Transportation of dangerous goods classes and index

If you’re not sure if the items you intend to mail are dangerous goods, you should:

Please note: Some commodities that contain low concentrations of dangerous goods may not be regulated if you dilute the dangerous goods to such an extent that the product no longer poses a hazard. For example, a flammable liquid that’s diluted so that it’s no longer flammable isn’t a dangerous good unless it falls under any of the 9 classes listed below.

List of dangerous goods

A bundle of dynamite and a grenade

Class 1 – Explosives

  • Ammunition and cartridges
  • Black powder
  • Blasting caps
  • Detonators
  • Dynamite
  • Explosive fuses and igniters
  • Fireworks
  • Flash powder
  • Grenades
  • Rocket motors
  • Signal flares
  • Toy and starting pistol caps
A lighter, spray cans, and fire extingusher

Class 2 – Compressed gases

  • Aerosol products (hair sprays, inhalers)
  • Bear and dog spray
  • Camping stove and BBQ cylinders
  • Cigarette lighters
  • Cryogenic liquids (nitrogen, helium, and so on)
  • Cylinders of compressed gas (oxygen, air, acetylene, butane, propane, carbon dioxide, and so on)
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Mustard gas
A paint can and propane tanks

Class 3 – Flammable liquids

  • Acetone (nail polish and remover)
  • Adhesives (glues)
  • Alcohols (butanol, methanol, ethanol, and so on)
  • Camping fuel
  • Cigarette lighter fuel
  • Essential oils (tea tree and eucalyptus oil)
  • Furniture stripper
  • Gasoline
  • Gasoline additives
  • Paints, enamels, lacquers, and so on
  • Perfume and shaving lotion
  • Petroleum products and kerosene
  • Thinners
A bag of charcoal rocks and a matchbook

Class 4 – Flammable substances

  • Charcoal
  • Fire starters
  • Flameless Ration Heaters (FRHs)
  • Fuel tablets
  • Matches
  • Metals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and sodium)
  • Moth balls
  • Oil impregnated fabrics
A group of canisters containing dangerous chemicals

Class 5 – Oxidizers and organic peroxides

  • Ammonium nitrate products (fertilizer)
  • Bleaching powders
  • Disinfectants
  • Fibreglass repair kits
  • Hair and textile dyes
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Nitrates
  • Organic peroxides
  • Oxygen pellets
  • Pool chlorine and bromine
Pill bottles and a syringe

Class 6 – Toxic and infectious substances

  • Arsenic
  • Bacteria and viruses (hepatitis, HIV, and so on)
  • Chloroform
  • Disinfectants
  • Drugs and medicine
  • Fungicides
  • Herbicides
  • Infectious diagnostic specimens (blood samples)
  • Used needles and swabs
A smoke detector and examples of radioactive materials

Class 7 – Radioactive materials

  • Measuring instruments
  • Medical isotopes
  • Smoke detectors
A fire extinguisher as well as bottles and jugs of cleaner

Class 8 – Corrosives

  • Acids (hydrochloric, sulphuric, nitric, muriatic, and so on)
  • Battery acid
  • Caustic soda
  • Cleaners
  • Disinfectants
  • Drain openers
  • Dyes
  • Etching fluid
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Formaldehyde
  • Household bleaches
  • Mercury
  • Mercury thermometers and blood pressure gauges
  • Oven cleaners
  • Paint or varnish remover
  • Potassium hydroxide
  • Rust removers
  • Self Heating Beverages (SHBs)
  • Soda lime
  • Sodium hydroxide
A magnet, a shock absorber, and a car battery

Class 9 - Miscellaneous

  • Air bags
  • Asbestos
  • Carbon dioxide solids
  • Dry ice
  • Gas filled shock absorbers
  • Lithium batteries (with or without device)
  • Gasoline powered devices - even without gasoline (lawn mowers, chain saws, weed cutters, motorcycles, and so on)
  • Self-inflating life preservers
  • Strong magnets

Please note:

This index has examples of common dangerous goods. It’s not an exhaustive list. The index doesn’t necessarily include items designated as non-mailable matter under our regulations. For example, knives that have been improperly prepared for mailing.