Sourcing road marking paint from China

Duty depends on the paint binder

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, heading 3208 covers paints based on synthetic or chemically modified natural polymers in a non-aqueous medium. For finished road marking paint from China, acrylic or vinyl-polymer paints and other synthetic-polymer paints carry 6%; other polyester-based paints carry 0%. Chemically modified natural-polymer paints carry 6%. The selected lines show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension.

The selected lines attach an ozone-depleting substances check and waste import and export controls. Obtain formulation confirmation for the declaration that the paint contains no controlled ozone-depleting substances, and confirm the entry requirement with your customs broker. For waste shipped under notification controls, dispatch, transit and destination authorities must consent before shipment. Confirm any proposed waste consignment from China with your broker before booking.

Send the binder identity, composition and product form to your broker to confirm the commodity code. Do not classify finished pigmented paint as a resin solution simply to obtain a lower rate. See the wider solvent-based paints guide for other products within this heading.

Specify the road surface and application

Specify solvent-based liquid paint, binder chemistry, colour, solids content, viscosity, thinner compatibility and storage conditions. State whether it will be sprayed or rolled onto asphalt, concrete or an existing marking. Agree film thickness, coverage, drying and traffic reopening criteria under the intended site conditions. Use a trial on the actual surface rather than relying solely on a metal test panel.

Agree whether glass beads are premixed or applied separately, then test bead retention, night visibility and skid resistance against the customer's specification. Keep an approved paint sample and record the application conditions. Match the purchase specification to the road operator's acceptance criteria.

Chemical classification is the importer's responsibility. Check UK REACH registration arrangements for the constituent substances and their annual import quantities; registration is per substance and legal entity. Obtain an English safety data sheet and applicable hazard labels. For flammable paint, confirm the dangerous goods transport classification and applicable packaging requirements with a dangerous goods specialist and the forwarder, using the wider paints guide to prepare your questions.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 tonnes of solvent-based acrylic road marking paint under 3208 20 90 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £26,000. Duty at 6% is £1,560. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,560, so it is £5,512. Import taxes total £7,072; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,560 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Batch identity: match container batch codes, formulation revision and test results to the approved sample; compare colour, viscosity and solids content.

Application trial: check spraying or rolling behaviour, coverage, drying and adhesion on the intended road surface using the agreed thinner and film thickness.

Marking performance: inspect line edges, bead distribution and retention; compare visibility and skid resistance with the agreed acceptance criteria.

Containers and documents: check lids, seals, leaks and settling on arrival; confirm labels and the English safety data sheet match the delivered formula, with transport paperwork checked before dispatch.

What goes wrong

A sample can spray cleanly while the production batch clogs the machine or settles into a hard deposit. Lower solids can reduce coverage, and a thinner substitution can change drying or soften an existing marking. Paint that dries on a test panel may remain tacky on site. Beads can sink too deeply or detach, leaving a visible daytime line with poor night performance.

A generic safety data sheet may describe a different solvent blend from the supplied paint. Leaking lids and incomplete dangerous goods documents can also disrupt transport. Require batch evidence and an application trial before accepting the shipment. Use testing and certification support to agree the checks with the intended customer.

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.