Sourcing steel chain-link fencing from China

Zero duty on chain-link fencing

Heading 7314 covers cloth, grill, netting and fencing of iron or steel wire, and expanded metal. This guide concerns interwoven diamond-mesh steel chain-link fencing. For welded panels and other products, see wire mesh and fencing.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the relevant zinc-coated, plastic-coated and other fencing lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied reading lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension, steel trade measure or attached import control on these lines.

Confirm the finish and construction before choosing the commodity code. The table separates galvanising before and after weaving for purchasing purposes; both use the same zinc-coated line. Posts and gates should be classified separately from the fencing rolls.

Specify the steel core, mesh and finish

State the bare steel wire diameter separately from the finished coated diameter. Specify diamond aperture, roll height, usable roll length, edge finish, steel grade and agreed tolerances. Say whether the edges are knuckled, twisted or different at the top and bottom. Match the mesh to the posts, tension wire, tension bars and fixings in your installation.

For galvanised fencing, agree whether galvanising happens before or after weaving, the zinc coating class and the evidence of coating mass. For plastic-coated fencing, specify the underlying wire finish, coating material, colour, thickness and adhesion checks. Keep an approved sample showing the mesh, edges and coating.

For construction use, check whether an applicable designated standard makes a declaration of performance necessary for the product and intended use. Separately check the plastic coating formulation against relevant UK REACH restrictions, which can limit, ban or set conditions on substances. Ask the supplier for formulation information and targeted test evidence rather than accepting a generic certificate.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 60 rolls of galvanised steel chain-link fencing, illustrative only under 7314 41 00 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £13,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £13,000, so it is £2,600. 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

Wire and aperture: measure the bare steel core on a prepared sample and the finished coated diameter separately; compare diamond openings with the order after opening the mesh.

Rolls and edges: unroll samples to check usable length, height, consistent weaving and the agreed knuckled or twisted edges; look for loose ends, broken wires and sections that will not open evenly.

Coating: check zinc coverage at bends and exposed ends, compare coating mass with the agreed class, and inspect plastic coating for cracks, peeling and inconsistent colour.

Packing and identity: match roll labels and batch records to the packing list; check counts, crushed rolls, wet wrapping and abrasion where straps contact the mesh.

What goes wrong

A supplier may quote the coated diameter while the buyer expects that diameter in steel. The delivered mesh then contains less steel than intended. Loose measurement of diamond openings can also hide an aperture mismatch. Put the measurement method and acceptance tolerances in the order, and inspect opened mesh against the approved sample.

Thin zinc coverage, split plastic at bends and crushed rolls can make an apparently acceptable shipment difficult to install or prone to corrosion. Agree coating tests and packing protection before production. Photograph defects during unpacking and identify affected batches before installation; quality inspection explained helps turn the purchase specification into checks.

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.