Subheading · Chapter 85 · Heading 8543
8543.20: Electrical machines and apparatus, having individual: signal generators
Signal generators
Official description Signal generators
8543.20 is the HS subheading for signal generators, under heading 8543 in chapter 85.
What you pay
Importing into UK from Barbados
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 8543 20 00 00 Signal generators Free
Additional duties and import rulesBarbados
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Additional duties and charges 2
- 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)
- 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
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 United States | £13.6m | 19.6% | -3.4% |
 Malaysia | £12.1m | 17.4% | +27.9% |
| United Kingdom | £11.8m | 17% | +15.2% |
 Australia | £5.7m | 8.2% | +21,024.1% |
 Czechia | £4.9m | 7.1% | -12.9% |
 Switzerland | £3.8m | 5.5% | +46.5% |
 Germany | £3.5m | 5.1% | -19.5% |
 China | £3m | 4.4% | +5.6% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU
TürkiyeWorld trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$177.2kUS$177.2k+US$3.8m+US$25.5m+> US$165.2m
Exports: 138
- Germany: US$231.8m
- United States: US$180.7m
- Malaysia: US$174.9m
- China: US$165.2m
- United Kingdom: US$122.8m
- Lithuania: US$118.2m
- Japan: US$83.4m
- Switzerland: US$78.4m
- Czechia: US$64.3m
- France: US$40.5m
- Singapore: US$35.5m
- Israel: US$29.1m
- Canada: US$25.6m
- Netherlands: US$25.5m
- South Korea: US$24.8m
- Italy: US$17.7m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$15.8m
- Taiwan: US$14.7m
- Mexico: US$11.8m
- Egypt: US$11.2m
- Spain: US$10.7m
- Russia: US$10.1m
- Thailand: US$8.1m
- Kazakhstan: US$6.6m
- Finland: US$6.4m
- India: US$6m
- Indonesia: US$5.8m
- Brazil: US$5.8m
- Belgium: US$5.7m
- Sweden: US$5.6m
- Hungary: US$4.7m
- Norway: US$4.2m
- Austria: US$4m
- Australia: US$3.8m
- Denmark: US$3.5m
- Türkiye: US$3.4m
- Vietnam: US$3.3m
- Poland: US$3.3m
- Slovakia: US$2.4m
- Romania: US$2.1m
- Philippines: US$1.6m
- Slovenia: US$1.4m
- Serbia: US$1.2m
- South Africa: US$1.2m
- Saudi Arabia: US$1.1m
- Ukraine: US$1m
- Bulgaria: US$986.3k
- Estonia: US$966.8k
- Ireland: US$923.8k
- Uruguay: US$816.4k
- Croatia: US$756k
- Kyrgyzstan: US$721.8k
- United Arab Emirates: US$717.3k
- Sri Lanka: US$681.8k
- Greece: US$676.3k
- Tokelau: US$608.2k
- Bahrain: US$476.6k
- Uzbekistan: US$444k
- New Zealand: US$437k
- Tunisia: US$426.9k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$286.3kUS$286.3k+US$3.1m+US$25.1m+> US$86.3m
Imports: 190
- China: US$173.9m
- Ukraine: US$156.4m
- United States: US$132.9m
- United Kingdom: US$91.5m
- Japan: US$89.8m
- Germany: US$86.3m
- India: US$59.9m
- Malaysia: US$58.2m
- France: US$56.3m
- South Korea: US$54.1m
- Singapore: US$44.9m
- Vietnam: US$44.9m
- Italy: US$41.3m
- Brazil: US$34.6m
- Taiwan: US$33.4m
- Canada: US$30.5m
- Russia: US$26.4m
- Netherlands: US$25.7m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$25.1m
- Luxembourg: US$23.6m
- Israel: US$20.2m
- Saudi Arabia: US$19.3m
- Australia: US$18.3m
- Switzerland: US$17.3m
- Mexico: US$16.2m
- Türkiye: US$14.4m
- Spain: US$13.3m
- Norway: US$11.2m
- Malta: US$9.5m
- Sweden: US$9.5m
- United Arab Emirates: US$9.4m
- Belgium: US$9.2m
- Austria: US$8.7m
- Peru: US$8m
- Poland: US$8m
- Czechia: US$7m
- Indonesia: US$6.7m
- Denmark: US$5.2m
- Finland: US$5.1m
- Romania: US$4.7m
- Turkmenistan: US$4.6m
- Kuwait: US$4.5m
- Thailand: US$4.4m
- Ireland: US$3.9m
- Costa Rica: US$3.8m
- Philippines: US$3.5m
- Dominican Republic: US$3.1m
- Qatar: US$3m
- Argentina: US$2.9m
- Chile: US$2.6m
- Portugal: US$2.5m
- South Africa: US$2.4m
- Colombia: US$2.3m
- Egypt: US$2.1m
- Uzbekistan: US$2.1m
- Kyrgyzstan: US$2.1m
- Kazakhstan: US$2m
- Hungary: US$2m
- Greece: US$1.8m
- El Salvador: US$1.7m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | US$231.8m | 14.5% |
| 2 | United States | US$180.7m | 11.3% |
| 3 | Malaysia | US$174.9m | 10.9% |
| 4 | China | US$165.2m | 10.3% |
| 5 | United Kingdom | US$122.8m | 7.7% |
| 6 |  Lithuania | US$118.2m | 7.4% |
| 7 |  Japan | US$83.4m | 5.2% |
| 8 | Switzerland | US$78.4m | 4.9% |
| 9 | Czechia | US$64.3m | 4% |
| 10 |  France | US$40.5m | 2.5% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$173.9m | 10.9% |
| 2 |  Ukraine | US$156.4m | 9.8% |
| 3 | United States | US$132.9m | 8.3% |
| 4 | United Kingdom | US$91.5m | 5.7% |
| 5 | Japan | US$89.8m | 5.6% |
| 6 | Germany | US$86.3m | 5.4% |
| 7 |  India | US$59.9m | 3.8% |
| 8 | Malaysia | US$58.2m | 3.6% |
| 9 | France | US$56.3m | 3.5% |
| 10 |  South Korea | US$54.1m | 3.4% |
Binding rulings for similar goods 2
Decisions of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CROSS) and HMRC (Advance Tariff Rulings) on goods classified here. A ruling binds only its holder, but shows how the authorities classify similar goods. The descriptions are the authorities’ own, in English.
- 600012543 HMRC
A noise source generator. This broadband calibrated noise source injects a controlled reference signal for Earth Station Gain (ESG) calibration. The reference signal generated provides a flat spectrum noise signal to analyse and identify discrepancies in the gain. Earth Station Gain is the…
- 600010959 HMRC
The product is a signal generator designed solely for the purpose of generating sync signals for referencing video equipment. The system has 6 crystal stabilised video outputs which are BNC connectors, a Mini-B USB port for connection to a computer and also for firmware updates to the system and a…
The UK Global Tariff has one tariff line for subheading 8543.20; the duty is duty-free.
Subheading 8543.20 is a single line in the EU Combined Nomenclature, where the duty is duty-free.
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 Free.
In the UK, additional duty of 35% applies on top of the customs duty to goods from Belarus and Russia.
Imports of signal generators into the UK came to £69.1m between September 2025 and August 2026 (down 12% on the year before); United States supplied 20%, followed by Malaysia.
In 2024, countries exported signal generators worth US$1.6bn (−2.4% year on year).
The largest exporter was Germany (US$231.8m), followed by the United States.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for electrical machines and apparatus, having individual: signal generators?
Electrical machines and apparatus, having individual: signal generators fall under HS subheading 8543.20, part of heading 8543, in section XVI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on electrical machines and apparatus, having… in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 8543.20 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on electrical machines and apparatus, having… in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 8543.20 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most electrical machines and apparatus, having…?
Germany, with US$231.8m in 2024 (14.5% of world exports).
Which countries can export signal generators 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 Free applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Is there anti-dumping duty on signal generators?
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 signal generators from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were United States (20%), Malaysia (17%) and United Kingdom (17%), out of total imports of £69.1m.