Sourcing oscilloscopes and multimeters from China
Oscilloscopes, multimeters, clamp meters, insulation testers, network and telecom testers, semiconductor test equipment and radiation detectors from China pay 0% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. Safety depends on the measurement category and the test report behind it, and calibration decides whether results can be trusted. Cambridge China Bridge sources electrical test instruments.
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Zero duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, instruments for measuring or detecting ionising radiation, oscilloscopes, multimeters, instruments for measuring voltage, current, resistance or power, telecommunications test instruments, semiconductor test equipment, other instruments and parts of heading 9030 carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure.
Electricity meters are in heading 9028, covered in the meters guide. Confirm the commodity code. For conductivity instruments, see our guide to sourcing conductivity meters from China. For dissolved oxygen measurement, see our guide to sourcing dissolved oxygen meters. For hipot instruments, see our guide to sourcing hipot testers.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionising radiation detectors | 9030 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Oscilloscopes and oscillographs | 9030 20 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Multimeters without recording device, other | 9030 31 00 90 | 0% | None |
| Multimeters with recording device | 9030 32 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Telecommunications test instruments | 9030 40 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Semiconductor wafer and device testers | 9030 82 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Parts and accessories | 9030 90 00 00 | 0% | None |
Measurement category and safety
Handheld meters and probes are rated by measurement category and voltage under the BS EN 61010 series, and the rating printed on the meter must be backed by a test report from a credible laboratory. Mains-powered instruments fall within the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016; battery meters are outside their voltage range but still need to be safe.
Instruments bring WEEE obligations, and wireless models are radio equipment.
Accuracy and calibration
Specify bandwidth, sample rate and channels for oscilloscopes, and accuracy per range for meters. Ask for a calibration certificate for each unit, and for professional users a certificate traceable to national standards. For component measurement, see our guide to sourcing LCR meters. For RF measurement equipment, see our spectrum analyser sourcing guide. For cable diagnostics, see our guide to sourcing cable fault locators.
Worked duty example
Suppose, purely for illustration, you import 2,000 digital multimeters under 9030 31 00 90. At £26,000 free on board and £1,200 to ship and insure, the customs value is £27,200. With 0% duty on digital multimeters, the only charge is import VAT: 20% of £27,200, or £5,440. VAT-registered businesses usually recover that in their next return. The method is set out in how UK import duty and VAT work.
Inspection checklist
Safety evidence: a test report for the exact model to BS EN 61010-1 with BS EN 61010-2-033 for hand-held multimeters or BS EN 61010-2-030 for other instruments with measuring circuits, covering the measurement category and voltage printed on the case, test leads and probes covered by their own report to BS EN 61010-031, and EMC evidence to BS EN 61326-1.
Accuracy: every range of sampled meters checked against a multifunction calibrator whose calibration is traceable to national standards, with the reading compared to the stated accuracy for that range, and oscilloscope bandwidth measured as the -3 dB point with a levelled sine generator, alongside a calibration certificate matched to each serial number.
Build and protection: sample meters opened to confirm the high-energy fuse type and rating named in the manual, input protection and creepage compared with the certified sample, battery covers, holsters and probe tips checked, English software and manuals confirmed, and cartons sampled to ISO 2859-1.
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What goes wrong
Test instruments fail on safety rating and accuracy. A meter marked CAT III or CAT IV without the fuses, input protection and creepage distances to back it can fail dangerously on a real fault, and cheap test leads are the weak link even when the meter is sound. Accuracy drifts outside the stated tolerance on some ranges, oscilloscopes do not reach the advertised bandwidth, and firmware or software arrives only in Chinese.
Check the fuse type and rating inside a sample, ask for the BS EN 61010 test report covering the claimed category, verify readings on each range against a calibrated source, measure oscilloscope bandwidth with a known signal, check test leads for their own category marking, and confirm English menus and manuals.
Inspection
At inspection, check readings against a reference source, the category marking, fuses and test leads.
Cambridge China Bridge sources oscilloscopes, multimeters and electrical test instruments, with safety rating and calibration settled before the order. See how our sourcing service works. For the reverse trade, see our guide to exporting UK electrical instruments to China.
Related guides: Sourcing material testing machines from China.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on multimeters from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, multimeters, oscilloscopes and other heading 9030 instruments carried 0% duty from China.
What is a measurement category rating?
A rating under the BS EN 61010 series that shows which circuits and voltages a meter can safely be used on; it must be backed by a test report.
Are electricity meters in heading 9030?
No. Supply meters are in heading 9028.
Do test instruments need calibration certificates?
Ask for one with each unit, traceable to national standards for professional users.