E-bikes and bicycle parts duty into the United Kingdom: 4%–6%
E-bikes and bicycle parts imported into the United Kingdom carry customs duty of between 4% and 6%, with most items at 4%, plus 20% import VAT, effective 1 January 2021, whatever the country of origin. In the United Kingdom, consignments at or under £135.00 are relieved of duty, though import VAT still applies.
178 origins qualify for a preferential rate below the 4% standard, all at 0%. On the £150.00 worked example, the best of them is worth £8.21. Claiming a preferential rate requires proof of origin at customs; without acceptable proof the standard rate applies.
- Route
- Any origin → United Kingdom
- Customs duty
- 4%–6%, median 4%
- Import VAT
- 20%
- Duty assessed on
- Goods value plus freight and insurance (CIF)
- Low-value treatment
- Consignments at or under £135.00 are relieved of duty, though import VAT still applies
- Typical clearance fee
- £8.00, charged by the carrier
- Commodity codes covered
- 4
- Last verified
- 23 August 2026
Rates by commodity code
| HS code | Description | Duty | In force since | Instrument |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8711.60 | Motorcycles (including mopeds) and cycles fitted with an auxiliary motor, with or without side-cars; side-cars, with electric motor for propulsion | 6% | S.I. 2020/1430 | |
| 8714.93 | Parts and accessories of vehicles of headings 8711 to 8713, hubs, other than coaster braking hubs and hub brakes, and free-wheel sprocket-wheels | 4% | S.I. 2020/1430 | |
| 8714.94 | Parts and accessories of vehicles of headings 8711 to 8713, brakes, including coaster braking hubs and hub brakes, and parts thereof | 4% | S.I. 2020/1430 | |
| 8714.95 | Parts and accessories of vehicles of headings 8711 to 8713 | 4% | S.I. 2020/1430 |
A worked example
A £150.00 order of parts and accessories of vehicles of headings 8711 to 8713, hubs, other than coaster braking hubs and hub brakes, and free-wheel sprocket-wheels (HS 8714.93) with £21.00 shipping, imported into the United Kingdom, lands at £221.41 — £50.41 of that is charges due on arrival.
| Goods value | £150.00 |
|---|---|
| Shipping and insurance | £21.00 |
| Customs duty · 4% | £6.84 |
| Import VAT · 20% | £35.57 |
| Carrier clearance fee | £8.00 |
| Charges due on arrival | £50.41 |
| Total landed cost | £221.41 |
Order value is an assumed figure converted from euros at an illustrative rate, for the sake of a realistic example. Use the calculator for your actual numbers.
Origins with a preferential rate
| Agreement | Preferential rate | vs standard | Saving on the example |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARIFORUM14 countriesAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| Central America6 countriesCosta Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| Channel Islands2 countriesGuernsey, Jersey | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| CPTPP All Members excluding Canada2 countriesBrunei, Malaysia | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) - Comprehensive Preferences43 countriesAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) - Enhanced Preferences17 countriesAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) - Standard Preferences1 countryIndonesia | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States4 countriesMadagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| European Union28 countriesAustria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories)11 countriesAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| SADC EPA5 countriesBotswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| Best rate comes from different agreements by commodity code9 countriesAustralia, Chile, India, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
| Named individually in the tariff36 countriesAlbania, Andorra, Cameroon, Canada, Ceuta, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Egypt, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Georgia, Ghana, Iceland, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Melilla, Moldova, Morocco, North Macedonia, Norway, Palestinian Territories, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine | 0% | -4.0pp | £8.21 |
Where Northern Ireland charges differently
Northern Ireland applies the EU Common External Tariff rather than the UK Global Tariff. On 3 of the 4 commodity codes compared here the two differ; on the rest they are identical.
| Commodity code | This page | Northern Ireland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 871493Parts and accessories of vehicles of headings 8711 to 8713, hubs, other than coaster braking hubs and hub brakes, and free-wheel sprocket-wheels | 4% | 4.7% | +0.7pp |
| 871494Parts and accessories of vehicles of headings 8711 to 8713, brakes, including coaster braking hubs and hub brakes, and parts thereof | 4% | 4.7% | +0.7pp |
| 871495Parts and accessories of vehicles of headings 8711 to 8713 | 4% | 4.7% | +0.7pp |
Duty rates only. Northern Ireland follows EU customs rules on low-value consignments and UK rules on VAT, so the total charge on a parcel is not simply this page’s figure with the rate swapped. Goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are a separate regime again.
Editor's note
This page covers electric cycles and bicycle components. It does not cover complete non-motorised bicycles, and that omission is deliberate rather than an oversight.
Complete pedal bicycles sit under heading 8712.00, whose ten-digit codes carry different rates from one another. There is no single rate that is true for the heading, so none is published here — quoting one would mean choosing a number and hoping it was yours. If you are importing a complete bicycle, look the exact commodity code up at the tariff authority rather than reading a figure off this page.
Two further things this page does not tell you. Bicycles and some bicycle parts from certain origins attract anti-dumping duty on top of the ordinary rate, which this site does not model and which can be several times the duty shown. And an electric cycle’s classification turns on its motor power and whether it has a throttle, which decides whether it is a cycle or a motor vehicle for both customs and road-legal purposes.
Parts are the straightforward part of the category: hubs, brakes and saddles carry a low rate, and most listed origins remove it.
Check your own order
Common questions
How much is customs duty on e-bikes and bicycle parts imported into the United Kingdom?
Between 4% and 6% depending on the exact commodity code, with a median of 4%, effective 1 January 2021.
Is there a threshold below which I pay nothing on a parcel to the United Kingdom?
Consignments at or under £135.00 are relieved of duty, though import VAT still applies.
Is import VAT charged on top of the duty in the United Kingdom?
Yes. the United Kingdom charges 20% import VAT, calculated on the customs value plus the customs duty itself.
What would a typical order actually cost?
A £150.00 order with £21.00 shipping attracts £50.41 in charges on arrival, for a total landed cost of £221.41.
Classification notes
- 03020 UK VAT standard rate
- CD572 The wastes mentioned in Article 3 (1) of Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006, as retained in UK Law, shall be subject to the procedure of prior written notification and consent.
- CD573 The wastes mentioned in Article 3 (2) of Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006, as retained in UK Law, shall be subjected to the general information requirements laid down in Article 18 of the same Regulation, if the amount of waste shipped exceeds 20 kg
- CD574 If the wastes listed in Annex III (green list) display certain hazardous characteristics, the relevant provisions shall apply as if these wastes had been listed in Annex IV (amber list). See Article 3 (3) of Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006, as retained in UK Law.
- CD576 Exports from the Community of the wastes, listed in Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006, as retained in UK Law, are prohibited if they are destined for recovery in countries to which the OECD Decision does not apply (C(2001)107/Final of the OECD Council concerning the revision of Decision C(92)39/Final on control of transboundary movements of wastes destined for recovery operations).
- CD577 The waste explicitly destined for laboratory analysis (Article 3 (4) of Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006), as retained in UK Law, to assess either its physical or chemical characteristics or to determine its suitability for recovery or disposal operations shall not be subject to the procedure of prior written notification and consent. Instead, the procedural requirements of general information requirements shall apply (Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006). The amount of such waste exempted when explicitly destined for laboratory analysis shall be determined by the minimum quantity reasonably needed to adequately perform the analysis in each particular case, and shall not exceed 25 kg.
- CD785 The list of non-eligible locations and their postal codes is available at the following address: List of non-eligible locations
- CD828 The application of the individual duty rate for this company shall be conditional upon presentation to the customs authorities of a valid commercial invoice, in which must appear a declaration signed by an officer of the entity issuing the commercial invoice, in the following format: (1) the name and function of the official of the entity issuing the commercial invoice; (2) The following declaration: "I, the undersigned, certify that the (volume) of folding electric bicycles sold for export to the United Kingdom covered by this invoice was manufactured by (company name and address) (TARIC additional code) in the People's Republic of China. I declare that the information provided in this invoice is complete and correct."; (3) Date and signature. If no such invoice is presented, the duty rate applicable to all other companies shall apply. From 19 January 2024, the anti-dumping and countervailing duties apply to folding electric bicycles only, from this date, non-folding electric bicycles are not subject to these duties. To import non-foldable electric bicycles free of anti-dumping and countervailing duties, you must enter additional code 8100 on the import declaration.
- RT001 To claim preference under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Document Code 9081 must be declared in D.E. 2/3 in addition to the appropriate Certification of Origin Document Code detailed below: 9U01 – CPTTP Certification of Origin made out by the exporter 9U02 – CPTTP Certification of Origin made out by the producer 9U03 – CPTTP Certification of Origin made out by the importer Unless made out in Viet Nam, Brunei or Malaysia a Certification of Origin for import into the UK can be self-certified. Certifications of Origin made out in Viet Nam, Brunei and Malaysia must be certified by the exporting customs authority. Information on declaring these Document Codes in D.E. 2/3 can be found in the CDS guidance on GOV.UK The Minimum Data Requirements for what should be included in a Certification of Origin is set out in Annex I of the CPTPP Origin Reference Document (available on the GOV.UK link).
- TM570 The Iraq (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 impose trade restrictions on certain goods, technology and services. Please refer to sanctions guidance. You may need a licence from the Department for Business and Trade.
- CD501 Entry under this subheading is subject to conditions laid down in the relevant European Union provisions (see Article 254 of Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 269, 10. 10. 2013, p. 1)), as retained by UK Law. The rules for end-use control (Art. 254 of Reg. No 952/13) shall apply mutatis mutandis.
- CD659 The application of the individual duty rate for this company shall be conditional upon presentation to the customs authorities of the United Kingdom of a valid commercial invoice, in which must appear a declaration signed by an officer of the entity issuing the commercial invoice, in the following format: (1) the name and function of the official of the entity issuing the commercial invoice; (2) the following declaration: "I, the undersigned, certify that the (volume) of bicycles sold for export to the United Kingdom covered by this invoice was manufactured by (company name and registered seat) (additional code) in (country concerned). I declare that the information provided in this invoice is complete and correct. Date and signature". If no such invoice is presented, the duty rate applicable to all other companies shall apply.
- CD660 Declaration of this additional code is subject to authorisation to use the Authorised use customs procedure within the context of an anti-dumping/countervailing measure under provisions set out in The Customs (Special Procedures and Outward Processing) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (SI 2018/1249).
- CD752 In order to qualify for the duty amount applicable to goods produced by an overseas exporter specified in Table 1 or 2, a valid commercial invoice on which a declaration from the entity issuing the invoice must be presented to HMRC on importation of the goods. The following declaration must be completed, dated and signed by an official of the entity issuing the valid commercial invoice who is identifiable by name and function: “I, the undersigned, certify that the [volume] of [goods] sold for export to the United Kingdom included in this invoice was produced by [company name and address] ([TAP additional code]) in [country]. I declare that the information provided in this invoice is complete and correct. Date: Signature: Name (printed):” If an invoice is not presented, or the declaration is not made, the residual amount is the duty amount applicable to the goods.
- DS244 "This Suspension only applies to: Hubs: - with a length of 9cm or more but not more than 14.5cm - with a width of 4.9cm or more but not more than 6.7cm - with a depth of 4.1cm or more but not more than 6.5cm - with a weight of 0.153kg or more but not more than 0.452kg for use in in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87 falling within this commodity code. This suspension does not apply to any mixtures, preparations or products made up of different components containing these products. "
- DS245 This Suspension only applies to: Hubs: - with a length of 9cm or more but not more than 14.5cm - with a width of 4.9cm or more but not more than 6.7cm - with a depth of 4.1cm or more but not more than 6.5cm - with a weight of 0.153kg or more but not more than 0.452kg for use in in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87 falling within this commodity code.
- TM861 This suspension does not apply to any mixtures, preparations or products made up of different components containing these products.
- DS246 "This Suspension only applies to: Brake levers: - with a length of 12.65cm or more but not more than 16cm - with a width of 3.2cm or more but not more than 3.5cm - with a depth of 0.9cm or more but not more than 0.95cm - with a weight of 0.089kg or more but not more than 0.095kg for use in the manufacture of bicycles of Chapter 87 falling within this commodity code. This suspension does not apply to any mixtures, preparations or products made up of different components containing these products. "
48 further sanctions and trade-control notices apply to these commodity codes. They govern whether the goods may be traded, not what they cost, and are listed at the source rather than repeated here.
Sources
- S.I. 2020/1430 — effective
- S.I. 2020/1430 — effective
- S.I. 2020/1430 — effective
- S.I. 2020/1430 — effective
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