Sourcing non-metal halides from China
Non-metal halides from China carry 0% to 4% UK duty, including the nitrogen trifluoride suspension; other listed lines carry 4%. Confirm chemical classification and the applicable import controls before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources non-metal halides.
Duty and chemical import controls
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 18 November 2026, heading 2812 covers halides and halide oxides of non-metals. Every listed line has a standard China duty of 4%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure recorded. Nitrogen trifluoride under 2812 90 00 10 has a 0% autonomous suspension, which excludes mixtures, preparations and products containing different components.
The tariff attaches waste import and export controls throughout the heading. For waste from China imported into England under notification controls, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. Confirm the complete route with your customs broker. Fluorinated greenhouse gas import controls are attached to 2812 90 00 10 and 2812 90 00 90; ask your broker to confirm the applicable requirement for the actual substance and use.
Match the chemical identity and composition to the commodity code. Do not use the nitrogen trifluoride suspension for a blend. Check the separate chemical rules for your destination: the guidance below concerns Great Britain. A duty rate alone does not establish that a shipment is ready to import.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus oxychloride | 2812 12 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Phosphorus trichloride | 2812 13 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Phosphorus pentachloride | 2812 14 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Sulphur monochloride | 2812 15 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Sulphur dichloride | 2812 16 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Thionyl chloride | 2812 17 00 00 | 4% | None |
| Nitrogen trifluoride | 2812 90 00 10 | 4% | None |
| Sulphur hexafluoride | 2812 90 00 25 | 4% | None |
Specify identity, moisture and container compatibility
Specify the named compound, assay, water content, relevant impurities, test methods and intended use. For phosphorus chlorides and thionyl chloride, agree moisture exclusion and container materials with the producer. For nitrogen trifluoride and sulphur hexafluoride, specify gas purity, moisture, cylinder valve connection and cylinder ownership or return arrangements. Ask for a batch certificate of analysis and safety data sheet.
Check your UK REACH position, including whether registration is required for your annual volume and who covers your imports. Great Britain's chemical classification, labelling and packaging rules apply to importers supplying its market. Check whether the substance falls within Chemical Weapons Convention schedules and which declaration arrangements apply; official guidance bases site declarations on chemical type, activities and amounts.
For fluorinated gases, check the production process as well as the product specification. Where trifluoromethane is a manufacturing by-product, the producer's declaration that it has been recovered or destroyed must accompany the import paperwork. Ask the producer and broker to settle this before shipment.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative trial order: sulphur monochloride in sealed drums under 2812 15 00 00, invoiced at £2,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,000. Duty at 4% is £160. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,160, so it is £832. Import taxes total £992; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £160 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the purchase specification, container label, batch certificate and safety data sheet to the same compound and batch.
Purity: check assay, moisture and named impurities against the agreed limits and methods; arrange independent testing through a laboratory equipped for the substance.
Containers: check seals, corrosion, closures and evidence of leakage without opening containers during a general warehouse inspection. For gas cylinders, check valve protection and test records.
Documents: check the chemical classification, labels and import-control position before release. Use a product inspection to record packaging condition and batch traceability.
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What goes wrong
A purity figure can conceal excessive moisture or a process-critical impurity. Certificates may describe a general grade rather than the shipped batch. Moisture ingress, unsuitable closures and damaged cylinder valves can make an otherwise correctly identified chemical unusable. Agree rejection criteria and the laboratory's sampling method before dispatch.
Customs problems arise when a blend is declared as the pure substance, a suspension is assumed without checking its exclusions, or waste status is left unresolved. Settle the chemical identity, broker's control checks and documentation before loading rather than relying on the supplier's description alone.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on non-metal halides from China?
The listed standard rates are 4%. Nitrogen trifluoride under 2812 90 00 10 has a 0% suspension excluding mixtures and multi-component products. No anti-dumping or countervailing measure is recorded.
Is nitrogen trifluoride duty-free?
The tariff records a 0% suspension for 2812 90 00 10. Its exclusion covers mixtures, preparations and products made up of different components containing the substance.
What should a thionyl chloride specification include?
Include identity, assay, moisture, relevant impurities, test methods, intended use and compatible sealed packaging. Require a certificate for the shipped batch rather than a generic grade sheet.
Do waste controls apply to these chemicals?
The tariff attaches waste controls throughout heading 2812. Confirm waste status with your broker. For notified waste imports into England, the exporter applies to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent.