Importing guide · China to UK
Importing LED lamps from China to the UK
LED bulbs and lamps are among the most common products UK businesses buy from China. They are electrical equipment, so the paperwork matters as much as the price.
Rates checked against the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026. Your exact product may fall under a different code: check it before you order.
What to watch
- Ask for electrical safety and EMC test reports for the exact model and wattage, not a similar one.
- Check the wattage, brightness and colour temperature of a sample against the claims before they go on the box.
- As the importer of electrical equipment you are a WEEE producer: register before you start selling.
The UK rules
General Product Safety Regulations 2005
General product safety
- Supply only products that are safe in normal and foreseeable use.
- Give users the warnings and instructions they need, in English.
- Act if a product turns out to be unsafe, including telling the authorities.
Product Safety and Metrology (Amendment) Regulations 2024 and the product rules below
Your duties as importer of UKCA or CE marked goods
- Check the manufacturer carried out the right conformity assessment, drew up the technical documentation and affixed the marking.
- Put your name, trade name or trademark and postal address on the product (or its packaging or documents where that isn’t possible).
- Keep the technical documentation available, typically for 10 years after each product is placed on the market.
- Co-operate with market surveillance authorities.
- If you sell it under your own brand, or change it, you take on the manufacturer’s duties.
Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016
Electrical safety
- Make sure the equipment is designed and made to be safe, with the right marking and instructions in English.
Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994
UK plugs
- If the product has a mains plug, it must be an approved UK three-pin plug, not a foreign plug with a travel adaptor.
Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
- Make sure the equipment doesn’t cause interference and works despite it.
RoHS Regulations 2012
Hazardous substances in electronics (RoHS)
- Make sure the product stays within the substance limits and the manufacturer has the technical file.
WEEE producer responsibility
Electrical waste (WEEE) producer registration
- Under 5 tonnes a year: register as a small producer through the WEEE online service, by 31 January each year or within 28 days of first placing equipment on the market.
- Over 5 tonnes: join a producer compliance scheme.
- Keep records of the amount you place on the market for at least 4 years.
Work it out for your order
- Landed-cost calculatorSet up for code 8539 52 00 00: add your price, quantity and freight.
- Price checkIs a quote too cheap? Compare it with what UK importers declare per kilo.
- Product rules checkerThe rules above, with a checklist to print and send to the supplier.
- Quote comparerCompare suppliers by landed cost.
- Spec sheet and AQLPut the quality standard in writing, with the inspection sample size.
Questions about importing LED lamps
What is the import duty on LED lamps from China?
Goods from China under commodity code 8539 52 00 00 pay 0% customs duty, with no anti-dumping duty, and 20% import VAT on top. Checked against the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026.
What rules apply to LED lamps imported into the UK?
General product safety, Your duties as importer of UKCA or CE marked goods, Electrical safety, UK plugs, Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), Hazardous substances in electronics (RoHS), Electrical waste (WEEE) producer registration. As the importer you are responsible for making sure the LED lamps meet them before they go on sale.
How much does the UK import from China under this code?
£78.1m in the 12 months to July 2026, under the 8-digit code 85395200 (light-emitting diode "led" lamps), according to HMRC’s overseas trade statistics.
Importing LED lamps?
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