Sourcing methyl acrylate from China

Methyl acrylate duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, methyl acrylate falls within other esters of acrylic acid, code 2916 12 00 90, under heading 2916. Duty for goods from China is 6%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure shown. The suspensions recorded against this code name other substances and do not cover methyl acrylate. The table shows purchasing descriptions sharing the same tariff line.

The tariff attaches an export control for waste to this line. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. For a shipment from China described as recovered, off-specification or waste material, confirm its status and the applicable requirements with your customs broker before dispatch.

Confirm the commodity code using the substance identity, composition and inhibitor details. Do not confuse methyl acrylate with methyl methacrylate. For related acrylates within the wider heading, see ethyl acrylate from China.

Specify purity, inhibitor and storage conditions

Specify methyl acrylate by its full chemical identity and intended process. Agree assay, water content, acidity, colour, impurity profile, inhibitor type and inhibitor content. Request a batch certificate of analysis and a safety data sheet. Record the supplier's storage and transport conditions in the purchase specification rather than accepting an unspecified industrial grade.

For a new UK REACH registration, where downstream user import notification provisions do not apply, registration is required before manufacture or imports into Great Britain reach 1 tonne per year. Establish your registration position before ordering. Importers must arrange correct classification, labelling and packaging before placing chemicals on the Great Britain market.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 15 tonnes of methyl acrylate in drums under 2916 12 00 90, invoiced at £21,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £23,500. Duty at 6% is £1,410. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £24,910, so it is £4,982. Import taxes total £6,392; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,410 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the order, batch certificate, safety data sheet and drum labels to methyl acrylate, including the declared inhibitor.

Analysis: compare assay, water, acidity, colour and inhibitor results with the agreed specification; arrange independent batch testing where needed.

Packaging: check drums for leakage, damage and sound closures, and match package labels to the chemical classification.

Arrival records: reconcile batch numbers and quantities, review available temperature records and isolate material showing unexpected thickening or visible solids.

What goes wrong

Acrylates can polymerise when inhibitor content is inadequate or the shipment overheats. A certificate showing purity alone does not establish stability. Agree inhibitor testing and transport conditions before loading, then investigate unexpected thickening before releasing the batch for use.

Another failure is ordering methyl acrylate but receiving paperwork for methyl methacrylate, or assuming another acrylate's suspension applies. Match the substance across the quotation, analysis, labels and customs instructions before dispatch.

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.