Sourcing pet grooming brushes from China
Pet grooming brushes from China carry a flat 2% UK import duty under the animal-grooming brush line, with no listed trade remedy. Consumer brushes sold in Great Britain must be safe, and products containing cat or dog fur are banned from import and sale. Cambridge China Bridge sources pet grooming brushes.
Pet grooming brush duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 October 2026, heading 9603 covers brushes and related cleaning tools. Its animal-grooming brush line, 9603 90 91 00, carries 2% duty for goods from China. The table shows different grooming brush designs within that same commodity line.
The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for this line. It attaches an import control on cat and dog fur: products containing that fur are banned from import and sale. Ask the supplier to identify any animal-derived brush material before ordering.
Confirm the commodity code using the product's construction and grooming purpose, especially for sets containing other tools. For the wider product range, see pet products from China.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet slicker brushes | 9603 90 91 00 | 2% | None |
Specify pins, bristles and coat use
State the intended animal and coat type, brush-head shape, pin material, length, spacing and flexibility, and whether tips are rounded or capped. For bristle brushes, specify synthetic or natural fill, stiffness and tuft fixing. Record handle material, grip, head attachment and cleaning method against an approved sample.
Consumer brushes sold in Great Britain must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Turn that into practical checks for exposed sharp wire, loose pins, detached caps and cracked handles. Agree how any self-cleaning release mechanism should move and how the brush should be cleaned.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 800 pet grooming brushes under 9603 90 91 00, invoiced at £3,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,200. Duty at 2% is £84. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,284, so it is £856.80. Import taxes total £940.80; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £84 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Pins and bristles: compare the fill with the approved sample, inspect tips for burrs and missing caps, and pull-check pins and tufts using the agreed method.
Handle and mechanism: check the head does not twist loose, the grip remains secure when wet, and any release button moves without trapping or bending pins.
Grooming performance: use an agreed coat sample to check snagging, shedding, flexibility and removal of collected hair; compare results with the approved brush.
Packing and arrival: check for crushed pins, damp cartons and mixed designs. Repeat functional checks on arrival and retain samples and photographs for the batch. See quality inspection explained.
What goes wrong
A production brush can look like the sample but use stiffer wire, weaker tuft fixing or a thinner handle. Tip caps detach, the cushion lifts, pins retract unevenly and the release plate jams with collected hair. Specify these features and inspect production samples before dispatch.
A vague description such as natural bristle leaves the material source unresolved. Obtain the species and material description in writing, and reject any proposed cat or dog fur content because its import and sale are prohibited.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on pet grooming brushes from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 2% for animal-grooming brushes under 9603 90 91 00, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duty.
Are pet brushes classified as human hairbrushes?
The supplied tariff has a specific animal-grooming brush description under 9603 90 91 00. Confirm the construction and intended use before declaring the code.
Can I import pet brushes containing cat or dog fur?
No. Cat and dog fur and products made from it are banned from import and sale. Obtain a written material description before ordering natural-fill brushes.
What should I check on a self-cleaning slicker brush?
Check pin finish and retention, head fixing, button movement and whether collected hair clears without bending pins or jamming the release plate.