UPS accepts air shipments in accordance with regulations issued by International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO) and published as the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). For the purposes of regulatory compliance, air service levels include all Express and Expedited Services internationally. This UPS Guide for Shipping Ground and Air Hazardous Materials should always be used in conjunction with the most current version of the IATA DGR. Shippers must also comply with the UPS Tariff Terms and Conditions.

The shipper may ship hazardous materials identified in the UPS Hazardous Material Chemical Tables in compliance with all applicable ADR and/or IATA regulations, as well as the specific UPS Limitations identified within this Guide for Shipping Ground and Air Hazardous Materials.

In some cases, UPS requirements are more restrictive than those of the ADR and IATA. UPS’ “conditions incident to transportation” may differ from those of other carriers’ systems due to the distinct UPS methods for sorting, handling, and moving parcels. Accordingly, UPS expects all shipments to be capable of passing the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) Procedure 3A.

Hazardous Materials Contract service is available for customers with a Scheduled collection account. Scheduled collection includes various UPS collection services. The shipper must complete all requirements for a hazardous materials shipment before collection. For more information, shippers should contact their local UPS Business Development Department.

A hazardous materials service handling charge applied to all hazardous materials / dangerous goods parcels that require a shipping paper or Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods. UPS does not accept hazardous materials shipments at UPS Customer Centres.

Time-in-transit guarantees do not apply to hazardous material parcels.

View UPS Guide for Shipping International Dangerous Goods

• All hazardous materials shippers must process their shipments using a UPS-compliant shipping solution in conjunction with hazardous materials shipment preparation software. Shippers may use the current version of UPS-provided WorldShip in order to be compliant with existing regulatory requirements.
• Customers who do not comply with regulations or UPS variations may no longer be able to ship hazardous materials parcels via UPS.
• UPS accepts both ‘Passenger Aircraft’ quantities (PAX) of hazardous materials and ‘Cargo Aircraft Only’ (CAO) quantities offered for transport in UPS Air Service levels. Refer to the most recent copy of the UPS Chemical Tables for additional requirements. CAO shipments of materials outside of Class 9 require a specific, additional contract agreement.
• UPS World Wide Express Freight (WWEF) service accepts ‘Passenger Aircraft’ quantities (PAX) and Class 9 commodities prepared under ‘Cargo Aircraft Only’ (CAO). Refer to the most recent copy of the UPS Chemical Tables for accepted commodities. This service requires a specific, additional contract agreement. Please contact your UPS Business Development representative for support.
• For each hazardous materials parcel, UPS requires shippers to affix an authorised UPS Shipping Paper or Shipper's Declaration (for IATA shipments, three copies of the DG Dec are required) to each parcel, and to complete an entry in the UPS Shipper's Certification of Hazardous Materials (end of day manifest for hazardous materials). Each UPS driver receiving hazardous materials must also receive a hard copy of the Shipper's Certification representing those hazardous materials shipments. The transfer of electronic data about the hazardous materials shipments does not replace the UPS Shipper’s Certification of Hazardous Materials.
• Fully regulated hazardous materials parcels in domestic US service must not exceed 31 kg/70 lb gross weight. Shipments with origin or destination outside the US must not exceed 30 kg gross weight. The UPS Chemical Tables may apply lower parcel limits in some circumstances.
• To conform to DoT standards, the ‘Emergency Contact Number’ field on a shipping paper is limited to the numeric telephone number, including any applicable country code or international access codes. The only alphabetical characters allowed in this field are ‘EXT’ when an extension must be included, or ‘OPT’ when a caller must select an option number. Additional non-alphabetical characters that may be included are: full stop (.), dash (-), plus sign (+) and conventional parentheses. All other information relevant to the emergency telephone number must be presented in the ‘ER Registrant’ field.

• For cigarette lighters or similar devices, UPS does not permit the use of the exception stated in 49 CFR 173.308(e). To be transported in the UPS system, these devices must be fully declared, requiring shipping papers, proper packaging, marking and labelling.

• The DOT´s exceptions for combustible liquids, including those identified in 49 CFR 175.310, do not apply for any air service-level shipments in the UPS system.

• Materials in Division 5.2 (Organic Peroxides) are not accepted in any UPS air service level.

• For many materials, UPS requires the use of appropriate DoT special permit parcels or packaging complying with 49 CFR 173.13. Affected classes are:

  • All fully regulated shipments assigned to P.G. I or II of Division 6.1 (Toxic Substances), when offered at air service levels.
  • All fully regulated shipments of Division 4.3 (Dangerous When Wet) materials, when offered at air service levels.

• Air and ground service level shipments of Division 6.1 (Toxic Substances), PG III must be labelled in one of the following methods:

  • With the notation ‘PG III’ appearing on the diamond hazard label in accordance with 49 CFR 172.405(c); or
  • With the notation ‘PG III’ appearing immediately adjacent to a ‘TOXIC’ or ‘POISON’ label.

• Air service-level shipments of Division 6.2, Category A Infectious Substances are accepted upon completion of a contract dedicated to this particular class of material. UPS can accept Category A Infectious Substances only in US domestic Next Day Air services.

• UPS does not accept any shipments of materials described as Toxic Inhalation Hazard materials. See 49 CFR 171.8 for more details about such materials.

• Air service level shipments of UN3090, Lithium metal batteries or cells can be accepted only from approved shippers. In addition to the approval, UPS requires the Cargo Aircraft Only (CAO) Handling Label on all air service level shipments of UN3090, Lithium Metal Batteries or Cells.

• Air service level shipments of UN3480 (Lithium ion batteries) or UN 3090 (Lithium metal batteries) must be presented as fully regulated hazardous materials.

• Air service level shipments of UN3171 (Battery-powered vehicle) will only be accepted under the following conditions:

  • Restricted to PAX quantities only, not accepted as CAO.
  • Each parcel is limited to a maximum gross weight of 30 kg.
  • For a vehicle containing one or more lithium batteries that would separately be classified as UN3480 (Lithium ion battery) or UN 3090 (lithium metal battery), the battery or batteries contained in the vehicle are limited to 5 kg maximum net weight per parcel.
  • For shipments of UN3171 powered by lithium batteries, UPS requires the additional marking, ‘Contains Lithium Batteries’. The marking must meet the requirements as stated in 49 CFR 172.301(a)(1) and be near the proper shipping name.
  • For shipments of UN3171 containing one or more wet, non-spillable batteries that would separately be classified as UN2800 (Battery, wet, non-spillable), the battery or batteries contained in the vehicle are limited to 25 kg maximum net weight per parcel.

• Damaged, Defective, or Recalled (DDR) Lithium Batteries are prohibited from air service level shipments. This includes batteries shipped alone, packed with the equipment, contained in equipment, or battery-powered vehicles (UN3171). UPS ground service of DDR lithium batteries is offered in the contiguous 48 US only; this service requires a specialised service agreement and shipper pre-approval. Refer to the How to Safely Pack and Ship Batteries Guide for more details. Please contact your UPS Business Development representative for support.

• UPS requires that all parcels, including those containing hazardous materials, be capable of meeting the requirements of the ISTA Procedure 3A testing protocol. Hazardous materials parcels must also satisfy applicable specification and performance requirements of 49 CFR parts 173 and 178, or IATA Section 5.

• Hazardous materials may not be shipped in UPS-provided packaging, such as Letters, Boxes, Paks and Tubes.

  • Dedicated UPS Paks are available to use as over-packs for UN3373 (Biological substances, category B) and for Exempt human or animal specimens.

• Parcels containing hazardous materials must not be banded, taped or strapped together.

• For many materials, UPS requires the use of appropriate DoT special permit parcels or packaging complying with 49 CFR 173.13. Affected classes are:

  All fully regulated shipments assigned to Division 6.1 (Toxic Substances – PG I or II), when offered at air service levels, and
  All fully regulated shipments of Division 4.3 (Dangerous When Wet) materials, when offered at air service levels.

• To avoid confusion about the type of packaging used for fully regulated shipments of Division 4.3 (Dangerous When Wet) or 6.1 (Toxic Substances – P.G. I or II), UPS does not allow these parcels to be over-packed.

• Hazardous materials shipments authorised for strong (i.e. non-specification) outer packaging that require a shipping paper must be in outer parcels at the following minimum levels (over-packs are excluded from this requirement):

  • Packages must be in a box of sufficient strength to protect the contents while in transit, or
  • Any non-specification parcel that displays the ISTA seal indicating that the parcel has been tested and certified to ISTA Procedure 3A is not subject to the minimum ECT or burst strength requirements.

• Hazardous materials may be offered in authorised single packaging, subject to the following conditions:

  • May be offered for air service-level only as Cargo Aircraft Only (CAO) shipments. (Applies to commodities other than Dry Ice.)
  • Bags and other single packagings constructed of light gauge metal will not be accepted.
  • Orientation arrows are not required on single packagings.
  • Additional handling charges may apply.

Note: Cylinders must be over-packed in a container of suitable strength to retain their shape and protect operating mechanisms. Round tubes or over-packs are not accepted.

• While hazardous materials service (including carriage of PAX quantities and Class 9 in CAO quantities) is offered by contract only, UPS requires a specific additional contract for acceptance of “cargo aircraft only” shipments outside of Class 9. Refer to the current UPS Chemical Tables for additional detailed requirements.
• Pickup service for hazardous materials is restricted in some areas of Alaska and Hawaii. Delivery of hazardous materials is not possible in some areas of Hawaii. Delivery of CAO shipments is not possible in some areas of Alaska. Refer to the Approved Countries or Territories List for more detail.