Sourcing variable air capacitors from China

UK duty on variable air capacitors

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, heading 8532 covers electrical capacitors, fixed, variable or adjustable. Variable air capacitors fall within the variable or adjustable capacitor line, 8532 30 00 00. The table shows product variants sharing that line and a separate parts line.

The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty for goods from China under both listed codes. It records no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for those lines. For other capacitor families, see the capacitors guide.

Confirm the commodity code against the actual goods and drawings before shipment. For loose parts, describe their function and what is supplied rather than assuming the complete capacitor code applies.

Specify the tuning range and mechanical fit

Specify air as the dielectric, minimum and maximum capacitance, capacitance against shaft position, working voltage, operating frequency and temperature range. For ganged units, define section tracking and electrical isolation. Agree shaft diameter, length and profile, mounting centres, terminal positions, rotation direction, stops and acceptable operating torque. Send a drawing and approve a sample fitted into the intended chassis.

Business-to-business component parts are outside the scope of the hazardous-substance regulations; confirm with the relevant authority how the requirements apply when components are incorporated into a finished electrical product. Ask for part-specific material declarations covering plates, plating, terminals, solder and insulators. Match the documents to the ordered part number and construction.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 600 variable air capacitors for a tuning-equipment production batch, illustrative only under 8532 30 00 00, invoiced at £18,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,600. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,600, so it is £3,720. 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

Capacitance: measure the endpoints and intermediate shaft positions against the agreed curve, using the agreed fixture and test conditions; compare tracking between ganged sections.

Plate clearance: rotate through the full travel and check for touching plates, bent edges, loose fixings and contamination; perform the agreed insulation and voltage tests.

Mechanical fit: check shaft dimensions, mounting centres, terminals, stops, backlash and operating torque against the approved drawing and chassis sample.

Packing and records: check that packing protects plates and shafts, labels identify the batch and part number, and material declarations match the supplied construction. See the inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A matching maximum capacitance can conceal an unsuitable minimum value or tuning curve. Ganged sections may track poorly, while shaft play or bent plates can produce intermittent contact. A voltage claim without agreed test conditions does not establish suitability for the buyer's circuit.

Approve the electrical curve and mechanical drawing together. Protect the rotor and shaft during transport, compare incoming samples with the approved unit, and hold any batch with rubbing plates, changed insulators or unexplained material substitutions for investigation.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For components and parts, see sourcing for manufacturers.