Sourcing porphyry paving setts from China

Porphyry setts: zero import duty

Heading 6801 covers setts, curbstones and flagstones of natural stone, except slate. This guide concerns porphyry paving setts. The table shows buying variants sharing the same commodity line, rather than separate tariff classifications. See the basalt cobblestone setts guide for the wider heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, commodity code 6801 00 00 00 carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.

Confirm the commodity code using the stone description, photographs and processing details. Heavily worked or polished stone can fall under heading 6802. Check the actual product rather than relying on the supplier's description of it as paving.

Specify the porphyry, blend and laying face

Record the quarry source, stone name and petrographic description. Approve a retained sample range showing the permitted background colours, visible crystals and variation between pieces. State whether the order is colour-sorted or an agreed blend. Require approval before the supplier changes the quarry or stone source.

Specify the laying face, side treatment, length, width, thickness and permitted variation. Distinguish split faces from sawn sides and agree acceptable edge damage. Give the installer representative samples to assess the joint pattern and bedding before approving the order.

Confirm with the relevant authority whether the external paving setts are covered by the designated standard BS EN 1342 and which declaration of performance and marking requirements apply. CE marking continues to be accepted in Great Britain; confirm whether UKCA is appropriate for the product. Obtain performance information for slip resistance, freeze-thaw resistance and abrasion that matches the supplied stone and finish. Use testing and certification support to review the proposed evidence.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 25 tonnes of palletised porphyry paving setts, illustrative order under 6801 00 00 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £12,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £12,500, so it is £2,500. 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

Stone and colour: compare sampled setts from different pallets with the retained sample range in daylight. Check the agreed blend, crystal pattern, staining, cracks and changes in stone source.

Dimensions and faces: measure sampled pieces against the agreed tolerances. Check thickness variation, side taper, laying-face texture and broken edges before shipment and again on arrival.

Performance documents: match the declaration of performance, test reports and CE or UKCA marking to the stone, finish and intended paving use. A photograph of a different paving product is insufficient.

Packing: check pallet condition, restraint and protection against movement. Solid wood packaging used for imports into Great Britain must meet ISPM15. Include that requirement in the packing specification.

What goes wrong

A showroom sample can hide the colour range of a bulk order. Unapproved stone substitution, poorly controlled blends and uneven thickness can leave the installer sorting pallets or adjusting bedding. Approve a sample range and a trial layout, then check production against them.

Setts may arrive with chipped edges, cracks or a different surface texture from the tested sample. Documents covering another stone or finish do not establish the performance of the delivery. Keep pallet photographs, packing records and retained samples so disputed material can be identified.

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.