Sourcing welding helmets from China

Duty on welding helmets

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 18 October 2026, heading 6506 covers other headgear, including safety headgear. Plastic safety headgear under 6506 10 10 00 and safety headgear of other materials under 6506 10 80 00 both carry 2% duty from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension on these lines.

The other-material safety headgear line has a cat and dog fur import control attached. Confirm the requirement with your customs broker if any lining or trim contains animal fur. The table repeats the material codes to show fixed-shade and auto-darkening buying options; these are not separate tariff subdivisions.

Confirm the complete helmet's construction and commodity code before ordering. Separate filters and replacement parts need their own classification check. See the industrial safety helmet guide for the wider product family.

Specify the shell, filter and welding process

State the welding processes and intended applications, shell material, face and neck coverage, viewing area, headband adjustment and compatibility with other equipment. For fixed-shade helmets, agree the filter shade and replacement lens arrangement. For auto-darkening helmets, specify shade settings, sensitivity, delay adjustment, power source, battery access and any grinding mode.

Ask for model-specific conformity documents and test reports covering the supplied shell and filter combination. Arrange testing and certification checks before approving production.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A trial shipment of plastic welding helmets, illustrative only under 6506 10 10 00, invoiced at £7,500 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £8,400. Duty at 2% is £168. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £8,568, so it is £1,713.60. Import taxes total £1,881.60; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £168 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Shell and fit: check cracks, sharp edges, face coverage, headband adjustment and pivot retention against the approved sample.

Filter and controls: check lens condition, filter identification, shade settings and control operation using an agreed safe test procedure. Arrange laboratory verification of protective performance rather than judging it by appearance.

Documents and identification: match the supplied model to its conformity documents, marking and English instructions; check that filter and shell references agree.

Packing and spares: check lens protection, battery compartments, replacement covers and carton contents against the order. Include these checks in the inspection plan.

What goes wrong

A sample may have a different filter cartridge from production, while the paperwork describes another model. Loose pivots let the helmet drop, headbands slip, cover lenses arrive scratched and controls are poorly labelled. Record the approved component references and require approval before substitutions.

Do not accept a darkening demonstration as proof of protective performance. Hold a batch for investigation if the filter, shell or documents differ from the approved specification, and obtain appropriate testing before accepting a replacement.

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.