Sourcing petrol mopeds from China

Petrol moped duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 8711 covers motorcycles, mopeds and motor-assisted cycles. Petrol mopeds with internal combustion piston engines not exceeding 50 cm³ fall within 8711 10 00 00, carrying 8% duty on goods from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed for this line. The table shows configurations sharing this code, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The tariff attaches an import waste control. Waste shipment controls apply only where the goods are waste. For waste vehicles shipped from China into England under notification controls, the exporter applies to the dispatch country's competent authority; shipment awaits the relevant authorities' consent. Ask your customs broker to confirm requirements for scrap or non-working mopeds. The snapshot also lists waste export controls and a cultural-object export licence measure; confirm these separately before onward export.

Confirm engine capacity and the complete vehicle specification through finding your commodity code. A supplier's use of the word moped does not establish tariff classification. For electrically propelled models within the wider heading, see the electric mopeds guide. For trials models, see our petrol trials motorcycle sourcing guide. For motocross models, see our petrol motocross sourcing guide.

Specify the engine and approved vehicle together

For England, Scotland and Wales, confirm with the relevant vehicle approval authority whether provisional vehicle type approval or motorcycle single vehicle approval is appropriate before ordering. Ask for documents covering the exact production variant and compare the engine, fuel system, exhaust and transmission with the proposed build. Use testing and certification support to review the evidence.

Specify engine capacity, fuel delivery, cooling, starting method, transmission, maximum speed, brakes, tyres and payload. Identify the exhaust, replacement filters, brake parts and drive components. For delivery models, agree the carrier mounting and sample checks with a representative load. Record cold-start and warm-start behaviour, idle stability and fuel-leak checks using an agreed test method.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 50 petrol delivery mopeds; FOB and freight values are illustrative, not a quotation under 8711 10 00 00, invoiced at £100,000 free on board, with £5,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £105,000. Duty at 8% is £8,400. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £113,400, so it is £22,680. Import taxes total £31,080; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £8,400 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match frame and engine identifiers, vehicle markings and production components to the ordered variant and approval documents. A vehicle identification number is required before a motorcycle single vehicle approval inspection.

Engine and fuel system: check starting, idle, throttle return, fuel hoses, tank connections and signs of fuel or oil leakage. Compare the fuel system and exhaust with the agreed sample.

Brakes and running gear: check brake operation, steering movement, wheel alignment, tyre condition, suspension and critical fasteners against the assembly instructions.

Electrics and packing: test lamps, indicators, horn and starting controls; inspect wiring, body panels, carrier mounts and crate damage. Record defects through quality inspection before shipment and repeat condition checks on arrival.

What goes wrong

Approval documents can describe a different engine or vehicle variant from the shipment. A substituted exhaust, fuel system or transmission creates a mismatch between the documents and the supplied build. Freeze the component specification and require written agreement before substitutions.

Poor starting, unstable idle, leaking fuel connections, trapped wiring and loose carrier mounts can be missed during a brief sample demonstration. Inspect production vehicles against the agreed checks before customer delivery, and retain photographs of identifiers and defects so replacement parts can be matched.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.