Sourcing trailers and caravans from China
Caravan-type trailers, other trailers, trailer chassis, bodies, axles and parts from China pay 0% UK duty, with no anti-dumping duty. Trailers are category O vehicles under the Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2020, so the approval route, lighting, braking and axle ratings are settled before the order. Cambridge China Bridge sources trailers, camping trailers and components.
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Zero duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, caravan-type trailers for housing or camping, up to or over 1,600 kg, other trailers and semi-trailers, other non-propelled vehicles, and trailer axles and other parts carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. For bicycle-towed models, see our bicycle cargo trailer sourcing guide.
Trailers are bulky, so shipping them flat-packed or as kits for assembly in the UK can change the freight completely; the landed price should compare both, and the commodity code may change with the form in which they arrive.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caravan-type trailers for housing or camping, up to 1,600 kg | 8716 10 92 00 | 0% | None |
| Caravan-type trailers, over 1,600 kg | 8716 10 98 00 | 0% | None |
| Other trailers and semi-trailers | 8716 40 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Other non-mechanically propelled vehicles | 8716 80 00 00 | 0% | None |
| Axles for trailers | 8716 90 50 00 | 0% | None |
Trailers need an approval route
The Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2020 cover category O, trailers, alongside cars and goods vehicles, with GB type approval, small series approval and individual approval. Which route fits depends on the trailer's category and the volume, so settle it with the manufacturer before ordering, and ask whether the design already holds an approval that can be used for Great Britain. For the reverse trade route, see exporting UK trailers to China.
UK roads drive on the left, so lighting, reflectors and the number plate position must suit UK use, and braked trailers need their braking system and coupling rated for the gross weight. Put the gross weight, axle rating, coupling and lighting into the product specification. For disc-brake components, see our brake caliper sourcing guide. For boat-specific specifications, see our boat trailer sourcing guide.
Welding, galvanising and axles
Trailer failures start in the chassis welds and the axles. Specify the steel, the weld procedure and hot-dip galvanising thickness, and ask for the axle and hub manufacturer and ratings; check welds, galvanising and the axle plates at inspection.
Camping trailers and caravans add water, gas and electrical systems, each with its own safety standards; decide which systems are fitted in China and which in the UK.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 50 galvanised box trailers, entered under 8716 40 00 00: £40,000 free on board plus £8,000 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £48,000. Trailers carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £48,000, £9,600, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Trailers ship partly assembled or flat-packed, and freight is a sixth of the customs value here. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT. Under HMRC's VAT Notice 701/20, a new caravan exceeding 7 metres in length or 2.55 metres in width is reduced-rated, or zero-rated if it is manufactured to BS 3632; smaller caravans and trailers are standard-rated.
Inspection checklist
Electrical connection: test the 7-pin plug to ISO 1724 or the 13-pin plug to ISO 11446 on every sampled trailer, checking each pin drives the right lamp, and confirm the lamp layout follows the installation rules of UN Regulation 48 for the trailer category.
Coupling and brakes: check the coupling head carries a UN Regulation 55 approval mark for the trailer's gross weight, and on braked trailers check the overrun brake and breakaway cable work and the brake approval covers the plated mass.
Weight and identity: weigh sampled trailers unladen on a calibrated weighbridge against the plated unladen mass to confirm the payload, and check the vehicle identification number is stamped on the chassis in the structure of ISO 3779 and matches the plate.
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What goes wrong
Trailers fail on the chassis, running gear and lights. Welds are porous or incomplete, hot-dip galvanising is thin or missing inside box sections so rust starts from within, and axles, hubs, tyres and couplings are rated below the plated gross weight. Lamps and reflectors lack the approval marks the lighting rules require, braked trailers have poorly adjusted brakes, and chassis plates or identification numbers are missing, which blocks approval and registration.
Inspect welds on the chassis and drawbar, measure galvanising thickness to ISO 1461 including inside box sections, check that axle, hub, tyre and coupling ratings exceed the plated weight, check lamps, reflectors and coupling approval marks, test brakes and the breakaway cable on braked models, and confirm the chassis plate and identification number match the approval documents.
Parts and after-sales
Owners replace lights, bearings, tyres and couplings, so a trailer brand needs those parts in stock. Order spares with the first shipment and keep the axle and coupling part numbers on file.
Cambridge China Bridge sources trailers, camping trailers and trailer components, with the approval route, specification and inspection agreed with the manufacturer. See how our sourcing service works.
Related guides: Sourcing vehicle lights and horns from China.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on trailers from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 25 September 2026, caravan-type trailers, other trailers and semi-trailers, and trailer axles and parts carried 0% duty from China, with no anti-dumping duty.
Do trailers from China need UK approval?
Trailers are category O under the Road Vehicles (Approval) Regulations 2020, which provide GB type, small series and individual approval, so settle the route before ordering.
What should a trailer specification include?
Gross weight, axle rating, coupling, braking where fitted, UK lighting and reflectors, steel grade, weld procedure and galvanising thickness.
Can trailers be shipped as kits?
Often, which can cut freight, but the classification and approval may depend on the form in which they arrive, so check both first.