Sourcing radios and DAB receivers from China
Home and portable radios from China, including pocket, DAB and FM radios, clock radios and radio-CD combinations, pay 0% UK duty, as do car radios with RDS. Car radios with a CD or cassette player but no RDS pay 14%, and other combined car radios 10%. No anti-dumping applies. Radios are radio equipment under the 2017 regulations and bring WEEE duties.
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Zero duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff and rechecked on 27 September 2026, 8 of the 11 lines of heading 8527 carried 0% on goods from China: pocket radio cassette players, other battery radios combined with sound recording or reproducing apparatus, other portable receivers, car radios able to receive and decode radio data system (RDS) signals, car radios not combined with sound apparatus, mains radios combined with recording apparatus or a clock, and other radio receivers. Car radios combined with sound apparatus but without RDS paid more: 14% with a laser (CD) reading system or a cassette-type analogue and digital reading system, and 10% for the others. No line carried an anti-dumping measure.
Smart speakers without a broadcast tuner are classified elsewhere; confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pocket-size radio cassette players | 8527 12 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Portable radios combined with sound reproduction | 8527 13 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other portable radios | 8527 19 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Car radios with RDS | 8527 21 30 00 | 0% | None |
| Car radios with CD player, without RDS | 8527 21 70 00 | 14% | None |
| Other car radios combined with sound apparatus, without RDS | 8527 21 98 00 | 10% | None |
| Mains radios combined with sound reproduction | 8527 91 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Clock radios | 8527 92 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other radio receivers | 8527 99 00 00 | 0% | None |
Radio equipment and safety
Broadcast receivers are radio equipment under the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017, which need UKCA or CE marking and evidence on safety, EMC and effective use of spectrum. Mains-powered radios meet electrical safety requirements through the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017. Internet and app-connected radios are connectable products under PSTI.
Batteries and WEEE
Portable radios bring battery obligations, and all radios carry WEEE duties. Rechargeable models need safe lithium cells and shipping documents for air freight.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 3,000 DAB clock radios, entered under 8527 92 00 00: £27,000 free on board plus £2,200 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £29,200. Clock radios carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £29,200, £5,840, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Radio and safety evidence: test reports for the exact model to the ETSI EN 303 345 series for broadcast sound receivers, BS EN IEC 62368-1 for safety and BS EN 55032 and BS EN 55035 for EMC, with any Bluetooth function covered by ETSI EN 300 328, and the declaration of conformity naming the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017.
Reception and function: samples scanned in the UK for DAB, DAB+ and FM stations and compared with a reference radio at the same location, presets, clock and alarm checked after a power cut, and speaker output checked at full volume for distortion and cabinet rattle.
Power and marking: mains adapters checked for the plug, fuse, efficiency marking and output rating, rechargeable cells covered by BS EN 62133-2 and the UN 38.3 summary, and the UKCA or CE marking, WEEE symbol and English instructions checked on cartons sampled to ISO 2859-1.
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What goes wrong
Radios fail on reception and power. A DAB radio that works in a Chinese test lab can struggle in UK reception areas if the tuner or antenna is weak, and some cheaper models are DAB only when buyers expect DAB+ as well. Clock radios lose the time after a power cut when the backup cell is missing or flat, displays are too bright at night, and power adapters come with the wrong plug or without UK safety marking.
Test samples in the UK on DAB, DAB+ and FM, check station scan and presets, check the backup battery and dimmer, check the adapter's plug, fuse and markings, and at inspection check sound at full volume for distortion, buttons, battery covers and English menus.
Reception and inspection
Test DAB and FM reception on samples in the UK, not only in China, and check station presets and menus in English. At inspection, check plugs, battery covers, displays and sound.
Cambridge China Bridge sources DAB, portable and clock radios, with radio compliance and UK reception testing settled before the order. See how our sourcing service works.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on DAB radios from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, DAB, portable, mains and clock radios of heading 8527 carried 0% from China; only car radios combined with sound apparatus but without RDS paid 10% or 14%.
Are radios covered by the Radio Equipment Regulations?
Yes. Broadcast receivers are radio equipment under the 2017 regulations.
Do internet radios fall under PSTI?
Yes when they connect to the internet or an app, as connectable products.
Why test reception in the UK?
DAB multiplexes and signal conditions differ, so samples should be tested on UK broadcasts.