Sourcing roofing screws from China

UK duty on roofing screws

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the supplied heading 7318 data covers iron or steel fasteners, including screws and washers. For self-drilling roofing screws, the self-tapping branches are the starting point for classification. The washer rows concern separately imported metal washers, not the rubber seal itself.

Every supplied line carries 0% duty for goods from China. The file lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure, suspension or import control. This describes the tariff snapshot; it does not establish suitability for a roof or compliance for sale.

Give your broker the drawing, material, thread form, drill-point details and washer arrangement to confirm the commodity code. For the wider heading, see steel blind rivets.

Specify the drill point and roof connection

State the roof-sheet material and profile, supporting substrate, combined drilling thickness, screw diameter and length, thread form, head and drive. Distinguish screws for fixing sheets to supports from screws for joining sheet overlaps. Agree installation speed and tightening instructions, then trial samples on the actual sheet and support combination. For roofing nails, see our collated roofing nail sourcing guide.

Specify the steel grade, hardening, corrosion-protection system and exposure conditions. For sealing washers, agree the metal backing, rubber formulation, dimensions, bond and compression behaviour. For coloured heads, approve a physical colour sample. Ask for drilling, pull-out, pull-over and corrosion test evidence matching the ordered screw and intended connection.

Before sale, ask a construction-product compliance adviser to identify the applicable standard or technical-assessment route and supporting documents for the intended use. CE marking continues to be recognised for construction products in Great Britain. Match any declaration of performance and assessment documents to the exact screw family and factory, rather than accepting a generic certificate.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative mixed-carton order of coated self-drilling roofing screws, not a quotation under 7318 14 99 90, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £10,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £10,000, so it is £2,000. 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

Geometry: measure length, diameter, thread and drill-point shape against the approved drawing; check head fit and drive engagement.

Drilling and fixing: trial sampled screws on the specified sheet and support; check penetration, thread engagement, stripping and head breakage.

Seal and coating: check washer centring, rubber bonding and compression; inspect coating coverage, exposed edges and damaged coloured heads.

Arrival and traceability: check carton contents, batch identification, moisture and rust; match supplied reports to the batch. Agree sampling through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A drill point that works on thin sheet may stall on the specified support. Unsuitable hardening can leave a brittle screw or a point that blunts. Excessive tightening can strip the connection or split the seal; a poorly bonded washer can leak even when the screw appears seated.

Coating damage, mixed screw lengths and substituted washer rubber can escape a visual sample check. Keep approved samples and batch records, and repeat connection trials when the factory changes material, tooling or treatment. Separate affected cartons while the cause is investigated.

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.