Prohibited items

If your mail contains dangerous goods or any other item or article which is of a hazardous or prohibited nature, you must always agree the despatch separately with Itella. In such instances, a bespoke service must be chosen. You can find examples of substances and items classified as dangerous or prohibited on this page.

When sending substances and items classified as dangerous goods, you must bear in mind the responsibility of the sender. The sender is responsible for ensuring that the substances and items have been classified, packed and labelled correctly and that the necessary documentation has been submitted in compliance with the valid regulations regarding the Transport of Dangerous goods.

Restrictions apply to the sending of/to any of the following:

  • Dangerous goods
  • Other prohibited substances and items
  • A particular country (Country-specific restrictions)

Dangerous goods

Substances belonging to transport categories 0 and 1, that codes are mentioned in dangerous goods list per UN-number (chapter 3.2 column 15) nor to class 1 (Explosive substances and articles, except cartridges for power devices which classifies as 1.4S), class 4.2 (Substances liable to spontaneous combustion) and class 7 (Radioactive material) are not accepted for transport by Itella. About transporting other dangerous goods must contact Itella.

Class 1:
Explosives		 e.g. detonators, fuses, fireworks, flares and distress rockets, firearms cartridges, sparklers, explosive streamers
Class 2:
Gases		 e.g. aerosols (hair sprays, deodorants), helium, blowtorches, camping gas, cigarette lighters, fire extinguishers
Class 3:
Flammable liquids		 e.g. acetone, petrol, methanol, spirit, thinner, turpentine, several disinfectants, paints, glues, nail varnish and perfumes
Class 4.1:
Flammable solids, self-reactive substances and desensitized explosives		 e.g. matches
Class 4.2:
Substances liable to spontaneous combustion		  
Class 4.3:
Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gas		 e.g. potassium, sodium
Class 5.1:
Oxidising substances		 e.g. hydrogen peroxide (minimum 8%)
Class 5.2:
Organic peroxides		  
Class 6.1:
Toxic substances		 e.g. cyanide, specific mercury compounds, specific pesticides
Class 6.2:
Infectious substances		 e.g. samples containing pathogens, certain vaccines (see packaging instructions).

Shipping of laboratory samples that are packed and market as told in instructions is not prohibited.

Class 7:
Radioactive materials

 e.g. plutonium, uranium

Class 8:
Corrosive substances Acids and alkali

 e.g. sulphuric acid, acid batteries, mercury, several strong detergents
Class 9:
Miscallaneous dangerous substances and articles		 e.g. asbestos, dry ice, devices containing dangerous goods, airbag modules, safety belt pre-tensioners, internal combustion engines fuelled by inflammable gas or liquid, lithium batteries, strong magnets

Other bans and restrictions

The items listed below are either entirely prohibited or there are restrictions on their carriage, and sending these are subject to a separate agreement with Itella.

  • ENTIRELY PROHIBITED: Ammunition, airguns, weapon replicas and replicas of deactivated explosives.
  • Money, securities, traveller’s cheques, platinum, gold or silver (wrought or unwrought), gemstones, jewellery and other valuables (only as insured postal items to those countries that permit them).
  • Narcotics, e.g. LSD, morphine, cocaine, cannabis products, opium (permitted for medical or other scientific use)
  • Counterfeit and pirated products
  • Live animals. (Bees, leeches and silk-worms can be sent. In addition, flies of the family Drosophilidae for biomedical research can be exchanged in international letters between officially recognized institutions.)
  • Items and substances, the possession or use of which is prohibited by law.

Country-specific restrictions

You can check country-specific bans and restrictions concerning mail content easily under Country information.