Sourcing travertine paving slabs from China

Duty on travertine paving slabs

Heading 6801 covers natural stone setts, curbstones and flagstones, except slate. This guide concerns travertine supplied as paving slabs. All table variants share the single tariff line in the supplied facts. For the wider heading, see limestone paving slabs.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, code 6801 00 00 00 carries 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls. Import VAT is normally 20%; see UK import duty and VAT.

Confirm the commodity code using the intended use, dimensions and surface treatment. Heavily worked or polished stone can fall under heading 6802. Send photographs and the specification to your customs broker before ordering.

Specify cavities, finish and outdoor performance

Specify the quarry and stone identity, colour range, vein direction, dimensions, thickness tolerances and edge treatment. State whether cavities remain open or are filled. For filled slabs, agree the filler material, colour, acceptable repairs and evidence of suitability for outdoor exposure. Approve a sample range showing the variation you will accept.

For external natural stone paving slabs, confirm with the relevant product-safety authority whether BS EN 1341 applies and what declaration of performance and UKCA or CE marking requirements apply. CE marking continues to be available for construction products placed on the Great Britain market. Request slip resistance, flexural strength, water absorption and freeze-thaw results relevant to the stone and finish ordered.

Agree pallet loading, separators, edge protection and identification of stone batches. Solid wood packaging used to import goods into Great Britain must meet ISPM15. Include that requirement in the packing specification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 25 tonnes of palletised travertine paving slabs under 6801 00 00 00, invoiced at £9,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £12,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £12,500, so it is £2,500. 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

Stone: compare slabs from different pallets with the approved sample range in daylight; check colour, veins, cracks and cavity distribution.

Dimensions: measure length, width and thickness against the agreed tolerances; check edge treatment and lay sampled slabs together to assess joint alignment.

Surface: check filling, loose repairs, chipped edges and finish consistency; match the supplied finish to the performance documents.

Packing and documents: check pallet damage, separators and batch labels on arrival; confirm the declaration of performance and marking before dispatch. Arrange checks through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A showroom sample can hide the variation in a production batch. Different beds of stone, patchy filling or inconsistent edge treatment can make adjacent slabs look mismatched. Loose filler, cracks crossing cavities and chipped corners can leave pieces unsuitable for the agreed layout.

Thickness variation increases laying work, while a smoother supplied finish can undermine the slip-performance evidence. Frost damage is another concern when the test documents do not represent the ordered stone. Match reports to the quarry, product and finish before accepting the shipment.

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.