Sourcing nickel silver sheet from China

0% UK duty on nickel silver sheet

Heading 7409 covers copper plates, sheets and strip more than 0.15 mm thick. Nickel silver is a copper-nickel-zinc alloy and falls within 7409 40 00 00, which also covers cupro-nickel. The sheet forms shown in the table share this tariff line; they are purchasing specifications rather than separate customs categories.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, nickel silver sheet from China carried 0% duty. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, tariff suspension or attached import control for this line. Import VAT is normally 20%; see UK import duty and VAT.

Confirm composition, thickness and supplied form before choosing the commodity code. Material of 0.15 mm or less belongs in the foil heading; see the nickel silver foil guide. For the other alloys within this heading, see copper and brass sheet and strip.

Specify composition, temper and finish

Write the alloy designation and required copper, nickel and zinc composition into the order. Request a mill certificate tied to the supplied batch. Specify temper, thickness, width, length, thickness and flatness tolerances, edge condition and surface finish. Agree whether protective film or interleaving is needed, and approve a sample for forming and appearance.

UK REACH generally applies to substances on their own, in mixtures and in articles. Restrictions can limit, ban or set conditions on manufacture, sale or use. Check the alloy and any coating against the intended application. For jewellery or other skin-contact parts, arrange an application-specific assessment and finished-product testing rather than relying on a mill composition certificate.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of cut-to-size nickel silver sheet under 7409 40 00 00, invoiced at £22,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £22,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £22,800, so it is £4,560. 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

Material: match batch identification to the mill certificate and check copper, nickel and zinc composition against the order.

Temper: check hardness and trial-form a sample using the intended process; look for cracking, excessive springback or unwanted softness.

Dimensions: measure thickness across each sampled sheet, check width and length, and inspect flatness, edge burrs and damaged corners.

Surface and packing: inspect both faces for scratches, tarnish and oil stains; check interleaving, moisture protection and support against bending.

What goes wrong

Buying by a silver-coloured sample can conceal an alloy substitution. The wrong temper can spoil forming, while thin material, bowed sheets and burred edges can disrupt cutting or assembly. A polished sample also gives little assurance about scratches or colour variation across the shipment.

Agree measurable acceptance criteria and retain the approved sample. Check material, dimensions and finish before dispatch, then repeat the arrival checks before releasing the batch to production. See quality inspection explained.

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.