Sourcing pyridine from China

Pyridine duty and the substance-specific suspension

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 9 October 2026, heading 2933 covers heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen hetero-atoms only. Pyridine and its salts fall under 2933 31 00 00, with a 4% third-country duty for goods from China. An autonomous suspension reduces duty to 0% specifically for pyridine, CAS number 110-86-1. It excludes mixtures, preparations and products made up of different components containing pyridine. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is recorded for this line.

The table includes related pyridine compounds to distinguish them from pyridine itself. Their listed duties are 0%. All selected lines carry an export waste control; the bromomethoxypyridine and sodium-salt solution lines also carry an export control on dangerous chemicals. Ask your customs broker to confirm the relevance of these flags to your shipment from China. Waste shipment controls apply only to waste. There are no PIC notification obligations for imports.

Give the broker the substance name, CAS number, composition and whether it is a salt or solution. Confirm the code and suspension eligibility using the commodity code guide. The chemical intermediates guide covers the wider heading. For imidazole purchases, see our imidazole sourcing guide. For cyanuric chloride purchases, see our cyanuric chloride sourcing guide. For trichloroisocyanuric acid purchases, see our trichloroisocyanuric acid sourcing guide.

Specify pyridine identity, assay and water content

Specify pyridine by its substance name and CAS number, rather than accepting a quotation for a loosely described pyridine derivative. Agree the assay method, water content, individual impurity limits, residual solvents and intended use. Ask for a batch certificate of analysis, analytical results and a sample for independent testing.

For imports into Great Britain, confirm with HSE whether UK REACH registration is required and whether the manufacturer's GB-based only representative covers the import. Hazardous chemicals need safety data sheets and classification labelling. Classification and labelling must be carried out by someone with scientific competence. Settle these arrangements before ordering, alongside suitable packing and the dangerous goods transport plan.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 500 kg of 4-methylpyridine under 2933 39 55 00, invoiced at £40,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £42,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £42,500, so it is £8,500. 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

Identity: match the substance name and CAS number across the purchase order, batch certificate, safety data sheet and container labels.

Batch results: test assay, water and agreed impurities using the agreed methods; compare the delivered batch with the approved sample.

Containers: check closures, seals, leakage, external contamination and batch markings before accepting the delivery.

Documents: check that the certificate belongs to the delivered batch, hazard labels match the safety data sheet and the UK REACH position covers the intended supply.

What goes wrong

A quotation for pyridine can become an order for a salt, derivative or solution with different specifications and tariff treatment. A high assay result alone can hide an unsuitable water level or impurity profile. Copied certificates and mismatched batch labels make it difficult to establish what was delivered.

Write acceptance criteria and sampling arrangements into the order. Hold leaking containers or batches with conflicting identity documents for investigation. Do not assume the pyridine suspension covers a related compound merely because its name contains pyridine.

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.