Sourcing succinic acid from China

Succinic acid classification and duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, heading 2917 covers polycarboxylic acids and their derivatives. Succinic acid with bio-based carbon content of 100% by mass has the specific code 2917 19 20 00. Other succinic acid is a candidate for the residual line 2917 19 80 90, subject to confirmation. These are the relevant lines available in the supplied tariff facts.

Both lines carry 6% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure shown. The residual line has a 0% suspension restricted to named chemicals other than succinic acid. Both attach an export waste control. For England, waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste. If buying recovered material or returning rejected stock, confirm the applicable requirements with your customs broker.

Confirm the chemical identity, composition and evidence for any bio-based claim using finding your commodity code. Do not treat assay purity as proof of bio-based carbon content. For neighbouring products, see the polycarboxylic acids and phthalates guide.

Specify the succinic acid grade and origin claim

State whether you need succinic acid itself rather than a succinate salt, ester or formulated mixture. Describe the intended industrial or laboratory use. Agree assay, moisture, colour, ash and iron limits, together with test methods and a batch certificate of analysis. Set acceptance criteria against an approved sample.

If ordering the bio-based line, request evidence supporting the claimed bio-based carbon content separately from the assay report. Agree bag liners, seals, batch identification and storage instructions. Obtain an English safety data sheet for review before dispatch.

For Great Britain, confirm UK REACH registration responsibilities and the applicable annual import threshold with HSE. Chemicals must be correctly labelled and packaged before being placed on the market. Include these checks in the purchasing brief rather than relying solely on the factory's documents.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 20 tonnes of succinic acid in 25 kg bags under 2917 19 20 00, invoiced at £26,000 free on board, with £1,800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,800. Duty at 6% is £1,668. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £29,468, so it is £5,893.60. Import taxes total £7,561.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,668 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the bag labels, invoice and batch certificate to the ordered succinic acid grade.

Batch results: compare assay, moisture, colour, ash and iron with the agreed limits; arrange independent testing where needed.

Packaging: check liners, seals and bags for tears, wet patches, contamination and abnormal clumping.

Documents: match the safety data sheet and label review to the supplied substance, and retain a representative batch sample.

What goes wrong

A supplier may provide an assay certificate without evidence for the bio-based claim. That leaves the special tariff description unsupported even when chemical purity meets the specification. Resolve the classification before dispatch.

Wet or damaged bags, inconsistent batch results and mixed batch labels can leave stock unsuitable for the agreed process. Keep suspect material separate, photograph the packaging and compare retained samples with the certificate before accepting a 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.