Sourcing salicylic acid from China
Salicylic acid from China has a 6% base UK duty, with a suspension to 0% for qualifying salicylic acid and its salts. Before selling in Great Britain, importers must classify, label and package the chemical under the applicable chemical supply rules. Cambridge China Bridge sources salicylic acid.
Salicylic acid duty and suspension
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 October 2026, salicylic acid and its salts fall within 2918 21 00 00 under heading 2918. The base duty for goods from China is 6%, with an autonomous suspension to 0% applying to salicylic acid and its salts under this code. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. The table repeats this commodity line for different purchasing specifications.
The tariff record attaches an export control for waste. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. If considering waste material from China, confirm the applicable requirements with your customs broker and the competent authorities before shipment. For waste imports into England subject to notification controls, the exporter starts the consent process in the country of dispatch.
Confirm the commodity code using the substance identity, composition and intended supply form, and ask your broker to check the suspension against the declaration. For other acids within this heading, see the citric acid and food acids guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salicylic acid, technical grade | 2918 21 00 00 | 6% | None |
Specify salicylic acid by grade and batch
Write the intended use into the purchase specification: technical processing, cosmetic formulation or laboratory work. Agree assay, moisture, residual phenol, related impurities, colour and particle size, with named test methods and acceptance criteria. Request a batch-specific certificate of analysis and retain an approved sample. Ask the formulator to confirm suitability for the intended cosmetic formula before ordering.
Confirm with HSE whether UK REACH registration or an exemption applies to your substance and annual import quantity. Resolve registration coverage before shipping. Before placing imported chemicals on the Great Britain market, the importer must classify, label and package them under the chemical classification, labelling and packaging rules. A safety data sheet is required when a hazardous chemical is supplied for workplace use.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: one tonne of technical-grade salicylic acid; check the suspension before calculating duty under 2918 21 00 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £980 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,480. Duty at 6% is £208.80. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,688.80, so it is £737.76. Import taxes total £946.56; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £208.80 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the ordered salicylic acid to the certificate, invoice and bag labels; investigate any reference to a salt, ester or different acid.
Purity: have representative samples checked against the agreed assay, residual phenol, related impurities and moisture criteria; compare results with the batch certificate.
Particle size: check the agreed sieve distribution, visible lumps and foreign matter; trial the sample in your own mixing or dissolution process.
Packing and documents: check seals, liners, bag damage and batch traceability; reconcile the safety data sheet and hazard labels with the supplied chemical. Arrange quality inspection against the written specification.
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What goes wrong
A grade description alone leaves room for disagreement. Material can meet an assay target yet fail your limits for residual phenol, colour or related impurities. A generic certificate gives little assurance about the delivered batch, while a different particle distribution can change handling and mixing.
Reject unexplained substitutions and isolate damaged or suspect bags pending testing. Keep arrival samples and batch records. Do not treat a supplier's cosmetic-grade description as evidence that the material suits your finished formulation, or assume the base duty applies without checking the suspension.
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 salicylic acid from China?
The supplied tariff record shows 6% base duty under 2918 21 00 00, with a 0% suspension for salicylic acid and its salts under that code. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty is listed.
Do I need UK REACH registration for salicylic acid?
Confirm with HSE whether registration or an exemption applies to your substance and annual import quantity. Confirm coverage for your supply before shipment.
What should a salicylic acid certificate of analysis show?
Ask for batch identity, assay, moisture, residual phenol, related impurities and the agreed test methods. Include particle size where it affects your process.
Can I buy salicylic acid for cosmetic formulation?
Specify the intended formulation and agree impurity and particle-size criteria. Ask your formulator to confirm suitability; a cosmetic-grade description alone is insufficient purchasing evidence.