Sourcing spectacle frame hinges from China

Duty and classification for spectacle frame hinges

Heading 9003 covers spectacle frames, mountings and their parts. This guide covers loose hinges and hinge assemblies for frame production or repair. The table separates buyer applications that may share a commodity code. For complete frames, see the spectacle frames guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, the relevant parts lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspensions. It attaches CITES import and export controls to both parts lines, and a supplementary-unit import measure to the titanium-alloy line. Ask your customs broker to confirm the supplementary-unit declaration requirement.

For hinges containing CITES-listed material, confirm the applicable documentation with your broker: moving a CITES specimen into Great Britain requires a permit application, and corresponding documentation must be sought from the exporting country. Confirm the commodity code using the alloy, construction and intended use; do not select the titanium-alloy line solely from a supplier's product name.

Specify the hinge and its frame connection

Send a drawing showing knuckle arrangement, pin diameter, screw thread, mounting dimensions and opening stop. Specify whether the hinge is soldered, welded, screwed or embedded into the frame, and provide mating frame and temple samples. Agree spring travel, return action and acceptable play against an approved assembled sample.

Specify the alloy and finish separately, including the substrate beneath plating. Confirm applicable UK REACH nickel restrictions for metal parts in prolonged skin contact with the relevant authority. Ask for reports covering the actual material and finish. MHRA guidance says component parts are not normally medical devices; assess the intended supply rather than assuming that a loose hinge has the same status as a finished corrective frame.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 10,000 spectacle frame hinges; illustrative order, with FOB value and freight in pounds under 9003 90 00 90, invoiced at £1,500 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,400. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,400, so it is £480. 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

Fit: assemble samples with the intended frame and temple; check hole alignment, screw engagement, clearance and opening stops.

Movement: check smooth rotation, sideways play and spring return; repeat opening and closing against the agreed acceptance criteria.

Finish: inspect knuckles and screw recesses for burrs, plating gaps and corrosion; check material evidence and relevant nickel-release reports.

Arrival: compare received batches with approved samples; check damaged springs, missing screws, mixed variants and packaging that keeps matching components together.

What goes wrong

A hinge can look correct but bind after mounting because its knuckles, screw axis or mounting face do not match the frame. Loose screws, excessive play and weak spring return can make the assembled temple unreliable. Approve an assembled sample and retain it for comparison with production and arrival samples.

Plating can hide a different substrate, and joining heat can damage the finish or spring mechanism. Agree the joining process with the frame assembler and test the hinge after that process. Use testing and certification support to define material and finish checks.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For components and parts, see sourcing for manufacturers.