Sourcing tin-lead alloy ingots from China

Duty on tin-lead alloy ingots

Heading 8001 covers unwrought tin. Tin-lead ingots classified as tin alloys fall under 8001 20 00 00. The table shows different buying applications under that same tariff line, rather than separate commodity codes.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 October 2026, the duty for tin alloys from China was 0%. The supplied record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for this line.

Give your customs broker the full composition, manufacturing form and intended use to confirm the commodity code. For the wider heading and alternative solder feedstock, see lead-free tin solder bars.

Specify the alloy and its intended use

Specify tin and lead content by weight, permitted variation and limits for unwanted metals. Agree ingot dimensions, individual weight, batch identification and a certificate of analysis for each melt. For solder manufacture, include the alloy designation and an agreed melting and wetting trial.

Ask the relevant product safety authority to confirm whether lead restrictions apply to the intended electrical products, whether lead-free solder is needed and whether an exemption permits tin-lead solder. Ask the customer to identify the intended application and any exemption relied on before agreeing a tin-lead grade.

For imports into Great Britain, check UK REACH registration responsibilities for the constituent substances. HSE states that substances in mixtures must be registered when aggregated imports of a constituent reach 1 tonne or more per year. Assess annual substance quantities across purchases, rather than treating each shipment separately.

Employers must prevent employee exposure to lead or control it where prevention is not reasonably practicable. Request safety data for the supplied alloy and plan handling and remelting accordingly. A safety data sheet supports your risk assessment; it does not replace it.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1 tonne of tin-lead alloy ingots under 8001 20 00 00, invoiced at £27,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £27,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £27,900, so it is £5,580. 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

Composition: match each melt certificate to the ingot markings and arrange independent laboratory checks for tin, lead and the agreed impurities.

Condition: inspect for excessive oxide, adhering slag, foreign material and damaged ingots. Compare a remelt sample with the agreed process trial.

Weight: check individual ingot weights and shipment net weight against the order and packing list.

Packing: check pallet strength, restraint and batch separation. Keep labels readable and verify that the packing protects the ingots from moisture and contamination.

What goes wrong

A substituted alloy can contain less tin or more unwanted metals than ordered. Mixed melts, missing batch marks and certificates that cannot be matched to the goods make acceptance difficult. Agree sampling and rejection criteria before dispatch, then use the inspection guide to plan arrival checks.

Another failure is buying a technically suitable melting alloy for an electrical application that cannot use its lead content. Confirm the end use before ordering, and keep tin-lead stock clearly identified alongside any lead-free material.

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.