Sourcing solid rubber scooter tyres from China

Duty on solid rubber scooter tyres

Heading 4012 includes solid or cushion rubber tyres alongside retreaded and used pneumatic tyres, tyre treads and tyre flaps. This guide covers rubber scooter tyres supplied separately from the wheel assembly. The table shows product variants sharing the solid or cushion tyre line, rather than separate tariff classifications.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, solid or cushion tyres under 4012 90 20 00 carried 2% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control for this line.

Confirm the construction, material and whether the shipment contains tyres alone or complete wheels before choosing the commodity code. For wider solid tyre sourcing, see solid rubber trolley tyres.

Specify the scooter rim and rubber compound

Send the factory the intended scooter model, rim drawing and an approved tyre sample. Specify outside diameter, width, bore, retaining profile, tread direction and clearance from the fork, brake and mudguard. State whether the tyre is fully solid or has cushioning holes. Agree compound, hardness, permissible dimensional variation and fitting instructions.

Consumer replacement tyres supplied in Great Britain must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Ask for evidence covering the intended load, speed, retention on the rim and grip on wet surfaces. Approve a fitted sample on the intended wheel before production; matching a nominal size marking alone does not establish compatibility.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 1,200 solid rubber replacement scooter tyres, illustrative order under 4012 90 20 00, invoiced at £3,500 free on board, with £910 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,410. Duty at 2% is £88.20. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,498.20, so it is £899.64. Import taxes total £987.84; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £88.20 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Fit: measure diameter, width, bore and retaining profile against the drawing; fit samples to the buyer's rim and check seating, clearance and movement under load.

Rubber: compare hardness with the approved sample and specification; inspect for cracks, voids, contamination, uneven curing and tears around cushioning holes.

Running behaviour: check wobble, rim slippage, tread wear and grip through an agreed test programme on the intended scooter configuration. Record the fitting method used.

Identification: check model compatibility, tread direction, fitting instructions and batch identification against the purchase order. Keep inspection records linked to the cartons received; see quality inspection explained.

What goes wrong

A tyre sold by nominal size can have the wrong bore or retaining profile, making installation difficult or allowing movement on the rim. Compound changes can alter hardness, ride comfort and grip. Cushioning holes can tear at thin sections, while poor moulding leaves cracks or voids. Reject substitutions that have not passed the agreed sample checks.

For electric kick-scooter applications, keep sales descriptions clear about intended use. A privately owned electric scooter may only be ridden on private land with the landowner's permission. Do not promise public-road use on the strength of a tyre replacement; discuss product evidence through testing and certification.

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.