Sourcing toughened greenhouse glass from China

Zero duty on toughened greenhouse glass

Heading 7007 covers toughened and laminated safety glass. This guide concerns toughened greenhouse panes. Ordinary clear panes generally fall under 7007 19 80 95; enamelled and body-tinted or absorbent-layer panes have separate lines. The solar-glass row applies only where every condition in its tariff description is met, not simply because the glass transmits sunlight.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the selected lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines. The duty range is therefore uniformly zero.

Confirm the commodity code using the composition, coating, processing and intended use. Provide the broker with the pane drawings and material specification. See the wider safety-glass guide for other products within this heading.

Specify panes around the greenhouse frame

Provide a pane schedule tied to the greenhouse frame drawing, separating roof, wall, door and opening-vent panes. Specify thickness, finished dimensions, diagonals, edge finish, holes, notches and permitted bow. Approve the clear or shading glass against a sample. Complete cutting, drilling and edge work before toughening; delivered toughened panes cannot be trimmed to fit.

Where the panes are supplied as building glass, confirm with the relevant authority which designated standard applies and whether the manufacturer needs to draw up a declaration of performance and provide conformity marking. CE marking remains available for construction products placed on the Great Britain market. Match the declaration and test reports to the actual glass type and thickness. Businesses importing or selling consumer greenhouse glass are responsible for its safety.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 800 toughened greenhouse panes for a greenhouse installer, illustrative only under 7007 19 80 95, invoiced at £40,000 free on board, with £5,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £45,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £45,000, so it is £9,000. 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

Frame fit: measure length, width, diagonals, thickness and bow against the approved drawings. Trial-fit sample roof and vent panes with the intended seals and clips before approving the batch.

Toughening evidence: check the permanent manufacturer mark and matching test reports. Include fragmentation testing of representative samples in the agreed inspection plan.

Edges and appearance: inspect corners, edges, holes and notches for chips; check scratches, inclusions and distortion against the approved sample. Compare shading panes for consistent appearance.

Crates and arrival: check pane separation, edge protection, bracing and crate identification before shipment. On arrival, photograph damaged crates and inspect panes for breakage, chips and rubbing marks before installation.

What goes wrong

Panes can match the nominal size yet fail to fit because diagonals, bow or notch positions differ from the frame drawing. Edge chips and transit rubbing can remain hidden inside apparently intact crates. Link each crate to the pane schedule and record defects before moving glass into installation stock.

Roof panes also need the agreed breakage-risk specification. Toughened glass can break spontaneously because of nickel sulphide inclusions; heat soak treatment reduces that risk. Discuss heat soaking for overhead panes and obtain batch records when ordered. An appearance check does not replace toughening evidence.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For own-brand ranges, see sourcing for brands.