Sourcing travertine wall tiles from China

Zero duty on travertine wall tiles

Heading 6802 covers worked natural building stone, including travertine tiles and natural stone mosaic pieces. Simply cut or sawn tiles with a flat or even surface have a separate line from other worked tiles. The mosaic line applies where the largest face can be enclosed in a square with a side less than 7 cm.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, all relevant lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. Import VAT is normally 20%; see UK import duty and VAT.

Confirm the commodity code using the stone identity, dimensions and actual processing, rather than the supplier's description alone. See the marble and granite stone guide for the wider heading.

Specify the cut, filling and wall use

Ask for the quarry and stone identity, and agree vein-cut or cross-cut appearance. Specify filled or unfilled pores, filler colour, honed or polished finish, edge treatment, thickness and dimensional tolerances. Approve a range sample showing acceptable colour and pore variation, rather than a selected tile.

State whether the tiles are for an internal wall, wet area or external wall. For natural stone tiles sold for buildings, confirm with the relevant construction product authority whether a designated standard applies and what declaration of performance and UKCA or CE marking requirements apply. CE marking remains accepted in Great Britain. Match the declared product and intended use to the tiles ordered, and agree the fixing and sealing approach with the installer.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: An illustrative container order of honed travertine wall tiles under 6802 91 00 90, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £21,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £21,500, so it is £4,300. 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

Appearance: dry-lay tiles from different cartons against the approved range sample; check vein direction, colour distribution, pore filling and filler smears.

Geometry: measure length, width and thickness; check squareness, flatness and edge chips against the agreed specification.

Integrity: inspect faces and backs under raking light for cracks, loose filling and repairs; compare the performance documents with the supplied stone and intended wall use.

Packing: check carton identification, face protection and crate bracing before dispatch and on arrival. Solid wood packaging used for imports into Great Britain must meet the international wood packaging standard. Include packaging checks in the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A sample can conceal the shipment's colour range. Mixed blocks or mixed cutting directions can produce a patchy wall, while filling may differ in colour or leave smears. Approve the production batch's appearance before packing and keep carton identification available for the installer.

Thin edges chip when tiles move inside cartons, and concealed cracks may become visible during installation. Photograph damaged packaging and affected tiles on arrival. Compare the shipment with the approved sample and agreed tolerances before mixing batches or installing the tiles.

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.