Sourcing rear combination lamps from China
Vehicle rear combination lamps from China normally carry 2% UK duty; narrowly described goods may qualify for 0% suspensions. The MOT manual requires rear position and stop lamps to show steady red light. Match approval evidence and wiring to the supplied model. Cambridge China Bridge sources vehicle rear combination lamps.
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Duty on rear combination lamps
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8512 covers vehicle lighting and signalling equipment, alongside other vehicle electrical equipment and parts. Complete rear combination lamps normally fall under 8512 20 00 90. The selected lines carry 2% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no attached import controls.
The complete-lamp line lists 0.00 % suspensions for narrowly described goods, including a lighting module and an authorised-use fog lamp. These are not a general exemption for rear combination lamps. The supplied lighting-module footnote is incomplete, so ask your customs broker to obtain the full description before claiming relief. The specialised component codes also require an exact match to their tariff descriptions.
Give your broker the assembly drawing, functions, photographs and details of whether you are importing complete lamps or components. Confirm the commodity code before ordering. For related equipment within the wider heading, see vehicle reversing lamps.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete vehicle rear combination lamps | 8512 20 00 90 | 2% | None |
| Car rear-light reflector sub-assemblies meeting the tariff description | 8512 20 00 35 | 2% | None |
| Vehicle LED light-guide components meeting the tariff description | 8512 20 00 70 | 2% | None |
| Other parts of vehicle lighting equipment | 8512 90 90 00 | 2% | None |
Specify the functions and vehicle fit
Specify the vehicle application, mounting orientation and functions within each housing: rear position, stop, direction indicator, reversing and rear fog, as applicable. Include the operating voltage, connector drawing, pin allocation, cable exit, fixing centres and left-hand or right-hand version. Agree the lens, housing, gasket and vent construction against an approved sample.
The MOT manual requires rear position lamps to emit steady red light and stop lamps to show steady red light. For road-use lamps, obtain the approval evidence for the exact model and match it to the sample. Consumer-product safety rules also apply to the supply of safe goods in Great Britain. Ask for electromagnetic compatibility reports and installation instructions appropriate to the target vehicle.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 1,000 vehicle rear combination lamps under 8512 20 00 90, invoiced at £12,000 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £12,600. Duty at 2% is £252. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £12,852, so it is £2,570.40. Import taxes total £2,822.40; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £252 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Identity: match the model, approval markings and supporting certificate to the delivered lens and housing; check that the left-hand and right-hand versions match the order.
Functions: power each circuit separately and in combination; check rear position and stop output, unintended illumination, flicker and vehicle bulb-failure warnings.
Fit: trial-fit samples to the target vehicle; check fixing positions, connector locking, pin allocation, cable clearance and gasket compression.
Sealing: test samples to the agreed water-exposure method, inspect for ingress and persistent condensation, and check vents, cable seals and lens joints. Record results through the inspection process.
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What goes wrong
A housing can fit while its connector pins operate the wrong functions. Poor earth connections can make another circuit glow, while an unsuitable driver can trigger vehicle warnings. Lens joints and cable entries can admit water; heat can damage drivers, and lenses can yellow or craze. Check a fitted, powered sample rather than accepting photographs alone.
An approval mark can be copied onto a different lamp design. Compare the certificate with the actual assembly and retain a reference sample for repeat orders. Agree how the factory will control changes to the lens, circuit board, driver and seals before production.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on rear combination lamps from China?
Normally 2% under 8512 20 00 90, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty in the supplied tariff data. The listed zero-duty suspensions apply only to narrowly described goods.
What colour must the rear position and brake lights show?
Test these functions separately and together on the target vehicle.
What approval evidence should I ask the factory for?
Ask for the approval certificate supporting the lamp markings for the exact model supplied. Compare the certificate, lens markings and sample, and obtain electromagnetic compatibility reports.
How do I check rear combination lamps before a bulk order?
Trial-fit and power samples on the target vehicle. Check mounting, connectors, every lighting function, vehicle warnings and sealing, then use the accepted sample to inspect the shipment.
Sources
What most often fails: Lighting products
UK OPSS + EU / EEA Safety Gate (alerts counted separately in each system) · China-origin alerts over the 24 calendar month coverage window(2024-12 – 2026-11) · 327
Combined counts are alerts from both systems, not unique products across markets. Each source uses its own publication window; the same product may appear in both. · OPSS: 2024-12 – 2026-11 · Safety Gate: 2024-12 – 2026-11
- Electric shock: 243
- Fire: 67
- Chemical: 38
Most-cited regulations
- Low Voltage Directive: 218
- EN 60598: 109
- EN 60598-1: 85
Checks to ask the factory for
- Ask for an accredited laboratory test report to the relevant product standard, such as BS EN 60335 where applicable.
- Check plug, fuse and cable markings against the approved pre-shipment sample.
- Ask the factory to identify insulation, earthing and access-to-live-parts checks for this model.
Questions for due diligence, not a certification checklist or a guarantee of compliance. Select the applicable standards and tests with a competent laboratory.
The current calendar month is partial. These are published alerts, safety reports and recalls, not a measure of all products sold or a recall rate. Hong Kong is reported separately.
All recall dataContains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OPSS, GOV.UK product safety alerts)
Source: European Commission, Safety Gate, English XML (en), extracted 2026-11-09. XML distribution: CC0. Cambridge China Bridge analysis.