Sourcing tin ingots and solder wire from China
Unwrought tin and tin alloys from China, such as tin ingots and solder bars, and tin bars, rods, profiles and wire, including solid and flux-cored solder wire, pay 0% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. Solder for electrical products must be lead-free to meet RoHS unless an exemption applies, and alloys are specified to ISO 9453.
Unwrought tin and tin alloy ingots, solder bars, solder wire and tin rods from China pay 0% UK duty. Lead-free alloys, ISO 9453, RoHS and flux checks.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, unwrought tin, heading 8001, carried 0% on goods from China both for tin, not alloyed, and for tin alloys, and tin bars, rods, profiles and wire, heading 8003, carried 0%. No line carried an anti-dumping measure.
Tin articles and pewter are covered in our pewter and tin articles guide, and solder pastes, fluxes and coated solder under chapter 38 or heading 8311, so confirm the commodity code from the form.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unwrought tin, not alloyed (ingots) | 8001 10 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Unwrought tin alloys (solder bars and ingots) | 8001 20 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Tin bars, rods, profiles and wire (including solder wire) | 8003 00 00 00 | 0% | None |
Lead-free solder and standards
The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 limit lead in electrical products, so solder used in them is normally lead-free, such as tin-silver-copper alloys, unless a listed exemption applies. Soft solder alloy compositions are specified to ISO 9453, and flux-cored wire should state the flux type and content.
Specifying tin and solder
Specify alloy composition and standard designation, purity for tin ingots, wire diameter, flux type and percentage for cored wire, spool weight, bar or ingot weight, and certificates of analysis per lot.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 3 tonnes of lead-free solder wire, entered under 8003 00 00 00: £108,000 free on board plus £1,500 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £109,500. Solder wire carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £109,500, £21,900, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Composition: check the certificate of analysis for each lot and have a sample tested by XRF or a laboratory for tin, silver, copper and lead.
Wire: measure diameter, check flux content and continuity in cored wire, and test wetting on a sample board.
Packing: check spools and ingots are labelled with alloy and lot, sealed against moisture, and palletised for their weight.
What goes wrong
Solder and tin orders fail on composition and flux. Lead-free solder contains lead above the limit, silver content is lower than stated, flux cores are discontinuous or the wrong type, ingots contain impurities, and wire diameters vary.
Test composition per lot, check flux and wetting, and match labels to certificates. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources tin and solder for UK electronics assemblers and distributors, checking the smelter's or maker's laboratory first. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on solder wire from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, tin bars, rods and wire including solder wire (8003 00 00 00) carried 0% from China.
What about tin ingots?
Unwrought tin and tin alloys (8001 10 and 8001 20) carried 0%.
Does solder need to be lead-free?
For electrical products, RoHS limits lead, so lead-free alloys are normally used unless an exemption applies.
Which standard covers solder alloys?
ISO 9453 specifies soft solder alloy compositions.