Subheading · Chapter 85 · Heading 8511

8511.10

8511.10: Electrical ignition or starting equipment of a kind used: sparking plugs

Spark plugs

Official description Sparking plugs

8511.10 is the HS subheading for spark plugs, under heading 8511 in chapter 85.

What you pay

Importing into UK

Customs duty 2% · specific or compound duty standard rate · across 2 national lines depends on the country of origin
Additional duties and charges 4 additional measures Import requirements: 3
VAT 0.00 % import VAT
Duty calculatorCalculate duty and taxes →

Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff

UK lines →
  1. 8511 10 00 00 Sparking plugs
  2. 8511 10 00 10 For use in civil aircraft
  3. 8511 10 00 90 Other 2%

Additional duties and import rules

Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.

Additional duties and charges 4

  • Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
    Applies to goods from
    Belarus, Russia
    Legal act
    2022 No. 376
    Documents
    • 9008
  • Duty suspensionNon preferential duty under end-use Free
    Applies to goods from
    all countries
    Legal act
    S.I. 2020/1430
    Documents
    • N990 EUS - Authorisation for the use of end use procedure (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
    Tariff lines
    on 1 of 2 lines
  • Duty suspensionAirworthiness tariff suspension Free
    Applies to goods from
    all countries
    Legal act
    S.I. 2018/1249
    Documents
    • C119 Authorised Release Certificate — EASA Form 1 (Appendix I to Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 748/2012), or equivalent certificate
  • Duty suspensionSuspension - goods for certain categories of ships, boats and other vessels and for drilling or production platforms Free
    Applies to goods from
    all countries
    Legal act
    2020 No. 1431
    Documents
    • C990 End use authorisation ships and platforms (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
    Tariff lines
    on 1 of 2 lines

Import requirements 3

  • Prohibition or restrictionImport prohibition
    Applies to goods from
    North Korea
    Legal act
    S.I. 2019/411
  • Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
    Applies to goods from
    Russia, Ukraine
    Legal act
    2023 No. 440, S.I. 2022/395
    Documents
    • 9011
    • 9022
    • 9038
    • 9009
    • 9010
    • 9017
  • Import controlImport control on luxury goods
    Applies to goods from
    North Korea
    Legal act
    S.I. 2019/411
    Documents
    • Y945 Travellers' personal effects or goods of a non-commercial nature for travellers' personal use contained in their luggage (Art 10.2 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1509)
    • Y946 Goods necessary for the official purposes of diplomatic or consular missions of Member States in the DPRK or international organisations enjoying immunities in accordance with international law, or to the personal effects of their staff (Art 10.3 of Regulation (EU) 2017/1509)
    • Y948 Goods other than those described in Annex VIII (Luxury goods) of Reg. (EU) 2017/1509

Preferential rates by country

Agreement or schemeCountriesRate
standard rate (no agreement)—2%
DCTS Comprehensive
Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 more

Afghanistan, 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, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia

Free
European Union (including code "EU")
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia and 23 more

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden

Free
DCTS Enhanced
Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 more

Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu

Free
CARIFORUM
Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 more

Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago

Free
OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories)
Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 more

Anguilla, 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

Free
Central America Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama Free
SADC EPA Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia Free
Eastern and Southern Africa States Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe Free
CPTPP Brunei, Malaysia Free
UK–Andorra agreement Andorra Free
UK–Albania agreement Albania Free
UK–Australia agreement Australia Free
UK–Canada agreement Canada Free
UK–Switzerland agreement Switzerland Free
UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement Côte d’Ivoire Free
UK–Chile agreement Chile Free
UK–Cameroon agreement Cameroon Free
UK–Colombia agreement Colombia Free
UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement Ceuta & Melilla Free
UK–Ecuador agreement Ecuador Free
UK–Egypt agreement Egypt Free
UK–Fiji agreement Fiji Free
UK–Faroe Islands agreement Faroe Islands Free
UK–Georgia agreement Georgia Free
UK–Ghana agreement Ghana Free
DCTS Standard Indonesia Free
UK–Israel agreement Israel Free
UK–India agreement India Free
UK–Iceland agreement Iceland Free
UK–Jordan agreement Jordan Free
UK–Japan agreement Japan Free
UK–Kenya agreement Kenya Free
UK–South Korea agreement South Korea Free
UK–Lebanon agreement Lebanon Free
UK–Liechtenstein agreement Liechtenstein Free
UK–Morocco agreement Morocco Free
UK–Moldova agreement Moldova Free
UK–North Macedonia agreement North Macedonia Free
UK–Mexico agreement Mexico Free
UK–Norway agreement Norway Free
UK–New Zealand agreement New Zealand Free
UK–Peru agreement Peru Free
UK–Papua New Guinea agreement Papua New Guinea Free
UK–Palestinian Territories agreement Palestinian Territories Free
UK–Serbia agreement Serbia Free
UK–Solomon Islands agreement Solomon Islands Free
UK–Singapore agreement Singapore Free
UK–San Marino agreement San Marino Free
UK–Tunisia agreement Tunisia Free
UK–Türkiye agreement Türkiye Free
UK–Ukraine agreement Ukraine Free
UK–Vietnam agreement Vietnam Free
UK–Samoa agreement Samoa Free
UK–Kosovo agreement Kosovo Free
UK–South Africa agreement South Africa Free

UK: imports by month

last 12 months£112.7m+13.1% · previous 12 months
Average import price£79.57 per kg
Jan 2024: £7.8mFeb 2024: £7.2mMar 2024: £10.4mApr 2024: £9.7mMay 2024: £8mJun 2024: £7.4mJul 2024: £8.8mAug 2024: £9.1mSept 2024: £7.7mOct 2024: £8.9mNov 2024: £6.6mDec 2024: £7.9mJan 2025: £7.1mFeb 2025: £9.2mMar 2025: £9.7mApr 2025: £8.7mMay 2025: £7.6mJun 2025: £8mJul 2025: £9mAug 2025: £9.2mSept 2025: £7.9mOct 2025: £11mNov 2025: £8.3mDec 2025: £9.5mJan 2026: £9mFeb 2026: £9.2mMar 2026: £10.8mApr 2026: £8.7mMay 2026: £10.5mJun 2026: £8.3mJul 2026: £10.5mAug 2026: £9m 202420252026
Data up to August 2026 (provisional) · Monthly data: Eurostat Comext (CC BY 4.0), HMRC (OGL v3.0)

Main suppliers, last 12 months

CountryValueShareChange
Japan £45.8m 40.7% +7.1%
United States £19.8m 17.6% +24.3%
Germany £15.6m 13.9% +9.1%
Thailand £13.2m 11.7% +39.1%
Austria £6.5m 5.7% +11.4%
France £4.6m 4.1% +12.2%
China £2.5m 2.2% +23.2%
South Korea £1.7m 1.5% +59%

Same subheading in other tariffs

World trade in 2024

8511.10 · US$4bn

Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$28kUS$28k+US$2m+US$36m+> US$276m

Exports: 167
  1. Japan: US$1bn
  2. Germany: US$697m
  3. Thailand: US$389m
  4. United States: US$322m
  5. China: US$276m
  6. France: US$136m
  7. Mexico: US$136m
  8. South Korea: US$64m
  9. Austria: US$51m
  10. India: US$50m
  11. Netherlands: US$49m
  12. Indonesia: US$46m
  13. Kazakhstan: US$43m
  14. Czechia: US$43m
  15. Poland: US$39m
  16. Brazil: US$36m
  17. United Kingdom: US$36m
  18. Türkiye: US$33m
  19. Belgium: US$31m
  20. Italy: US$23m
  21. Singapore: US$18m
  22. Spain: US$15m
  23. Sweden: US$15m
  24. Bahrain: US$13m
  25. Denmark: US$11m
  26. Hungary: US$10m
  27. South Africa: US$9m
  28. Malaysia: US$6m
  29. Slovenia: US$5m
  30. Canada: US$5m
  31. Russia: US$5m
  32. Slovakia: US$4m
  33. Romania: US$4m
  34. Finland: US$3m
  35. Bulgaria: US$3m
  36. Australia: US$3m
  37. Latvia: US$3m
  38. Lithuania: US$3m
  39. Switzerland: US$3m
  40. Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$2m
  41. Croatia: US$2m
  42. Philippines: US$2m
  43. United Arab Emirates: US$2m
  44. Taiwan: US$2m
  45. Portugal: US$2m
  46. Armenia: US$2m
  47. Norway: US$2m
  48. Hong Kong SAR China: US$1m
  49. Vietnam: US$1m
  50. Estonia: US$1m
  51. Greece: US$671k
  52. El Salvador: US$513k
  53. Serbia: US$487k
  54. Kuwait: US$318k
  55. Saudi Arabia: US$309k
  56. Luxembourg: US$302k
  57. Uzbekistan: US$298k
  58. Argentina: US$281k
  59. Colombia: US$266k
  60. Panama: US$236k

Top exporters

RankCountryValueShare
1 Japan US$1bn 32.5%
2 Germany US$697m 17.7%
3 Thailand US$389m 9.9%
4 United States US$322m 8.2%
5 China US$276m 7%
6 France US$136m 3.5%
7 Mexico US$136m 3.5%
8 South Korea US$64m 1.6%
9 Austria US$51m 1.3%
10 India US$50m 1.3%

Top importers

RankCountryValueShare
1 United States US$636m 16.1%
2 Germany US$456m 11.6%
3 Mexico US$238m 6%
4 China US$234m 5.9%
5 United Arab Emirates US$181m 4.6%
6 Netherlands US$170m 4.3%
7 United Kingdom US$132m 3.4%
8 Poland US$111m 2.8%
9 France US$100m 2.5%
10 Russia US$85m 2.1%

The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 8511.10 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is 2%.

Subheading 8511.10 is a single line in the EU Combined Nomenclature, where the duty is 3.2%.

174 countries pay no duty in the UK thanks to trade agreements and preference schemes such as DCTS Comprehensive and European Union, against a standard rate of 2%.

In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.

Imports of spark plugs into the UK came to £112.7m between September 2025 and August 2026 (up 13% on the year before); Japan supplied 41%, followed by United States.

In 2024, countries exported spark plugs worth US$4bn (+2% year on year).

The largest exporter was Japan (US$1bn), followed by Germany.

Products classified here

Questions and answers

What is the HS code for electrical ignition or starting equipment of a kind used: sparking plugs?

Electrical ignition or starting equipment of a kind used: sparking plugs fall under HS subheading 8511.10, part of heading 8511, in section XVI of the Harmonized System.

What is the import duty on electrical ignition or starting equipment of a… in the UK?

Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 8511.10 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 2%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.

What is the import duty on electrical ignition or starting equipment of a… in the EU?

Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 8511.10 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 3.2%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.

Which country exports the most electrical ignition or starting equipment of a…?

Japan, with US$1bn in 2024 (32.5% of world exports).

Which countries can export spark plugs to the UK duty-free?

174 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of 2% applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.

Is there anti-dumping duty on spark plugs?

The UK charges additional duty of 35% on goods from Belarus and Russia. Lower rates apply to the named exporters listed in the measure.

Where does the UK import spark plugs from?

In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Japan (41%), United States (18%) and Germany (14%), out of total imports of £112.7m.