Sourcing toughened side windows from China

Duty and vehicle-window classification

Heading 7007 covers toughened and laminated safety glass. This guide concerns toughened vehicle side windows. Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the relevant motor-vehicle lines carried 0% duty from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or attached import controls recorded in the supplied tariff extract.

Code 7007 11 10 10 describes specifically shaped toughened glass for manufacturing motor-vehicle window assemblies, with width from 200 mm to 600 mm and height from 150 mm to 500 mm. Other toughened motor-vehicle glass falls under 7007 11 10 90. The table repeats that code for different side-window applications; these are not separate tariff lines.

Confirm the dimensions, manufacturing use and finished product with your broker using finding your commodity code. For the laminated vehicle-glass branch of the heading, see laminated vehicle windscreens.

Specify the vehicle, window position and tint

Give the factory the vehicle model, body variant, window position and side, together with an approved drawing or reference pane. Specify thickness, curvature, outline, edge finish, fixing holes, regulator attachments and ceramic printing. Keep moving door glass and fixed quarter glass as separate specifications. Finalise cutting, drilling and edge work before toughening.

Front side windows must let at least 70% of light through. It is illegal to fit or sell glass that breaks the tint rules. Request measured light transmission for the supplied glass, rather than accepting a colour name or a photograph. Ask the factory for automotive glazing test reports and approval documentation matching the actual pane and intended vehicle application. For UK-to-China trade, see our guide to exporting vehicle glass to China.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 800 toughened vehicle side-window panes; illustrative order under 7007 11 10 90, 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

Fit: compare the outline, curvature, holes and attachments with the approved drawing; trial-fit moving glass through its full travel and check its contact with the seals.

Visibility: measure front-side-window light transmission and inspect for optical distortion, scratches, inclusions and uneven tint.

Edges and evidence: inspect edges and holes for chips; match pane identification, supplier documents and batch records to the ordered specification.

Packing: check that panes are separated, edges supported and crates restrained; photograph packing before dispatch and damage before unpacking on arrival.

What goes wrong

A pane can match the overall outline yet bind in the door because its curvature or attachment position is wrong. Mixing body variants or left and right panes creates fitting errors. Edge chips, scratched viewing areas and rubbing between panes can turn a usable batch into rejected stock.

A dark front side window can breach the tint rules even when its dimensions are correct. Resolve fit and measured light transmission on the approved sample, then compare production and arrival checks with that sample. Use quality inspection to agree what the inspector measures and records.

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.