Reminder: Mercury (a silver metal that's liquid at room temperature) is prohibited and can't be mailed, whether by itself or in devices like antique thermometers, barometers, and switches. However, items that contain small amounts of mercury vapor, like compact fluorescent lamps, can be mailed domestically. Learn More
All USPS customers are responsible for:
Hazardous materials are substances that could injure people or cause damage if not handled properly, like chemicals or flammable items.
HAZMAT also includes lithium batteries (like the ones in cell phones and electronics; they contain a lot of energy and can be a fire risk) and liquid mercury:
If you knowingly mail materials that are dangerous or injurious to life, health, or property, for each violation, you face a civil penalty of at least $250 (but not more than $100,000), the costs of any cleanup, and damages. You may also face criminal penalties.
TIP: Try our tutorial on sending hazardous materials, HAZMAT Shipping Safety.
You can't send these items in the U.S. mail:
You can send the following items if you follow all the rules and restrictions. See a more complete list in USPS Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, & Perishable Mail.
Examples of mailable gases and aerosols include propane, butane, and fire extinguishers. Make sure you read about the specific rules and restrictions for sending mailable gases.
Beer, wine, and liquor may not be sent through the mail, except in limited circumstances.
Please note, if you want to reuse a box that has alcoholic beverage labels on it, remove all logos and labels so your package will pass through the mail system.
Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco are restricted items and can only be mailed in limited circumstances. Cigars may be mailed domestically. Customers are advised to review the Cigarettes, Cigars, and Tobacco Definitions and Mailability.
Exceptions for Mailing Cigarette & Smokeless Tobacco
Cigarettes and smokeless tobacco are mailable only in the below circumstances:
Other Shipping & Packaging Requirements
Allowable cigarette or smokeless tobacco shipments must be approved by a Postal employee at a Post Office ™ . The Postal employee will verify that an individual recipient is of legal age to receive the shipment.
Tobacco Shipments to APO/FPO/DPO
When shipping to APO/FPO/DPO locations in foreign countries, USPS treats the mail as domestic mail, but shipping is still subject to those foreign countries’ prohibitions and restrictions. Customers should be aware that size and weight standards may differ from USPS standards. See International Country Listings to find country-specific prohibitions and restrictions.
USPS ® is the only shipping company that ships cremated remains (human or pet ashes). You may ship cremated remains domestically but must use Priority Mail Express ® . Make sure the inner primary container is strong, durable, and properly sealed. For the outer shipping package, you must use one of our two Cremated Remains Kits or use your own strong, durable container properly packaged and labeled with Cremated Remains Label 139 on all four sides of the box, plus top and bottom. Order free cremated remains shipping supplies on The Postal Store ® .
Dry ice is permitted to be mailed when it is used as a refrigerant to cool the content of a mailable hazardous or nonhazardous material. Packages containing dry ice must be packed in containers that permit the release of carbon dioxide gas.
Only licensed manufacturers and dealers may mail or receive handguns. Even though unloaded rifles and shotguns are mailable, mailers must comply with applicable regulations.
Glues have a wide range of flashpoints. You are responsible for knowing the flashpoint and toxicity of the glue you want to mail. Flammable glues may be mailed if they are a consumer commodity. Some glues may only be sent by ground transportation. Glues are categorized as “adhesives” in the below resources.
To ship hand sanitizers, including wipes, you must use USPS Ground Advantage ™ or Parcel Select ® service. These services are only available through your local Post Office ™ branch.
Most hand sanitizers, including wipes, contain alcohol and are flammable in nature and are therefore handled and shipped as hazardous matter (HAZMAT) in the U.S. Mail. As flammable materials, these products are limited to surface transportation-only in domestic mail. It is prohibited to send these materials by International Mail including APO/FPO/DPO (military) destinations.
If you are unsure whether or not the product that you are shipping is flammable, please check with the manufacturer of the product before mailing.
A cannabis-derived substance with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of 0.3 percent or less is legally hemp. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound found in the flower resin of cannabis plants.
You can send certain hemp-based products domestically (within the U.S. and to U.S. territories) if you comply with all applicable laws. (You cannot send hemp and hemp-derived products to international or military destinations.)
To mail legal hemp and hemp-based products, including CBD, you must:
For domestic mailings only, small consumer-type primary lithium cells or batteries (lithium metal or lithium alloy) like those used to power cameras and flashlights are mailable domestically under certain conditions.
Lithium Batteries in Electronic Devices
If you're mailing pre-owned, damaged, or defective electronic devices containing or packaged with lithium batteries, you must send them via ground transportation; they are prohibited in air transportation.
These devices must be marked on the outer packaging with the text, "Restricted Electronic Device" and "Surface Transportation Only."
Except in limited circumstances, pets and warm-blooded animals may not go in the mail. Shipments of live animals, including poultry, reptiles, and bees, have very specific packaging requirements. Although you can drop these animals at any Post Office ™ location, they are only shipped when the appropriate transportation is available.
Safety Matches
Safety matches have treated match heads that will only ignite when struck against a specially prepared surface like a match book, card, or box. Safety matches must be sent via ground transportation and cannot be mailed internationally.
Strike-Anywhere Matches
Strike-anywhere matches will light from friction against any surface. Strike-anywhere matches may not be mailed domestically.
When sending medicine or drugs through the mail, mailers and shippers must know the characteristics of the items they are sending and treat them correctly. Medicines are controlled substances and are subject to strict regulations. Prescription medications may only be mailed by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registered distributors. Similar regulations apply to some over-the-counter medications.
Mercury is a toxic metal that’s a shiny, silver liquid at room temperature. It's often found in antique devices like thermometers, barometers, thermostats, and switches.
Liquid Mercury
Liquid mercury in any amount (and devices containing a visible amount of mercury) is prohibited from the US Mail, so you must find another carrier.
Mercury Vapor Devices
Some consumer devices, like compact fluorescent light bulbs, contain tiny amounts of mercury vapor. These items are restricted, but mailable. See Pub 52, Section 348.22g and Packaging Instruction 8C for more details.
If the nail polish you want to mail is flammable, you are responsible for knowing its flashpoint and toxicity. Flammable nail polishes may be mailed domestically if they are a consumer commodity. Some nail polishes may only be sent by ground transportation.
Flammable or combustible paint and paint-related items are generally accepted for mailing, provided the material can qualify as a consumer commodity material or ORM-D (for surface only), and is sent within the quantity limitations and packaging requirements. Latex Paint or a similar water-based paint product that is not flammable or combustible is not regulated as a hazardous material, and therefore, is not restricted.
Perfume containing alcohol may not be shipped internationally or mailed domestically using air transportation. Perfume containing alcohol, however, may be shipped within the United States by ground transportation.
Perishable items are materials that can deteriorate in the mail, such as live animals, food, and plants. Permissible perishable items are sent at the mailer’s own risk. These items must be specially packaged and mailed so that they arrive before they begin to deteriorate.
Poisons are considered toxins. You are responsible for knowing the toxicity of the material you want to mail. Some poisons may be sent by air and ground transport, others only by ground.
