Sourcing panic exit bars from China
Panic exit bar door fittings from China under heading 8302 carry 0% UK duty, with no trade remedy on the relevant line. Escape doors should open quickly and easily without a key or code. Check the exact model's conformity evidence and its compatibility with the door assembly. Cambridge China Bridge sources panic exit bars.
Duty on panic exit bar door fittings
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 8302 covers base-metal mountings and fittings, including fittings for building doors. The relevant door-fitting line, 8302 41 10 00, carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control on this line.
The table shows different product configurations against the same tariff line, rather than separate commodity lines. Confirm whether a complete assembly incorporating a lock belongs here before ordering. Send drawings, materials and operating details to your broker and confirm the commodity code. Related door hardware is covered in the hydraulic door closers guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base-metal push-bar door fittings | 8302 41 10 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the bar and the complete door assembly
Specify push-bar or touch-bar operation, door material, leaf width and thickness, opening direction, handing, latch arrangement, strike positions and any external access trim. For paired doors, agree how each leaf releases. Include rods, keeps, brackets, fixings, fitting templates and instructions in the approved supply specification.
Government fire-safety guidance for offices and shops says final exit doors should open quickly and easily without a key or code during a fire. For construction products supplied in Great Britain, legitimately affixed CE marking remains accepted. Request the declaration of performance and supporting certification for the exact model, and check that the supplied configuration matches the evidence.
For a fire-door application, ask for evidence covering the door assembly and proposed hardware combination. Agree this with the buyer's door supplier or fire-safety adviser before approving a sample. Arrange testing and certification checks before committing to production.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of base-metal panic exit bar door fittings under 8302 41 10 00, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,600. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,600, so it is £1,520. 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: compare model references, labels, supplied parts and supporting documents with the approved sample and specification.
Release: install sampled units on a representative door and check that pressing the bar releases every latch without sticking; repeat with pressure against the door.
Fit: check bar length, rod adjustment, strike alignment, handing and external trim; confirm that the door closes and relatches.
Finish and packing: check burrs, loose fasteners, coating damage and bent rods; reconcile fixings, templates and instructions. Use the inspection guide to agree shipment checks.
What goes wrong
A bar can operate on a bench but bind on the installed door because the keep is misaligned, rods drag or the door is under pressure. Other failures include incorrect handing, missing brackets and external trim that interferes with release. Approve an installed assembly rather than a loose bar alone.
Documents for a similar model can leave the ordered latch arrangement or fire-door combination unsupported. Compare the production assembly with the documented configuration, and agree how substitutions will be approved before shipment.
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 panic exit bars from China?
The base-metal building-door fittings line 8302 41 10 00 carries 0% duty in the supplied tariff record, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm classification for assemblies incorporating locks.
Is CE marking accepted for panic exit bars in Great Britain?
Government construction-product guidance accepts legitimately affixed CE marking in Great Britain. Check the exact model's supporting documents and intended use.
Can I fit a panic exit bar to a fire door?
Check evidence for the complete door assembly and proposed hardware combination with the door supplier or fire-safety adviser before ordering.
How should I inspect panic exit bars from China?
Check model identity, parts and dimensions, then test release and relatching on a representative door. Include pressure against the door, rod alignment and external trim in the agreed checks.