Vacuum tubes and magnetrons from China

0% duty

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, thermionic, cold cathode or photocathode valves and tubes, heading 8540, carried 0% on goods from China on every line: cathode-ray television and monitor tubes, camera tubes and photomultipliers, data and graphic display tubes, other cathode-ray tubes, magnetrons and other microwave tubes, other valves and tubes including receiver and amplifier valves, and parts. Lines for certain aircraft and a listed emitter are also 0%. No line carried an anti-dumping measure.

X-ray tubes are under heading 9022 and lamps under 8539, so confirm the commodity code. Guitar amplifiers and instruments are covered in our digital pianos and electric guitars guide.

Safety and restricted substances

Valves and magnetrons are components, but they run at high voltages, and magnetrons in microwave ovens and industrial heaters must let the finished product meet electrical safety and microwave leakage requirements. Components going into electrical products sold in the UK must let the product meet the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012, so ask for RoHS declarations and note any exemption the part relies on.

Specifying valves and tubes

Specify the type number and equivalents, electrical ratings, for audio valves matched pairs or quads and burn-in hours, for magnetrons frequency, output power, antenna and mounting, filament and anode voltages, cooling, and packing that protects glass envelopes and pins.

Worked duty example

Suppose, purely for illustration, you import 5,000 microwave oven magnetrons under 8540 71 00 90. At £30,000 free on board and £900 to ship and insure, the customs value is £30,900. With 0% duty on magnetrons, the only charge is import VAT: 20% of £30,900, or £6,180. VAT-registered businesses usually recover that in their next return. The method is set out in how UK import duty and VAT work.

Inspection checklist

Electrical tests: test samples on a valve tester or in a test circuit for emission, transconductance and noise, and check matching data for matched sets; test magnetrons for output and filament resistance.

Physical: check glass for cracks and air leaks (the getter colour), pins for straightness, and markings against the order.

Packing: check each valve is in its own box with padding, and cartons are marked fragile.

What goes wrong

Valve and tube orders fail on quality spread, microphonics and breakage. Valves are sold as matched without testing, some are noisy or microphonic, filaments fail early, relabelled types are passed off as better grades, magnetrons have the wrong antenna, and glass breaks in transit.

Specify tests and burn-in, check samples, and require individual boxes. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources valves, magnetrons and tubes for UK amplifier makers, repairers and equipment manufacturers, and has no minimum order of its own; the factory's minimum per type applies. See small orders.