Sourcing steel threaded rods from China

Duty and classification for steel threaded rods

Heading 7318 covers iron or steel fasteners and similar articles. For steel threaded rods, check the headless screw and bolt branches first: stainless steel has its own line, while other steel is divided by tensile strength. The other threaded articles line is a classification alternative to investigate, rather than a code to choose simply because the goods are called rods.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, all the selected lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure, suspension or attached import control on these lines. This describes the tariff snapshot rather than every rule affecting the finished product.

Give your customs broker the drawing, material specification, tensile-strength evidence and intended use to confirm the commodity code. For another product family within the wider heading, see steel threaded inserts. For security fasteners, see our security shear bolt sourcing guide.

Specify the thread, strength and application

Specify steel grade, strength class, thread diameter, pitch, direction, tolerance, overall length and whether threading is continuous or limited to the ends. State straightness, end chamfers, burr removal and the matching nut specification. For plated or galvanised rods, agree coating thickness and thread fit after coating. For accompanying washers, see our steel spring washers sourcing guide.

Ask for material and mechanical-test records tied to the production batch. Agree how strength and thread fit will be verified, rather than accepting a catalogue description. For load-bearing applications, have the connection designer approve the rod specification and the evidence expected from the factory.

For construction applications, establish the applicable product standard or technical assessment and the marking route before ordering. CE marking continues to be available for construction products placed on the Great Britain market. Match any proposed performance documents to the rod and its intended application; discuss the scope with testing and certification. For concrete nail procurement, see our concrete steel nails sourcing guide.

UK government guidance advises importers to include assurances that imports are not of Russian origin in contractual agreements. Ask the factory to identify its steel source and retain supporting supply-chain documents with the order.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 4,000 cut-to-length steel threaded rods; illustrative FOB value and freight under 7318 15 42 90, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,800, so it is £1,360. 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

Thread fit: check pitch and diameter against the drawing, use agreed thread gauges and trial-fit the specified nuts along the usable length after coating.

Geometry: measure length and straightness, inspect cut ends and chamfers, and check for damaged crests, burrs and incomplete threads.

Material and strength: match batch identification to material records and mechanical-test results; arrange independent verification where the application warrants it.

Coating and packing: check coating coverage and agreed thickness, look for rust or flaking, and inspect bundle restraint and end protection on arrival. Set the sampling scope through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A nut may fit the uncoated sample but bind on the coated production rods. Cut ends can damage the first thread, long rods can bend in bundles, and mixed batches can obscure which material or strength records apply. Specify acceptance checks on finished rods and preserve batch identity through packing.

A generic fastener certificate may describe a different diameter, material or application. Resolve mismatches before shipment, then quarantine damaged or unidentified bundles on arrival until the supplier provides evidence or an agreed replacement.

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.