Sourcing silver powder from China

Silver powder duty and controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 10 October 2026, silver powder under 7106 10 00 00 carries 0% duty on goods from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed. Heading 7106 also covers unwrought and semi-manufactured silver, including silver plated with gold or platinum.

The tariff attaches import and export waste controls to the powder line. For imports into England under waste notification controls, the exporter must apply to the dispatch country's competent authority for consent. For a shipment from China, this means applying in China. Confirm whether the material is waste and which requirements apply with your customs broker before shipping.

Only the powder line is shown here because it is the only relevant line supplied. Confirm the commodity code against the actual material and formulation. For other forms, see our silver and silver jewellery guide. For brazing wire, see our uncoated silver brazing wire guide. For tubular material, see our silver tubing sourcing guide. For mesh, see our silver mesh sourcing guide.

Specify silver content and particle behaviour

Specify silver content and impurity limits, particle size distribution and its test method, flake or spherical shape, surface treatment, moisture, apparent density and packaging. State whether the order is dry metal powder or a formulated paste. Ask for batch-specific analysis and a retained sample rather than accepting a generic catalogue grade. For flake-shaped material, see our silver flakes sourcing guide.

For conductive applications, trial the powder in your own binder and processing conditions. Agree how you will compare dispersion, printed coverage, adhesion and electrical performance with the approved sample. Request a safety data sheet matching the supplied grade.

Substances placed on the Great Britain market must be classified and labelled under its chemical classification rules. Before ordering, check your UK REACH registration responsibilities with HSE against your substance, annual quantity and supply arrangements.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: An illustrative sealed batch of silver powder for conductive-paste trials under 7106 10 00 00, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £150 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,650. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,650, so it is £530. 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

Composition: independently test silver content and agreed impurities against the batch certificate.

Particles: compare size distribution and shape with the approved sample, checking coarse particles and agglomerates.

Application: trial a production sample in the intended paste or process before releasing the batch.

Packaging: check seals, net weight, batch identity and evidence of moisture or leakage. Plan sampling through our inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A powder can meet the stated silver content yet perform differently because particle shape, coarse particles or surface treatment changed. Agglomeration can make dispersion uneven, while contamination or moisture can affect processing. Agree acceptance tests on production samples and retain a reference from each accepted batch.

Avoid accepting a description such as silver powder without composition and physical-form details. If the supplier offers recovered material, establish its waste status before dispatch and have the broker confirm the tariff control requirements.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.