.

Consumer door knockers sold in Great Britain must be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Assess sharp casting edges, finger traps and insecure moving parts. Agree clear fitting instructions showing the intended door type, fixing arrangement and precautions.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small-business shipment of individually boxed metal door knockers, assuming classification under this code is confirmed under 8306 10 00 00, invoiced at £1,600 free on board, with £432 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,032. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,032, so it is £406.40. 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

Fit: check dimensions and fixing centres against the drawing, fit supplied screws and washers, and trial the assembly on the intended door construction.

Movement: check that the ring or arm moves freely, contacts the strike plate correctly and remains securely retained after repeated operation.

Finish: compare colour with the approved sample; check pits, burrs, scratches, coating gaps and exposed metal around the pivot and screw holes.

Arrival: inspect cartons for damage, unpack sampled units and check bent rings, cracked castings, rubbing marks and missing fixings. Agree dispatch checks using the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

Fixing centres can drift between castings, screws may be unsuitable for the intended door, and uneven backplates can rock against the surface. Excess coating around the pivot can restrict movement; loose pins can let the ring detach. A knocker that misses its strike plate can damage the door finish.

Outdoor finishes can stain, peel or corrode where coating coverage is poor. Test the assembled sample rather than approving a colour swatch alone. Check movement after the agreed finish tests, and inspect packed samples for contact marks between the ring and backplate.

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.