Sourcing mobile radiology trucks from China

UK duty on mobile radiology trucks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 8705 covers special purpose motor vehicles principally designed for purposes other than transporting people or goods, including mobile radiological units. The supplied relevant line is 8705 90 80 00, other special purpose vehicles. The table shows configurations to check against this same line, rather than separate radiology subcodes. See mobile workshop trucks for the wider heading.

The supplied line carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension shown. The tariff attaches fluorinated greenhouse gas and waste import controls. Imported equipment containing fluorinated gas must be correctly labelled. For waste subject to notification controls, obtain the relevant authorities’ consent before shipment. Ask your customs broker to confirm applicability and documents for the truck’s refrigerant and condition.

Confirm classification using the chassis specification, fitted imaging equipment, body layout and intended function, with finding your commodity code. Ask separately about trailers, unconverted vehicles or imaging equipment shipped separately. The supplied record also lists cultural-object and waste export controls; have the broker review these if planning a subsequent export.

Specify the imaging room and chassis together

Fix the examination type, imaging system manufacturer and model, detector, patient table, image export format and software access. Agree shielding drawings covering walls, doors, windows and cable penetrations, plus transport restraints, levelling, patient access, ventilation, power supply and cooling. Have the clinical team and a radiation protection adviser review the proposed layout before accepting the build.

For road use in Great Britain, confirm with the relevant vehicle approval authority whether approval is needed before first registration and whether any exemption applies. Medical-device manufacturers must meet relevant product marking and conformity assessment requirements, and the device must be registered with MHRA before placement on the Great Britain market. Request model-specific declarations, certificates and registration evidence. Agree who handles UK representation, commissioning, training and servicing. Employers must notify, register or obtain HSE consent where applicable to their radiation work.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A complete mobile radiography truck, illustrative order under 8705 90 80 00, invoiced at £185,000 free on board, with £9,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £194,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £194,500, so it is £38,900. 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

Identity and documents: match chassis identification, imaging system models and serial details to the order, conformity documents and registration evidence; check the road approval file against the agreed route.

Shielding and controls: have a competent specialist check shielding joints, door closures, observation windows, penetrations, exposure controls and warning indicators against the agreed drawings and test plan.

Imaging and power: witness agreed imaging tests using a test object; check image export, software access, electrical supply, cooling and operation with the intended power source.

Arrival condition: inspect transport locks, detector mounts, roof seals, cable connections and patient access after unloading; repeat agreed acceptance checks before clinical use. Plan the report with quality inspection explained.

What goes wrong

Watch for shielding gaps around later cable penetrations, imaging equipment substituted after drawings were approved, inaccessible software licences and cooling that cannot sustain the agreed workload. A truck that drives correctly may still fail the imaging acceptance tests. Make the complete fitted configuration the subject of the purchase specification and acceptance report.

Road approval paperwork does not establish medical-device conformity. Compare each document with the actual equipment and agree responsibility for resolving defects, replacement parts and local servicing before payment. Repeat specialist checks after transport rather than accepting factory photographs as arrival evidence.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.