Sourcing neodymium and ferrite magnets from China

Zero duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, permanent magnets of metal containing neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium or samarium, other metal magnets, agglomerated ferrite magnets, other permanent magnets, electromagnetic couplings, clutches and brakes, electromagnets and magnetic holding devices, lifting heads and parts carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.

Magnetic toys and fridge magnets may be classified as toys or souvenirs; confirm the commodity code.

Safety of small magnets

Swallowed strong magnets can attract each other through the bowel. Magnets in toys must meet the toy safety rules on magnetic flux, and loose small magnets sold to consumers should carry warnings and be kept away from children; the toy safety guide explains when an item counts as a toy.

Grade, coating and shipping

Specify grade (for example N42 or N52), maximum working temperature, coating (nickel, zinc or epoxy), dimensions with tolerance and magnetisation direction, and ask for a demagnetisation curve for the grade. Air carriers treat magnetised material as dangerous goods when its field is strong enough, so ask the forwarder about a field test or ship by sea.

Worked duty example

For a made-up shipment of 2 tonnes of N42 neodymium block magnets under 8505 11 10 99, add the £3,000 of freight and insurance to the £70,000 free-on-board price and customs sees £73,000. Duty on neodymium magnets is zero, leaving import VAT of £14,600, 20% of the customs value. For a VAT-registered buyer that is a cash-flow cost rather than a lasting one. The duty and VAT guide walks through the calculation.

Inspection checklist

Magnetic properties: remanence, coercivity and maximum energy product measured on samples from each batch with a hysteresisgraph by the methods of IEC 60404-5 and compared with the grade in IEC 60404-8-1 or the maker's data sheet, with flux density or pull force checked on every lot and the magnetisation direction confirmed.

Coating and temperature: coating thickness measured and nickel or epoxy coated samples exposed to salt spray to ISO 9227 for the hours agreed, samples held at the maximum working temperature and remeasured to check irreversible loss, and edges inspected for chips and cracks.

Safety and shipping: magnets for toys or products that children may reach checked against the magnetic flux index test of BS EN 71-1, loose small magnets sold with warnings, packing checked for spacers and shielding, and air shipments checked against the magnetised material rules of IATA Packing Instruction 953 with a field measurement at the package surface.

What goes wrong

Magnets fail on grade, coating and temperature. A magnet sold as N52 may test at a lower grade, and a standard grade loses strength permanently when used above its temperature rating, which matters in motors. Nickel coatings that are thin or porous let the magnet corrode and crumble, and brittle magnets chip or shatter when they snap together in handling or packing.

Measure pull force or flux density on samples against the grade, ask for the demagnetisation curve and a high-temperature loss test for motor grades, check coating thickness and run a salt spray or humidity test, measure dimensions, and pack with spacers and shielding so magnets do not chip or break the air freight limits.

Inspection

At inspection, measure pull force or flux density, dimensions and coating, and check packing uses spacers.

Cambridge China Bridge sources neodymium and ferrite magnets and magnetic assemblies, with grade, safety and shipping settled before the order. See how our sourcing service works.

Related guides: Rare-earth and alkali metals from China. See our guide to sourcing Alnico permanent magnets.