Sourcing stainless steel sitz baths from China

Zero duty, with classification checks

Heading 7324 covers sanitary ware and parts of iron or steel. For stainless steel sitz baths, ask your broker to assess the bath or other sanitary-ware line against drawings, construction and use. The table includes neighbouring lines for comparison; cast iron baths are not stainless steel products. See the wider sinks and baths guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, all supplied lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied extract lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure, suspension or attached import control. These tariff entries do not establish product safety or medical-device compliance.

Give your broker photographs, material details and the intended use to confirm the commodity code. Treat the worked order as illustrative and confirm its classification before declaring it. Import VAT is separate from duty; see UK import duty and VAT.

Specify the basin, toilet fit and intended use

Specify a toilet-mounted insert or freestanding basin, stainless grade, finished thickness, bowl depth, rim profile and support arrangement. Provide the toilet opening or support-frame drawing rather than accepting a claim of universal fit. Agree water capacity, drain position, overflow arrangement, surface finish and cleaning instructions against an approved sample.

Medical devices are products intended for a medical purpose. If the proposed sitz bath carries treatment claims, settle its status before ordering. Medical devices need registration with MHRA before sale in Great Britain, and manufacturers must meet relevant marking and conformity assessment requirements. A manufacturer outside the UK must appoint a UK Responsible Person. For ordinary consumer use, confirm the applicable general product safety requirements with the relevant product safety authority.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 1,500 portable stainless steel sitz basins, subject to code confirmation under 7324 90 00 90, invoiced at £7,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £7,600. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,600, so it is £1,520. 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

Material and rim: verify stainless grade against the order, measure finished thickness and inspect rolled edges, welds and drain holes for burrs or sharp projections.

Fit and support: try the basin on the agreed toilet or frame, check that the rim sits securely and test the support arrangement against the agreed load.

Water and cleaning: fill the sample to the agreed working level, check leaks and drainage, and inspect seams and rolled rims for trapped water or cleaning residue.

Packing and documents: check for dents, scratches and distortion after unpacking. Compare instructions, intended-use wording and model identity with the approved sample and supporting documents. Use the quality inspection guide to organise checks.

What goes wrong

A basin can fit the toilet opening yet rock on its rim or obstruct the seat. Thin material can flex, a distorted rim can lose support, and unfinished drain holes can catch skin or cleaning cloths. Nested basins can arrive scratched or become difficult to separate. Approve the support geometry and packing as well as the bowl.

Medical claims can appear in packaging even when the buyer approved an ordinary washing basin. Agree the intended use and artwork together, then check the production version before shipment. Do not accept a material certificate as evidence that the complete sitz bath meets medical-device requirements.

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.