Sourcing tufted automotive carpet from China
Tufted automotive carpet from China under heading 5703 carries a flat 8% UK duty, with no trade remedies recorded. Consumer car mats sold in Great Britain must be safe under general product safety rules. Specify vehicle fit, retention clips and pedal clearance before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources tufted automotive carpet.
A flat 8% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 3 November 2026, heading 5703 covers tufted carpets and other textile floor coverings, whether or not made up. The automotive carpet lines selected here carry 8% duty on goods from China. The supplied tariff snapshot records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for these lines.
The selected synthetic lines list a cultural-goods export licence measure. Other fibre lines in this heading attach CITES and cat and dog fur import controls. CITES specimens need an import permit; cat and dog fur products are banned. For animal-fibre carpet, have your broker confirm species, documents and any China-specific restriction before ordering.
Confirm the commodity code from tufted construction, pile fibre, printing and product form. Give your broker a sample, material breakdown and photographs rather than relying on the description 'car carpet'. See the wider tufted carpet guide for other products within this heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printed nylon or other polyamide tufted automotive carpet, other than tiles | 5703 29 19 00 | 8% | None |
| Other nylon or polyamide tufted automotive carpet, other than tiles | 5703 29 99 00 | 8% | None |
| Polypropylene tufted automotive carpet, other than tiles | 5703 39 19 00 | 8% | None |
| Other synthetic tufted automotive carpet, including polyester, other than tiles | 5703 39 99 00 | 8% | None |
Specify the vehicle fit and carpet construction
State whether you need roll material for trimming, shaped floor carpet or removable mats. For shaped products, supply the vehicle model, model year, right-hand or left-hand drive layout, approved template and fixing positions. Specify pile fibre, pile height and mass, backing layers, adhesive, colour, edge binding and heel reinforcement. Retain an approved sample of the complete construction.
Consumer car mats supplied in Great Britain must be safe under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. Make pedal clearance, secure retention and resistance to movement part of sample approval. Agree abrasion, cleaning, heat exposure, odour and flammability test methods and acceptance criteria with the vehicle customer for the exact construction.
For separately sold textile car mats, check the fibre composition label against the use surface. Ask for fitting and cleaning instructions suited to the backing and fixings. Arrange testing and certification around the intended vehicle application and the buyer's specification.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 3,000 nylon tufted car mats; illustrative FOB and freight values under 5703 29 99 00, invoiced at £21,000 free on board, with £3,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £24,500. Duty at 8% is £1,960. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £26,460, so it is £5,292. Import taxes total £7,252; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,960 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Fit and retention: compare cut shapes and fixing positions with approved templates, then check samples in the intended vehicle for pedal clearance, movement and edge interference.
Pile and colour: measure pile height and mass against the specification; compare colour and pile direction across mats intended for the same set, and check shedding and rubbing.
Backing and finish: check tuft bind, backing adhesion, heel reinforcement and edge stitching; repeat agreed cleaning and heat checks, looking for shrinkage, curling, cracking and odour.
Arrival and identification: check for dampness, mould, crushed pile and distorted shapes; match vehicle labels, fibre labels, batch identity, quantities and fitting instructions to the order.
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What goes wrong
A generic template can put retaining holes in the wrong position or leave a driver's mat close to the pedals. Backing shrinkage can change an approved shape, while weak clips let the mat move. Reject a batch that fails the agreed fit check rather than adjusting the declared vehicle compatibility.
Lower pile mass, weak tuft bind and poorly bonded backing cause shedding, bald patches and delamination. Mixed dye batches create mismatched sets, and unsuitable adhesive can leave persistent odour. Compare production samples with the retained sample before dispatch and repeat the agreed checks on arrival.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on tufted car carpet from China?
The selected heading 5703 lines carry 8% duty. The tariff snapshot read on 3 November 2026 records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension for these lines.
Are all automotive carpets classified under 5703?
This guide covers tufted textile floor coverings. Confirm the construction, pile fibre, printing and product form with your customs broker before choosing a code.
What should I check before approving a car mat sample?
Check the actual vehicle fit, retention clips, fixing holes, pedal clearance, heel reinforcement and backing. Keep an approved sample and template for production inspection.
Which fire test should I ask the carpet factory for?
Agree the vehicle customer's test method and acceptance criteria for the exact pile, adhesive and backing. A building-carpet fire report alone does not demonstrate vehicle suitability.