Sourcing PVD stainless sheets from China

Duty and finished-sheet classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 7219 covers flat-rolled stainless steel of a width of 600 mm or more. The supplied lines all show 0% duty, no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, no suspensions, no steel measure and no attached import controls.

The table selects the supplied further-worked and perforated sheet lines. Each has a specific country-of-consignment condition; these are not direct-from-China codes. The supplied facts omit an unrestricted further-worked sheet line. Ask your broker to confirm the finished coating, perforation and shipping route against the full tariff using our commodity code guide. See etched stainless-steel sheets for wider heading coverage.

Confirm with HMRC or your customs broker whether and when the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism will apply to these steel imports, and request mill emissions data. See our UK carbon border adjustment guide. For steel sanctions checks, keep documents demonstrating the material's supply-chain history.

Specify the colour, substrate and coating

Specify the stainless grade, thickness and tolerance, sheet dimensions, flatness, edge condition and intended use. Define the base finish beneath the PVD coating, such as brushed or mirror, the grain direction, coated face, colour, gloss and any anti-fingerprint topcoat. Retain a physical approval sample and agree how colour will be compared under the lighting where the sheets will be installed.

Ask for heat-linked mill certificates and a coating batch record. Agree sample checks for adhesion, bending, cleaning resistance and film removal before approving production. Use the proposed fabrication method and cleaning products on trial pieces. For sheets marketed as construction products, check the applicable conformity route; CE marking remains available for construction products placed on the Great Britain market.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative palletised batch of China-made PVD-coloured stainless-steel sheets, consigned from Türkiye; classification subject to broker confirmation under 7219 90 80 20, invoiced at £4,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,000, so it is £1,200. 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

Colour and finish: compare sheets from different packs with the approval sample under consistent lighting. Check grain direction, gloss, patchiness, fingerprints and coating coverage near edges.

Substrate and dimensions: match heat numbers to mill certificates, verify the ordered grade on samples, and measure thickness, width, length and flatness.

Coating and film: inspect beneath peeled-back film for scratches and pinholes. Perform the agreed adhesion, bend and cleaning checks on retained sample pieces, and check for adhesive residue.

Packing and traceability: check coating batch labels, dry wrapping, rigid support and edge protection. Any solid wood packaging must meet the applicable import requirements. Arrange these checks through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

Adjacent panels can look different when coating batches, base finishes or grain directions are mixed. A photograph can hide a colour mismatch, while protective film can conceal scratches or leave adhesive residue. Coating can mark during forming or cleaning. Approve fabricated trial pieces and retain a batch sample before releasing the shipment.

A decorative finish can distract from a substituted substrate grade or an unsupported commodity code. Match the steel and coating records to the delivered sheets, and give the broker the finished-product description and actual consignment route. The country-specific codes in this table should not be copied onto a direct-from-China declaration.

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.