Stainless steel slabs and billets from China
Stainless steel ingots and semi-finished products from China, including slabs, blooms and square billets, pay 0% UK duty on all 7 lines of heading 7218, with no anti-dumping duty and no UK steel safeguard measure, also as at 2 October 2026. Buyers are rolling mills and forges, so grade chemistry, internal soundness and the mill certificate decide acceptance.
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0% duty and no steel measure
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 7218 covers stainless steel in ingots or other primary forms and semi-finished products of stainless steel. All 7 lines carried 0% on goods from China: ingots and other primary forms; semi-finished products of rectangular (other than square) cross-section, split at 2.5% nickel; and other cross-sections, square or other, each split into rolled or continuously cast and forged. None carried an anti-dumping measure, a registration or the steel safeguard, and the same was true when the tariff was checked as at 2 October 2026.
Stainless bars and rods are heading 7222 (see our stainless bars and rods guide) and flat-rolled products 7219 and 7220 (see our stainless sheet and coil guide), so confirm the commodity code. For non-alloy semi-finished steel, see our steel billets and slabs guide.
All the lines in the table above are in the iron and steel sector of the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which applies to imports from 1 January 2027. An importer who expects £50,000 or more of CBAM goods within 30 days, or has imported that much in the previous 12 months, must register, keep records for 6 years, and should ask suppliers for emissions data now. See our UK CBAM guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingots and other primary forms | 7218 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Rectangular (not square) section, 2.5% or more nickel | 7218 91 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Rectangular (not square) section, under 2.5% nickel | 7218 91 80 00 | 0% | None |
| Square section, rolled or continuously cast | 7218 99 11 00 | 0% | None |
| Square section, forged | 7218 99 19 00 | 0% | None |
| Other section, rolled or continuously cast | 7218 99 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Other section, forged | 7218 99 80 00 | 0% | None |
Grades and certificates
Stainless grades are usually ordered by EN 10088-1 designation or the equivalent ASTM or Chinese grade, so state the grade and the chemistry limits you accept, including nickel, chromium, molybdenum, carbon, sulphur and nitrogen.
Ask for an EN 10204 type 3.1 inspection certificate for each heat, showing the chemical analysis and the heat number marked on each piece.
Specifying semis
Specify grade, cross-section and dimensions with tolerances, length, casting or forging route, surface condition (as cast, ground, peeled), internal quality limits (centre porosity, segregation, cracks), ultrasonic testing if needed, piece marking and bundling.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 200 tonnes of continuously cast square stainless steel billets, entered under 7218 99 11 00: £340,000 free on board plus £12,000 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £352,000. Stainless billets carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £352,000, £70,400, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Chemistry: check each heat's 3.1 certificate against the grade limits and verify a sample with a portable analyser or an independent laboratory.
Soundness: check macro-etch slices or ultrasonic reports for centre porosity and cracks, and inspect surfaces for laps and scabs.
Dimensions and marking: measure section, straightness and length, and check heat numbers on every piece against the certificates.
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What goes wrong
Stainless semis orders fail on chemistry, internal defects and traceability. Nickel or molybdenum sits at the bottom of the range or below it, billets have centre porosity that opens up on rolling, surface cracks are ground out below tolerance, and heat numbers are missing or do not match certificates.
Verify chemistry and soundness on samples before shipping. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources stainless steel billets and slabs for UK re-rollers and forges, checking the melt shop and caster first. See factory verification.
Related guides: Steel billets and slabs from China.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on stainless steel billets from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, stainless semi-finished products under 7218 carried 0% from China on all 7 lines, with no anti-dumping duty.
Are stainless billets under the UK steel safeguard?
No. None of the 7218 lines carried the steel measure, including as at 2 October 2026.
Which certificate should come with each heat?
An EN 10204 type 3.1 inspection certificate with the chemical analysis.
Are stainless bars in heading 7218?
No. Bars and rods are heading 7222.