Subheading · Chapter 85 · Heading 8535
8535.40: Lightning arresters, voltage limiters and surge suppressors
8535.40 is a six-digit subheading of heading 8535, electrical apparatus for switching or protecting electrical circuits, or for…, chapter 85.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 8535 40 00 00 Lightning arresters, voltage limiters and surge suppressors 2%
- 8535 40 00 10 For use in certain types of aircraft 2%
- 8535 40 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 suspensionAutonomous suspension under end-use Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 2020 No. 1435
- Documents
- N990 EUS - Authorisation for the use of end use procedure (Column 8c, Annex A of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2015/2446)
- 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 4
- 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 restricted goods and technologies
- Applies to goods from
- Iran, North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/461, S.I. 2019/411
- Documents
- Y966 Goods other than those described in the MG footnotes linked to the measure (Missile Technology Control Regime list - Annex III of Reg. (EU) 267/2012)
- Y920 Goods other than those described in the footnotes linked to the measure
- Import controlImport control of fluorinated greenhouse gases
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- Legal act
- 517/2014
- Documents
- Y054 Goods labelled according to the provisions of Article 12 of Regulation (EU) 2024/573
- Y053
- Y986 Exemption from import prohibition according to Article 11.1 and 11.2 of Regulation (EU) 2024/573
- Y926
- 9066
- Y950
- Y123 Undertaking registered in the F-Gas Portal according to Article 20 of Regulation (EU) 2024/573
- Y124
- Y976
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | 2% |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, 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") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, 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 moreAntigua & 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 moreAnguilla, 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
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Germany | £4.8m | 29% | +44% |
 China | £3.1m | 18.6% | -23.9% |
 Sweden | £1.6m | 9.9% | -5.7% |
 India | £1.5m | 9.1% | -29.6% |
 United States | £1.4m | 8.7% | +138.3% |
 Switzerland | £1.4m | 8.2% | +6.7% |
 Denmark | £495k | 3% | +434.1% |
 Canada | £358k | 2.2% | +255.9% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU
TürkiyeWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$91kUS$91k+US$3m+US$11m+> US$42m
Exports: 127
- China: US$170m
- Germany: US$139m
- United States: US$81m
- Switzerland: US$42m
- Mexico: US$40m
- Sweden: US$36m
- Japan: US$30m
- France: US$29m
- United Kingdom: US$23m
- India: US$21m
- Spain: US$14m
- Poland: US$13m
- South Korea: US$11m
- Saudi Arabia: US$11m
- Türkiye: US$8m
- Czechia: US$8m
- Denmark: US$7m
- Italy: US$6m
- Brazil: US$6m
- Belgium: US$6m
- Austria: US$5m
- Taiwan: US$5m
- Slovenia: US$5m
- Vietnam: US$5m
- Singapore: US$5m
- Malaysia: US$5m
- Australia: US$4m
- Netherlands: US$4m
- Russia: US$4m
- Hungary: US$4m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$3m
- Estonia: US$3m
- Canada: US$3m
- Thailand: US$3m
- South Africa: US$3m
- Paraguay: US$2m
- Indonesia: US$2m
- Bulgaria: US$2m
- Romania: US$2m
- Lebanon: US$1m
- Slovakia: US$1m
- Norway: US$1m
- Greece: US$868k
- Portugal: US$791k
- Morocco: US$723k
- Finland: US$660k
- Latvia: US$565k
- Croatia: US$519k
- Ireland: US$504k
- Lithuania: US$503k
- Serbia: US$490k
- Costa Rica: US$388k
- Colombia: US$381k
- New Zealand: US$377k
- Israel: US$363k
- United Arab Emirates: US$325k
- Philippines: US$305k
- Cyprus: US$213k
- Andorra: US$132k
- Egypt: US$119k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$624kUS$624k+US$3m+US$11m+> US$24m
Imports: 208
- United States: US$102m
- Saudi Arabia: US$46m
- Germany: US$36m
- Canada: US$31m
- India: US$29m
- China: US$24m
- Mexico: US$24m
- South Korea: US$23m
- Brazil: US$21m
- Poland: US$20m
- United Kingdom: US$18m
- Indonesia: US$17m
- Taiwan: US$17m
- Spain: US$17m
- Türkiye: US$15m
- Vietnam: US$15m
- United Arab Emirates: US$13m
- Italy: US$12m
- Australia: US$11m
- Thailand: US$11m
- Austria: US$11m
- France: US$10m
- Czechia: US$9m
- Philippines: US$9m
- Malaysia: US$8m
- Switzerland: US$8m
- Denmark: US$8m
- Netherlands: US$7m
- Egypt: US$7m
- Japan: US$6m
- South Africa: US$6m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$6m
- Colombia: US$6m
- Greece: US$6m
- Ukraine: US$6m
- Singapore: US$6m
- Norway: US$5m
- Romania: US$5m
- Iraq: US$5m
- Ethiopia: US$4m
- Belgium: US$4m
- Portugal: US$4m
- Chile: US$4m
- Hungary: US$4m
- Sweden: US$4m
- Finland: US$4m
- Peru: US$4m
- Argentina: US$4m
- Ireland: US$3m
- Kazakhstan: US$3m
- Israel: US$3m
- Ecuador: US$3m
- Oman: US$3m
- Bulgaria: US$3m
- Algeria: US$3m
- Bangladesh: US$3m
- Kuwait: US$3m
- Senegal: US$2m
- Lithuania: US$2m
- Slovakia: US$2m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$170m | 21.7% |
| 2 | Germany | US$139m | 17.7% |
| 3 | United States | US$81m | 10.3% |
| 4 | Switzerland | US$42m | 5.3% |
| 5 |  Mexico | US$40m | 5.1% |
| 6 | Sweden | US$36m | 4.6% |
| 7 |  Japan | US$30m | 3.8% |
| 8 |  France | US$29m | 3.6% |
| 9 | United Kingdom | US$23m | 3% |
| 10 | India | US$21m | 2.7% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$102m | 12.9% |
| 2 |  Saudi Arabia | US$46m | 5.8% |
| 3 | Germany | US$36m | 4.6% |
| 4 | Canada | US$31m | 4% |
| 5 | India | US$29m | 3.7% |
| 6 | China | US$24m | 3.1% |
| 7 | Mexico | US$24m | 3.1% |
| 8 |  South Korea | US$23m | 3% |
| 9 |  Brazil | US$21m | 2.7% |
| 10 |  Poland | US$20m | 2.6% |
Recent rule changes mentioning this code
Acts whose text cites this code or its heading. Check the act itself: a code can be cited for reasons other than a change of its duty.
- Sanctions · Applies from:
The Iran (Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
S.I. 2026/983 · Source: legislation.gov.uk
- Other
Update to VAT Z Coverage on Aircraft and Aircraft Parts – 19 May 2026
Trade Tariff news 6334 · Source: trade-tariff.service.gov.uk
- Sanctions · Applies from:
The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
S.I. 2026/543 · Source: legislation.gov.uk
- Tariff change
Autonomous Suspension under Authorised Use on Offshore Wind Turbines. Stop Press – 17 March 2026
Trade Tariff news 5311 · Source: trade-tariff.service.gov.uk
In the UK Global Tariff, subheading 8535.40 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is 2%.
The EU Combined Nomenclature has one tariff line for subheading 8535.40; the duty is 2.7%.
Goods from 174 countries can enter the UK at a preferential rate instead of the standard 2%; 174 of them pay no duty at all, for example under DCTS Comprehensive or European Union.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
In the 12 months to August 2026, the UK imported these goods worth £16.6m (up 7% on the year before), at an average of £26.77 per kg; Germany supplied 29%, followed by China.
World trade in these goods reached US$786m in 2024, up 9% on 2023.
China was the largest exporter with 21.7% of the total, ahead of Germany.
Products classified here
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for lightning arresters, voltage limiters and surge suppressors?
Lightning arresters, voltage limiters and surge suppressors fall under HS subheading 8535.40, part of heading 8535, in section XVI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on lightning arresters, voltage limiters and surge… in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 8535.40 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 lightning arresters, voltage limiters and surge… in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 8535.40 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 2.7%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most lightning arresters, voltage limiters and surge…?
China, with US$170m in 2024 (21.7% of world exports).
Which countries can export these goods 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 these goods?
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 these goods from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Germany (29%), China (19%) and Sweden (10%), out of total imports of £16.6m.