Shipping dangerous goods in the United States and internationally

When you ship dangerous goods, also called hazardous materials or hazmat, you need to comply with the laws and regulations that might apply to your business. The laws and regulations depend on the region where you transport your goods.

You're required to follow all international, federal, state, and local laws in any jurisdiction where your products are transported. You must be familiar with the laws and regulations that apply to your business.

Caution

This page provides general information to merchants regarding shipping dangerous goods as a starting point for your own research. You're responsible for reviewing this information and applying it to your business. This content doesn't contain, and isn't meant to provide, legal advice.

To sell products using the Shopify platform, you must comply with the laws of the jurisdiction of your business and your customers, the Shopify Terms of Service, and any other applicable policies. If you have questions about the law in your store or customer’s locations, then you might want to consult a lawyer for advice.

Product eligibility

Some household products might be classified as hazardous materials when shipped, including the following examples:

• Flammable liquids, such as nail polish, paint thinners, and alcohol-based hand sanitizers
• Aerosols, such as spray paints, hair sprays, and insect repellents
• Batteries
• Explosives, such as fireworks or ammunition
• Compressed gasses, such as pre-filled propane tanks, butane canisters, and oxygen cylinders

In the United States, the Hazardous Materials Regulations have information about how hazardous materials are defined, and how they should be handled, prepared, packaged, and shipped.

If you’re shipping hazardous materials internationally, then review the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAOs) Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air for more information.

Shipping restricted or prohibited items using Shopify services

You can find specific information about Shopify Shipping with DHL or shipping products using the Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN) app, such as the following resources:

• Restricted items and commodities using DHL Express -SFN product eligibility

Shipping dangerous goods in the United States and internationally

A dangerous good is any substance or material that can pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when it's transported.

Dangerous goods include the following examples:

• Backyard products such as gasoline-powered lawnmowers or pest control products.
• Bathroom products such as perfume, nail polish, deodorant spray, or mouthwash.
• Garage products such as tire cleaner, butane canisters, or spray paint.
• Kitchen products such as oven cleaner, cooking sprays, vanilla extract, or dry ice.
• Office products such as laptops with lithium batteries, printer cartridges and toners, or chargers.

If these products are transported without being properly classified, marked, labeled, documented, packaged, and handled, then they can become dangerous during transportation. Vibrations, static electricity, temperature, or pressure variations can cause dangerous goods to leak, generate toxic fumes, start a fire, or explode.

If your products have been identified as dangerous goods, then you might need to provide training for your employees involved in the packaging or transportation of dangerous goods.

You can find specific training information online, including the following examples:

• Hazardous Materials Regulations Training
• ICAO Global Aviation Training
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Training Modules
• Transportation Safety Institute

Preparing dangerous goods to be shipped in the United States and internationally

• You can obtain a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) from your manufacturer to check the Transportation Information section for information about transport risks related to the product that you want to ship.
• You can use the SDS to check for information about whether the product that you want to ship is restricted or prohibited for transportation by road, air, rail, or sea.

When you package the product, review the following considerations:

• Follow any packaging instructions identified by the manufacturer.
• Select the appropriate packaging depending on the type, class, and quantity of hazardous materials that you're shipping.
• Make sure that you close the package properly by following the manufacturer's closing instructions.
• Include the correct markings and labels on the package to identify potential hazards.
• Complete the shipping papers so that the carrier knows what you're shipping.

Resources

For the United States, you can find specific information about the markings and labels required by the Hazardous Materials Regulations online, including the following resources:

• Subpart C - Shipping Papers
• Subpart D - Marking
• Subpart E - Labeling

You can find information about dangerous goods online, including the following resources:

• ICAO's Dangerous Goods
• The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAAs) SafeCargo for Shippers and Startups
• United States Department of Transportation's Check the Box

You can also find information about shipping dangerous goods with a specific carrier, including the following resources:

• DHL
• FedEx
• UPS
• USPS