Sourcing Scissor Lift Tables from China
Scissor lift tables within heading 8428 carry 0% ordinary UK duty from China across the relevant lines. The boom-lift remedy is defined by the goods description, so a shared code does not establish liability. Machinery safety documents and marking must be checked before supply. Cambridge China Bridge sources scissor lift tables.
UK duty and the boom-lift distinction
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 October 2026, heading 8428 covers lifting, handling, loading and unloading machinery. This guide concerns scissor tables for goods. The table presents classification candidates, with stationary and mobile tables shown separately under the same residual line. It does not establish the code for a particular machine.
All listed lines carry 0% ordinary duty from China, with no suspensions recorded. The tariff also attaches provisional anti-dumping duty of 71.74% and registration using additional code 8C10 for the goods concerned. These are boom-lift measures: the registration notice expressly excludes scissor lifts, using additional code 8C02, and the duty notice excludes goods outside its boom-lift description. Ask your customs broker to confirm the exclusion and declaration treatment for your table.
Send the broker drawings, operating method, installation details and intended load to confirm the commodity code. Do not select a personnel-access code for a goods table merely because both use scissor arms. See the wider lifting-machinery guide for the broader heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stationary scissor lift tables for goods, subject to classification | 8428 90 90 80 | 0% | 71.74% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Electrically operated scissor goods lifts, if classified as lifts | 8428 10 20 00 | 0% | 71.74% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
| Other scissor goods lifts, if classified as lifts | 8428 10 80 00 | 0% | 71.74% residual anti-dumping (provisional) |
Specify the load, travel and installation
Specify goods-only use, rated load and its distribution, platform dimensions, lowered and raised heights, travel, lifting speed and duty cycle. Describe the actual pallet, container or workpiece, including any off-centre loading. Agree how performance will be demonstrated with a representative load before shipment.
State whether the table is stationary, pit-mounted or mobile. Specify floor fixings or wheel brakes, supply voltage and phase, hydraulic components, hose routing, controls, crush protection and a mechanical support for maintenance. Agree unloading access, installation responsibility and spare seals, hoses and control parts.
Before supply in Great Britain, confirm the applicable machinery essential requirements, technical file, declaration of conformity, UKCA or CE marking and English-instruction requirements with the relevant product safety authority. Ask for documentation matching the delivered model and configuration.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: One stationary scissor lift table for goods; illustrative order, subject to classification under 8428 90 90 80, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,200, so it is £1,840. 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
Load and movement: witness lifting, holding and controlled lowering with the agreed load. Check platform level, unexpected movement and whether the usable travel matches the drawing.
Hydraulics and structure: inspect cylinder rods, hose connections, leakage, welds, pivot pins and rollers. Repeat these checks on arrival and record any transport damage.
Protection and controls: check crush protection, stops, emergency stop where fitted, maintenance support and wheel brakes against the agreed specification. Have a competent person conduct functional checks without entering the scissor mechanism.
Identity and documents: match the nameplate, declaration, manual and packing list to the actual table. Check the load marking against the purchase specification. Use the inspection guide to agree when these checks happen.
What goes wrong
A quoted capacity can hide a requirement for evenly distributed loading, while your pallet concentrates weight at its feet. Other failure points to investigate are hydraulic drift, damaged hoses, loose pivots, inadequate maintenance access and a lowered platform that obstructs pallet loading. Define acceptance checks before paying the balance.
A generic conformity document can describe a different power pack or control arrangement. Resolve mismatches before shipment and agree who installs and commissions the table. A factory demonstration should use the configuration and load you ordered.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on scissor lift tables from China?
The relevant heading 8428 lines carry 0% ordinary duty. The tariff flags a 71.74% boom-lift remedy, but scissor lifts are excluded from registration and goods outside the boom-lift description are excluded from that duty.
Does a scissor lift table need CE or UKCA marking?
Confirm the marking, declaration of conformity, English instructions and technical file requirements for machinery supplied in Great Britain with the relevant product safety authority. Check that the documents match the actual configuration.
What should I specify for a pallet lift table?
Give the pallet footprint, load distribution, required heights, travel and loading method. Agree a demonstration using a representative pallet, including any off-centre loading.
How do I check a scissor lift table before shipment?
Witness lifting, holding and lowering with the agreed load. Inspect hoses, cylinders, pivots, protection and controls, then match the delivered model to its declaration, manual and nameplate.