Sourcing timber logging trucks from China

UK duty on timber logging trucks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the diesel goods vehicle lines selected below carried 10% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension recorded. Heading 8704 covers motor vehicles for transporting goods. The table concerns complete trucks carrying logs; select the line using propulsion, gross vehicle weight and whether the vehicle is new or used.

The selected lines attach fluorinated greenhouse gas import control, and used lines also attach waste import control. Pre-charged equipment includes vehicles with air-conditioning; imported products containing regulated fluorinated gas must be labelled. Ask the customs broker to confirm the applicable gas documents and quota requirements. The tariff also lists a cultural-property export licence control and, for used lines, waste export control; ask the broker to confirm their relevance to any onward export.

Confirm the completed vehicle's classification with your broker using its technical specification and the commodity code guide. The wider electric vans and trucks guide covers other goods vehicles. Do not select an off-highway dumper code simply because a logging truck works on forest tracks. For glass transport, see our glass transport truck sourcing guide.

Specify the log body, axle loads and loader

Write down log lengths, bundle dimensions, log-bunk spacing, retaining-stake construction, headboard design and restraint attachment points. Specify the chassis, drive side, axle layout, differential locks, tyres and ground clearance for your forest routes. Ask for the completed vehicle's unladen weight and axle-load calculation with the body, crane, grapple and hydraulic equipment fitted; the bare chassis payload does not establish the finished truck's carrying capacity.

For road use in Great Britain, confirm the approval route for the completed truck before ordering, unless exempt. Ask for approval documents matching its identification number, emissions specification and lighting. For a fitted loader crane, obtain machinery conformity documents, an English manual and the capacity chart at the required reach. Lifting equipment must have adequate strength and stability; ask HSE to confirm the applicable thorough examination requirements for the crane's intended use at work.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A new diesel logging truck with a loader crane; illustrative order under 8704 23 91 00, invoiced at £185,000 free on board, with £9,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £194,500. Duty at 10% is £19,450. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £213,950, so it is £42,790. Import taxes total £62,240; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £19,450 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Body: compare bunk positions, stakes, headboard, welds and restraint fittings with the drawings; look for cracks, distortion and incomplete corrosion protection.

Loader: have a competent operator demonstrate the grapple, rotator, outriggers, controls, limiters and emergency stop against the agreed test plan; inspect hoses and cylinders for leaks.

Chassis: check identification numbers, plates, tyres, lighting and approval documents; obtain weight records for the completed truck and compare them with the promised payload.

Arrival: photograph body and crane damage before unloading, inspect hydraulic connections and underbody protection, and reconcile manuals, keys and spare parts with the dispatch list. Use the inspection guide to brief the inspection.

What goes wrong

A heavy crane and reinforced log body can leave less payload than the chassis brochure suggests. Incorrect bunk spacing leaves short logs poorly supported; loose stakes, weak attachment welds and badly routed hoses create avoidable repairs. Approval documents may describe the chassis without the supplied body. Resolve these differences before shipment and agree who supplies replacement hydraulic and chassis parts.

For used trucks, ask your customs broker to confirm whether the vehicle is goods for continued use or waste and what the tariff's waste control requires. If a shipment from China to England falls under waste notification controls, it can start only after consent from the Environment Agency and the other competent authorities involved. Obtain condition photographs, operating records and repair details before committing.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.