Sourcing progesterone API from China
Progesterone active ingredient from China carries 0% UK duty under 2937 23 00 00, with no trade remedy recorded. For human medicines, UK importers must register with the MHRA and comply with good manufacturing and distribution practice. Cambridge China Bridge sources progesterone active ingredient.
Progesterone active ingredient: 0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 13 November 2026, heading 2937 covers hormones and their derivatives and structural analogues. Progesterone active ingredient falls within the oestrogens and progestogens line, 2937 23 00 00. The table shows procurement forms sharing this commodity line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.
The recorded duty for goods from China is 0%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension listed. This line has entries labelled Home Office Controlled Drugs (export) and Export control - Waste. Ask your customs broker to confirm their relevance to any onward export or return shipment.
Confirm the substance, composition and presentation using finding your commodity code. Finished medicines in measured doses and bulk medicament mixtures have different headings. See the wider hormones and steroids guide for the heading's other products.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Progesterone active ingredient powder | 2937 23 00 00 | 0% | None |
Specify progesterone identity and particle size
Specify progesterone itself rather than an unspecified progestogen. Agree the pharmacopoeial monograph and edition, identity tests, assay basis, related substances, residual solvents and water content. State whether the powder must be micronised, the particle-size distribution and test method, and any agreed crystal-form requirement. Tie the approved sample and purchase specification to the actual manufacturing site.
For human-medicine use, UK manufacturers, importers and distributors of active substances must register with the MHRA and comply with good manufacturing and distribution practice. Arrange the exporting authority's written confirmation of manufacturing standards and regulatory oversight; confirm any exemption with the MHRA before shipment.
For veterinary-medicine use, businesses located in Great Britain that manufacture, import or distribute active substances must register with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Agree packaging, storage conditions, retest date, batch documents and the intended medicine manufacturer's documentation needs before ordering.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 25 kg of progesterone active ingredient, illustrative only under 2937 23 00 00, invoiced at £8,160 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £8,960. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,960, so it is £1,792. 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: independently sample the received batch and test progesterone identity, assay, related substances and residual solvents against the agreed specification.
Particle size: check the agreed distribution and method where micronisation is specified; compare the shipment results with the approved sample.
Documents: match the certificate of analysis, manufacturing site, batch number and retest date to the containers; check manufacturing evidence and the agreed written confirmation.
Packaging: inspect seals, liners, labels and powder condition, and review storage and transport records against the agreed conditions. Plan sampling with your laboratory using our quality inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
A description such as hormone powder leaves substance identity unresolved. A passing assay alone can conceal an unacceptable impurity profile or particle-size distribution. Other failure points include analysis documents for a different batch, unexplained changes of manufacturing site and damaged liners.
Use an agreed specification and independent batch testing before accepting material for production. Resolve importer registration and written-confirmation questions before dispatch. Ask for evidence from the producer rather than relying on the trader's summary; our factory verification service can support that check.
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 progesterone from China?
Progesterone active ingredient under 2937 23 00 00 carries 0% duty in the supplied tariff record, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty recorded.
Do I need MHRA registration to import progesterone active ingredient?
For human-medicine use, UK-based manufacturers, importers and distributors of active substances must register with the MHRA and comply with good manufacturing and distribution practice.
What documents should I request from a Chinese progesterone factory?
Request batch analysis, manufacturing-site details, manufacturing evidence, retest and storage information, and the exporting authority's written confirmation for human-medicine use. Confirm any exemption with the MHRA.
Is micronised progesterone covered by a different tariff line?
The procurement forms shown share 2937 23 00 00. Specify particle size separately and confirm classification for the actual composition and presentation, especially if the goods are a mixture or finished medicine.