Sourcing rubber wheel chocks from China
Rubber wheel chocks from China carry 2% UK duty across the candidate lines in heading 4016, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures listed. Consumer-use chocks sold in Great Britain must be safe under general product safety rules. Specify tyre fit and tested holding performance. Cambridge China Bridge sources rubber wheel chocks.
2% duty on candidate wheel-chock lines
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 18 October 2026, heading 4016 covers articles of vulcanised rubber other than hard rubber. Plain solid rubber wheel chocks are a candidate for 4016 99 97 90. The table shows alternatives to check for vehicle-specific or rubber-to-metal bonded designs, rather than confirmed classifications for every chock.
All these candidate lines carry 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff extract lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures and no import controls on these lines. Suspensions on 4016 99 97 90 concern disposable boot covers or overshoes; those on 4016 99 57 90 concern specified automotive components under authorised use. These descriptions do not cover ordinary wheel chocks.
Give your customs broker the material declaration, drawing, intended use and details of any bonded metal parts before confirming the commodity code. For other products within this heading, see rubber dock bumpers.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other solid rubber articles: candidate for plain wheel chocks | 4016 99 97 90 | 2% | None |
| Other rubber articles for motor vehicles: alternative to check | 4016 99 57 90 | 2% | None |
| Other rubber-to-metal bonded articles: candidate for bonded chocks | 4016 99 91 90 | 2% | None |
| Rubber-to-metal bonded motor vehicle parts: alternative to check | 4016 99 52 90 | 2% | None |
Specify tyre fit and holding performance
Specify the tyre sizes, vehicle types, ground surfaces and gradients for intended use. Agree the wedge height, width, tyre-contact profile, base tread, rubber compound, hardness, mass and handle or rope attachment. Require the supplier to explain its load claim and provide test results showing the vehicle, surface and conditions used.
HSE advises that chocks should be brightly coloured and that their use needs a safe system of work. Agree visible surfaces and handling instructions with the buyer's site team. For products intended or reasonably likely to be used by consumers in Great Britain, general product safety rules require safe products; industrial purchasing alone does not settle that scope.
Where rubber handles or other parts have direct, prolonged or repeated skin contact, ask the relevant chemicals authority whether the UK REACH restriction on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons applies. Ask for chemical test evidence appropriate to that contact, particularly when specifying recycled rubber.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: 3,000 solid rubber wheel chocks, illustrative order under 4016 99 97 90, invoiced at £15,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £17,500. Duty at 2% is £350. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £17,850, so it is £3,570. Import taxes total £3,920; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £350 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Geometry: measure wedge dimensions and check tyre contact, base flatness and tread against the approved drawing.
Rubber: compare hardness and mass with the approved sample; inspect for cracks, voids, loose crumb and poorly bonded metal inserts.
Performance: have a competent test team check holding performance under the agreed conditions, including relevant wet surfaces; examine permanent deformation afterwards.
Identification: check model and batch references, visible surfaces, handle attachment and agreed instructions. Record arrival findings alongside the quality inspection checklist.
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What goes wrong
A chock can match the catalogue photograph yet have a shallow wedge, smooth base or softer compound that changes its holding performance. Crumb rubber can shed, handles can pull out, and metal inserts can separate. A load claim without its test conditions gives little basis for choosing a chock.
Approve the drawing and a tested sample before bulk production, then compare production samples and arriving stock with that approval. Treat a change in compound, mould or bonded insert as a reason to repeat the relevant checks.
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 rubber wheel chocks from China?
The supplied tariff extract shows 2% on the candidate heading 4016 lines, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures listed. Confirm the code for your design.
Which commodity code applies to rubber wheel chocks?
4016 99 97 90 is a candidate for plain solid rubber chocks. Vehicle-specific and rubber-to-metal bonded designs need separate classification checks.
Can I rely on the supplier's load rating?
Ask for the test report and its tyre, vehicle, surface and gradient conditions. Agree a test relevant to your intended use before accepting the claim.
Do rubber wheel chocks need chemical testing?
For rubber parts in direct, prolonged or repeated skin contact, check the UK REACH restriction on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Select testing to match the material and intended contact.