Sourcing steel die springs from China

UK duty on steel die springs

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 7320 covers springs and leaves for springs of iron or steel. Cold-coiled compression die springs fall within the coil compression category; hot-worked helical springs have a separate line. The table also includes disc and other spring constructions used in tooling, whose classification depends on their actual form.

All the listed lines carry 0% third-country duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff snapshot shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, steel trade measure, suspensions or attached import controls on these lines.

Give your customs broker the drawing, material, spring construction and manufacturing process to confirm the commodity code. For the wider spring family, see steel compression springs. Import VAT is normally 20%; see UK import duty and VAT.

Specify die-spring loads and tooling fit

Specify the steel grade, wire section, outside and inside diameters, free length, end finish and load at each stated working length. Include the installed preload, operating stroke, minimum working length and agreed fatigue life. Give the factory the pocket and guide-pin dimensions so it can check clearance throughout compression.

For colour-coded springs, agree the supplier's load-class chart and identify each spring by drawing and part reference. Do not approve a substitute by paint colour alone. Agree stress relieving, presetting, shot peening and coating before production, with material certificates and load-test records tied to the batch.

Suppliers must supply safe work equipment. For your die springs, agree the test evidence and safe installation information with the factory and tooling designer, including the intended working lengths and handling of stored spring energy.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative mixed-size order of steel compression die springs under 7320 20 81 90, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £19,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £19,500, so it is £3,900. 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: measure free length, diameters, wire section, end squareness and ground-end seating against the drawing; check pocket and guide-pin clearance on arrival.

Load: test samples on a calibrated spring tester at the agreed installed and working lengths; check recovery after compression and compare results across the batch.

Material and fatigue: match certificates to the specified steel and batch; review heat-treatment and shot-peening records, and cycle-test samples to the agreed duty.

Finish and identification: inspect for cracks, tool marks, rust and coating damage; match colour, part reference and batch labels, and check separators prevent transit damage.

What goes wrong

A spring can fit the pocket yet deliver the wrong force because wire section, coil geometry or working length differs from the approved drawing. Substitution by colour alone can hide a different load class. Insufficient clearance can cause rubbing, while excessive compression can bring coils into contact.

Poor stress relieving or presetting can leave permanent set. Surface damage and missed shot peening can shorten fatigue life; plated high-strength springs can suffer hydrogen embrittlement without suitable baking. Hold suspect batches for load and fatigue checks before fitting them to production tooling.

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.