Sourcing tripods and monopods from China
Tripods, monopods, bipods and similar supports from China, including camera and phone tripods and selfie sticks, pay 0% UK duty with no anti-dumping duty, so import VAT is the only tax. Tripods are bought on load rating, height, weight and the head, and camera mounts use ISO 1222 threads. Bluetooth selfie sticks are radio equipment. Cambridge China Bridge sources tripods.
Camera tripods, monopods, selfie sticks and other supports from China pay 0% UK duty. Load ratings, ISO 1222 threads, radio rules and a worked example.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, monopods, bipods, tripods and similar articles of heading 9620 carried 0% duty on goods from China, whether made for cameras, of plastics, of aluminium or of other materials such as carbon fibre, with no anti-dumping measure. Tripods for surveying instruments and lighting stands sold as parts of other equipment may classify with that equipment, so confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| For cameras and cinematographic or video equipment | 9620 00 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other, of plastics | 9620 00 91 10 | 0% | None |
| Other, of aluminium | 9620 00 91 90 | 0% | None |
| Other, of other materials | 9620 00 99 00 | 0% | None |
Specification and rules
Camera supports use the 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch screw threads standardised in ISO 1222, so specify the thread on the plate and the head, the maximum load, the maximum and folded height, the leg sections and lock type, and the head type. Carbon fibre legs are lighter than aluminium, so ask for the fibre content and wall thickness rather than accepting the label.
A selfie stick or phone tripod with a Bluetooth shutter remote is radio equipment under the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017, so it needs UKCA or CE marking, a declaration of conformity and test reports, and a built-in battery brings battery and WEEE obligations.
Worked duty example
Suppose, purely for illustration, you import 3,000 aluminium camera tripods under 9620 00 10 00. At £21,000 free on board and £2,500 to ship and insure, the customs value is £23,500. With 0% duty on camera tripods, the only charge is import VAT: 20% of £23,500, or £4,700. VAT-registered businesses usually recover that in their next return. The method is set out in how UK import duty and VAT work.
What goes wrong
Tripods fail on locks, heads and the load claim. Flip or twist leg locks slip under the stated load, heads creep so the camera drifts after framing, and quick-release plates wobble or strip their threads. The load rating on the box is often the collapse load rather than a working load, feet split, and Bluetooth remotes on selfie sticks fail to pair or arrive without radio test evidence.
Load samples with the rated weight at full height and leave them overnight to check the locks and head hold, cycle the leg locks, check thread fit with a real camera and a 3/8-inch adaptor, measure heights and folded length, weigh the tripod against the specification, and for Bluetooth models check pairing and the declaration of conformity.
Cambridge China Bridge sources camera, phone and video tripods, monopods and selfie sticks, with load tests and radio paperwork agreed before shipment. See how we source photo accessories.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on tripods from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, tripods, monopods and similar supports of heading 9620 carried 0% duty from China.
Are selfie sticks classified as tripods?
Monopods and similar hand-held supports fall in heading 9620; confirm the code for sticks with built-in electronics.
What thread do camera tripods use?
The 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch threads standardised in ISO 1222.
Do Bluetooth selfie sticks need testing?
Yes. They are radio equipment under the Radio Equipment Regulations 2017 and need UKCA or CE marking.