Subheading · Chapter 90 · Heading 9001
9001.50: Spectacle lenses of other materials
Spectacle lenses (non-glass)
9001.50 is the HS subheading for spectacle lenses (non-glass), under heading 9001 in chapter 90.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 9001 50 00 00 Spectacle lenses of other materials 2%p/st
- 9001 50 20 00 Not for the correction of vision 2%p/st
- For the correction of vision 2%p/st
- Both sides finished 2%p/st
- 9001 50 41 00 Single focal 2%p/st
- 9001 50 41 40 Organic uncut corrective eyeglass lens, finished on both sides, to undergo a coating, colouring, edging, mounting or any other substantial process for use in the manufacture of corrective glasses 2%p/st
- 9001 50 41 90 Other 2%p/st
- 9001 50 49 00 Other 2%p/st
- 9001 50 49 40 Organic uncut corrective eyeglass lens, finished on both sides, to undergo a coating, colouring, edging, mounting or any other substantial process for use in the manufacture of corrective glasses 2%p/st
- 9001 50 49 90 Other 2%p/st
- 9001 50 80 00 Other 2%p/st
- 9001 50 80 30 Round organic uncut, semi-finished eyeglass lens with corrective effect, finished on one side, of a kind used for the manufacture of finished eyeglass lenses 2%p/st
- 9001 50 80 90 Other 2%p/st
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 3
- Additional dutyAdditional duties 35%
- Applies to goods from
- Belarus, Russia
- Legal act
- 2022 No. 598
- Documents
- 9014
- Duty suspensionAutonomous tariff suspension Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- In force
- until 31 December 2028
- Legal act
- 2020 No. 1435
- Tariff lines
- on 2 of 7 lines
- Duty suspensionAutonomous suspension under end-use Free
- Applies to goods from
- all countries
- In force
- until 31 December 2028
- 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)
- Tariff lines
- on 1 of 7 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
- Iraq, Russia, Syria, Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2020/707, 2023 No. 440, S.I. 2019/792, S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9011
- 9022
- 9038
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlImport control on restricted goods and technologies
- Applies to goods from
- Iran, Libya, Russia
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/461, 2020 No. 1665, S.I. 2019/855
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
 Thailand | £72m | 34.8% | +5% |
 China | £42.7m | 20.6% | +19.5% |
 Philippines | £18.9m | 9.1% | -12.7% |
 Portugal | £15.8m | 7.6% | +4.9% |
 India | £13.9m | 6.7% | +13.4% |
 Hungary | £12.2m | 5.9% | -8.2% |
 Poland | £9.2m | 4.4% | -5.5% |
 Czechia | £4.6m | 2.2% | +14.2% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU 2.9% Third-country duty 4 tariff lines 
Türkiye 2.9% Third-country duty 4 tariff lines 
USA 2% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Canada Free – 2% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines · average 0.5% 
Mexico Free General (MFN) 2 tariff lines 
Brazil 16.2% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Argentina 18% General (MFN) 142 tariff lines 
Peru Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
New Zealand Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Japan Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Taiwan 3% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines 
GCC 5% General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Switzerland Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
Norway Free General (MFN) 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia Free – 15% General (MFN) 4 tariff lines · average 3.8% 
Nigeria 5% – 10% General (MFN) 2 tariff lines · average 7.5% World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$234kUS$234k+US$12m+US$174m+> US$518m
Exports: 134
- China: US$1.4bn
- Thailand: US$1.4bn
- Mexico: US$787m
- Philippines: US$518m
- United States: US$464m
- Germany: US$405m
- France: US$372m
- Vietnam: US$309m
- Czechia: US$219m
- Netherlands: US$204m
- Hungary: US$202m
- Laos: US$190m
- India: US$174m
- Ireland: US$162m
- Poland: US$158m
- Portugal: US$106m
- Japan: US$93m
- Italy: US$83m
- Indonesia: US$61m
- Malaysia: US$47m
- Israel: US$47m
- Taiwan: US$44m
- South Korea: US$44m
- United Kingdom: US$39m
- Switzerland: US$37m
- Belgium: US$35m
- Romania: US$21m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$19m
- United Arab Emirates: US$17m
- Spain: US$14m
- Lithuania: US$13m
- Armenia: US$12m
- Serbia: US$11m
- Canada: US$7m
- Brazil: US$6m
- Tunisia: US$6m
- Türkiye: US$6m
- Singapore: US$6m
- Sweden: US$6m
- Austria: US$5m
- Slovenia: US$5m
- Morocco: US$5m
- Finland: US$3m
- Guatemala: US$3m
- South Africa: US$2m
- Australia: US$2m
- Peru: US$1m
- Denmark: US$1m
- Colombia: US$1m
- Panama: US$923k
- Estonia: US$877k
- Greece: US$782k
- Kuwait: US$751k
- Russia: US$705k
- Nauru: US$604k
- Kenya: US$535k
- Saudi Arabia: US$532k
- Costa Rica: US$500k
- Latvia: US$462k
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$423k
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$2mUS$2m+US$13m+US$99m+> US$275m
Imports: 206
- United States: US$1.4bn
- France: US$678m
- Germany: US$505m
- Mexico: US$495m
- Netherlands: US$347m
- Thailand: US$326m
- Italy: US$275m
- United Kingdom: US$267m
- China: US$267m
- Poland: US$251m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$227m
- Czechia: US$211m
- Japan: US$195m
- India: US$182m
- Hungary: US$162m
- Canada: US$133m
- Portugal: US$133m
- South Korea: US$108m
- Brazil: US$107m
- Belgium: US$105m
- Spain: US$99m
- Switzerland: US$89m
- Australia: US$77m
- Russia: US$70m
- Austria: US$68m
- Colombia: US$60m
- Taiwan: US$59m
- Philippines: US$57m
- Türkiye: US$47m
- Sweden: US$42m
- Romania: US$40m
- Malaysia: US$39m
- United Arab Emirates: US$38m
- Ireland: US$32m
- Finland: US$30m
- Singapore: US$29m
- Denmark: US$29m
- Vietnam: US$28m
- Israel: US$27m
- Saudi Arabia: US$27m
- Norway: US$23m
- Indonesia: US$21m
- South Africa: US$21m
- Morocco: US$18m
- Peru: US$17m
- Argentina: US$15m
- Lithuania: US$15m
- Slovakia: US$15m
- Costa Rica: US$14m
- Luxembourg: US$14m
- Chile: US$13m
- Armenia: US$13m
- Serbia: US$13m
- Croatia: US$13m
- Iran: US$12m
- Estonia: US$12m
- Algeria: US$12m
- Slovenia: US$11m
- Greece: US$11m
- Ukraine: US$11m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | US$1.4bn | 18.3% |
| 2 | Thailand | US$1.4bn | 18.2% |
| 3 | Mexico | US$787m | 10% |
| 4 | Philippines | US$518m | 6.6% |
| 5 | United States | US$464m | 5.9% |
| 6 |  Germany | US$405m | 5.2% |
| 7 |  France | US$372m | 4.7% |
| 8 |  Vietnam | US$309m | 3.9% |
| 9 | Czechia | US$219m | 2.8% |
| 10 |  Netherlands | US$204m | 2.6% |
Top importers
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | US$1.4bn | 18% |
| 2 | France | US$678m | 8.6% |
| 3 | Germany | US$505m | 6.4% |
| 4 | Mexico | US$495m | 6.3% |
| 5 | Netherlands | US$347m | 4.4% |
| 6 | Thailand | US$326m | 4.1% |
| 7 |  Italy | US$275m | 3.5% |
| 8 | United Kingdom | US$267m | 3.4% |
| 9 | China | US$267m | 3.4% |
| 10 | Poland | US$251m | 3.2% |
Import duty on this product around the world 164
The most-favoured-nation (MFN) duty each country applies to goods of this HS subheading: the average over its national tariff lines, with the lowest and highest line where they differ. Goods from countries with a trade agreement often pay less.
- 3.8%median duty
- 65number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 30%highest: Algeria, Sudan, Bermuda
164
| Importing country | MFN duty | lines from – to | data year |
|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan | 10% | 2018 · HS 2012 | |
 Albania | 2% | 2023 | |
 Algeria | 30% | 2023 | |
 Angola | 2% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Anguilla | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Antigua & Barbuda | 0% | 2021 · HS 2007 | |
| Argentina | 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Armenia | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Aruba | 12% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Australia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Azerbaijan | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bahamas | 23% | 0% – 45% | 2022 |
 Bahrain | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bangladesh | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Barbados | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Belarus | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 |
 Belize | 0% | 2023 | |
 Benin | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Bermuda | 25% | 2023 | |
 Bhutan | 0% | 2022 | |
 Bolivia | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 3.8% | 0% – 5% | 2022 |
 Botswana | 0% | 2023 | |
| Brazil | 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Brunei | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Burkina Faso | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Burundi | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cambodia | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cameroon | 10% | 2023 | |
| Canada | 0.7% | 0% – 2% | 2023 |
 Cape Verde | 5% | 0% – 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 |
 Cayman Islands | 0% | 2021 · HS 2002 | |
 Central African Republic | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chad | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chile | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| China | 7% | 2023 | |
 Colombia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Comoros | 20% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Congo - Brazzaville | 10% | 2023 | |
 Cook Islands | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Costa Rica | 0% | 2023 | |
 Côte d’Ivoire | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 |
 Cuba | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominica | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominican Republic | 8% | 2023 | |
 Ecuador | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Egypt | 10% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 El Salvador | 0% | 2022 | |
 Equatorial Guinea | 10% | 2023 | |
 Eswatini | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ethiopia | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| European Union (27 countries) | 2.9% | 2023 | |
 Fiji | 0% | 2023 | |
 Gabon | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gambia | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Georgia | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Ghana | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Gibraltar | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Grenada | 0% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Guatemala | 0% | 2023 | |
 Guinea | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Guinea-Bissau | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Guyana | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Haiti | 0% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Honduras | 0% | 2023 | |
 Hong Kong SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Iceland | 0% | 2023 | |
| India | 10% | 2023 | |
 Indonesia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Iran | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Israel | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Jamaica | 0% | 2023 | |
| Japan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Jordan | 2.5% | 0% – 5% | 2023 |
 Kazakhstan | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Kenya | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kiribati | 0% | 2023 · HS 2002 | |
 Kuwait | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kyrgyzstan | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 |
 Laos | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Lebanon | 3.3% | 0% – 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 |
 Lesotho | 0% | 2023 | |
 Liberia | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Libya | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Liechtenstein | 0.2%* | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Macao SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Madagascar | 0% | 2023 | |
 Malawi | 12% | 5% – 25% | 2021 · HS 2017 |
 Malaysia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Maldives | 0% | 2023 | |
 Mali | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Mauritania | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 |
 Mauritius | 0% | 2023 | |
| Mexico | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Micronesia | 4% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Moldova | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mongolia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Montserrat | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Morocco | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Mozambique | 0% | 2023 | |
 Myanmar (Burma) | 3% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Namibia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nauru | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Nepal | 5% | 2023 | |
| New Zealand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nicaragua | 0% | 2023 | |
 Niger | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
| Nigeria | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
| North Macedonia | 3.8% | 0% – 15% | 2023 |
| Norway | 0% | 2023 | |
 Oman | 5% | 2023 | |
 Pakistan | 11% | 2023 | |
 Palau | 3% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Palestinian Territories | 12% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Panama | 0% | 2023 | |
 Papua New Guinea | 0% | 2023 | |
 Paraguay | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Peru | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Philippines | 3% | 2023 | |
 Qatar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Russia | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 |
 Rwanda | 0% | 2023 | |
 Samoa | 20% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | 20% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 Saudi Arabia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Senegal | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Seychelles | 0% | 2023 | |
 Sierra Leone | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Singapore | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Solomon Islands | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Somalia | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 South Africa | 0% | 2023 | |
 South Korea | 8% | 2023 | |
 Sri Lanka | 10% | 0% – 20% | 2023 |
 St Kitts & Nevis | 0% | 2023 | |
 St Lucia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 St Pierre & Miquelon | 6% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 St Vincent & the Grenadines | 0% | 2023 | |
 Sudan | 30% | 10% – 40% | 2021 · HS 2017 |
 Suriname | 0% | 2023 · HS 2007 | |
| Switzerland | 0.1%* | 2023 | |
 Syria | 5% | 2020 · HS 2012 | |
 Tajikistan | 8% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Tanzania | 0% | 2023 | |
| Thailand | 5% | 2023 | |
 Togo | 7.5% | 5% – 10% | 2023 |
 Tonga | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Trinidad & Tobago | 0% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
| Türkiye | 2.9% | 2023 | |
 Tuvalu | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Uganda | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ukraine | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 United Arab Emirates | 5% | 2023 | |
| United Kingdom | 2% | 2023 | |
| United States | 2% | 2023 | |
 Uruguay | 9% | 0% – 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 |
 Uzbekistan | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Vanuatu | 0% | 2023 | |
 Venezuela | 18% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Vietnam | 0% | 2023 | |
 Wallis & Futuna | 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Yemen | 5% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Zambia | 15% | 2023 | |
 Zimbabwe | 0.1% | 0.1% – 0.1% | 2023 |
Tariff data years 2017–2023; rates may have changed since. * ad valorem equivalent of specific duties (UNCTAD estimate) · UNCTAD TRAINS, accessed via WITS (World Bank)
Classifications and correspondences
Where this HS subheading sits in the United Nations' statistical classifications, and which codes it had in earlier editions of the Harmonized System.
- SITC Rev. 4
- 88417 Spectacle lenses of other materials
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Intermediate goods · BEC 711220
- CPC 2.1 product
- 48311 Optical fibres and optical fibre bundles; optical fibre cables (except those made up of individually sheathed fibres); sheets and plates of polarizing material; lenses, prisms, mirrors and other optical elements (except of glass not optically worked), whether or not mounted, other than for cameras, projectors or photographic enlargers or reducers
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 2670 Manufacture of optical instruments and photographic equipment2731 Manufacture of fibre optic cables
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 9001.50 | changed |
| 2012 | 9001.50 | changed |
| 2007 | 9001.50 | changed |
| 2002 | 9001.50 | changed |
| 1996 | 9001.50 | changed |
| 1992 | 9001.50 | changed |
Correspondence tables of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
Binding rulings for similar goods 1
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.
- N294388 U.S. CBP
The tariff classification of smartglasses lenses, nose-piece, and remote control from Israel
In the UK Global Tariff, subheading 9001.50 covers 7 tariff lines and the duty is 2%.
The EU Combined Nomenclature divides subheading 9001.50 into 4 tariff lines; the duty is 2.9%.
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 spectacle lenses (non-glass) worth £207.2m (up 2% on the year before), at an average of £101.98 per kg; Thailand supplied 35%, followed by China.
World trade in spectacle lenses (non-glass) reached US$7.9bn in 2024, up 5.4% on 2023.
China was the largest exporter with 18.3% of the total, ahead of Thailand.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for spectacle lenses of other materials?
Spectacle lenses of other materials fall under HS subheading 9001.50, part of heading 9001, in section XVIII of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on spectacle lenses of other materials in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 9001.50 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 spectacle lenses of other materials in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 9001.50 from countries without a preferential agreement are charged at 2.9%. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most spectacle lenses of other materials?
China, with US$1.4bn in 2024 (18.3% of world exports).
Which countries can export spectacle lenses (non-glass) 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 spectacle lenses (non-glass)?
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 spectacle lenses (non-glass) from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Thailand (35%), China (21%) and Philippines (9%), out of total imports of £207.2m.