Sourcing weighing bagging machines from China
Weighing bagging machines under heading 8423 carry 0% UK duty from China. For Great Britain, regulated automatic weighing instruments need conformity assessment, and machinery must be safe before sale or use. Test filling performance with your own material and bags. Cambridge China Bridge sources weighing bagging machines.
Zero duty on weighing bagging machines
Heading 8423 includes constant-weight scales and machines that discharge a predetermined weight into a bag or container, including hopper scales. Electronic weighing bagging machines fall within 8423 30 10 00; other versions fall within 8423 30 90 00. The table also covers weighing machinery parts.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the selected lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The snapshot lists no anti-dumping or countervailing measures, tariff suspensions or attached import controls for these lines. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.
Confirm the commodity code using the weighing method, discharge operation and complete machine specification. Describe separately supplied parts accurately rather than using the complete-machine code automatically. For other weighing equipment within this heading, see our industrial checkweighers guide.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic constant-weight and bagging scales, including hopper scales | 8423 30 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other constant-weight and bagging scales, including hopper scales | 8423 30 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Parts of electronic weighing bagging machines | 8423 90 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other weighing machinery parts and weights | 8423 90 90 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the material, bag and filling cycle
Specify the material's particle size, flow behaviour, moisture and dustiness; target bag weights; acceptable fill variation; bag material and mouth dimensions; and required output. Agree the feeder type, hopper arrangement, bag clamp, discharge height, dust extraction connection and sealing interface. Give the factory your site's electrical supply and compressed-air details.
Automatic weighing instruments are covered by the measuring instruments rules. For regulated instruments, conformity assessment and technical documentation are required. Machinery must be safe before being placed on the Great Britain market or put into service. Ask for model-specific approval evidence, the declaration of conformity, an English operating manual and electrical drawings. Settle the intended trade use with a testing and certification adviser.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative: one electronic weighing bagging machine under 8423 30 10 00, invoiced at £8,000 free on board, with £1,200 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £9,200. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £9,200, so it is £1,840. 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
Filling performance: run your actual material and bags through repeated fills, independently weigh the discharged contents, and compare variation and output with the agreed specification at different hopper levels.
Bag handling: check clamp grip, discharge alignment, leakage, bag release and the connection to the sewing or sealing equipment. Confirm that changing bag sizes does not require unagreed alterations.
Safety and cleaning: test emergency stops and guard interlocks, inspect access to moving feeders and clamps, and check whether trapped material can be removed using the documented cleaning procedure.
Identity and condition: match the machine, load cells, controller, approval evidence and declaration to the ordered configuration. On arrival, inspect transport restraints, hopper damage, loose wiring and included spares before commissioning. Agree these checks in the inspection brief.
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What goes wrong
A demonstration with free-flowing pellets can conceal bridging or inconsistent feeding with your powder. Material still falling after feeder shut-off can cause overfills; vibration, air movement and a changing hopper level can disturb readings. Weak clamps spill material or damage bag mouths. Require a witnessed trial with your product, record the settings and results, and agree how failures will be corrected before shipment.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on weighing bagging machines from China?
The relevant bagging-scale and parts lines carry 0% duty in the tariff snapshot read on 30 September 2026, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing measures. Import VAT is separate.
Do weighing bagging machines need trade-use approval?
For regulated automatic weighing instruments, conformity assessment and technical documentation are required. Confirm whether the intended bagging operation is a regulated trade use before ordering.
How should I test a bagging machine before shipment?
Use your material and bags. Independently weigh repeated fills, compare output and variation with the agreed specification, and check leakage, bag release and performance as the hopper level changes.
Can spare parts use the same code as the bagging machine?
Do not assume so. Heading 8423 has separate parts lines. Confirm the description and function of each separately supplied part with your customs broker.