What FedEx will not ship, what needs an approved account, and how the rules tighten by destination country
How FedEx splits the rules. FedEx maintains three separate lists: prohibited items it will never accept, restricted items it will carry only under a contract or with paperwork, and dangerous goods (DG) that move only on specific services with hazmat documentation. An item can be perfectly legal to own and still be un-shippable. The lists below summarize the common cases — always confirm against the official FedEx prohibited and restricted items page and your destination's rules before you ship.
These are refused on every FedEx service worldwide. They are not a matter of paperwork — FedEx simply will not carry them:
"FedEx dangerous goods" almost always means one of the nine IATA/DOT hazard classes. These can sometimes ship, but only on FedEx services that accept the relevant class, with a Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods and proper UN-spec packaging. There is no single "dangerous goods country list" — instead, each country's customs and aviation authority decides which classes it will accept, so the same battery or aerosol may be fine to Canada and refused to, say, India or Saudi Arabia. Our guide to FedEx dangerous goods and country acceptance walks through each class, the paperwork it needs, and how to check a specific lane before you book.
| Class | Examples | Typical FedEx treatment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 — Explosives | Fireworks, flares, ammunition, airbag inflators | Effectively prohibited on most services |
| 2 — Gases | Aerosols, propane, compressed/liquefied gas | DG account + declaration |
| 3 — Flammable liquids | Perfume, paint, nail polish, alcohol >24% | Restricted; limited-quantity rules |
| 4 — Flammable solids | Matches, magnesium, lighters | DG declaration |
| 5 — Oxidizers | Pool chemicals, peroxides | DG declaration |
| 6 — Toxic / infectious | Pesticides, diagnostic specimens | Strictly controlled |
| 7 — Radioactive | Some medical/industrial sources | Highly restricted |
| 8 — Corrosives | Acids, wet batteries, drain cleaner | DG declaration |
| 9 — Miscellaneous | Lithium batteries, dry ice, magnets, vehicles | Special marking/labels |
Lithium batteries (Class 9) trip up more FedEx shipments than anything else. The rules turn on whether the battery is loose or installed:
Only between FedEx-approved, licensed shippers and consignees under a signed agreement. No consumer-to-consumer wine or spirits.
Alcohol-based fragrance is a Class 3 flammable liquid. Ships under limited-quantity DG rules, ground-only in many lanes.
Class 9. Allowed with the UN1845 marking, net quantity stated, and a DG-capable service.
Category A/B substances need certified packaging and trained shippers.
Allowed between licensed entities with documentation; controlled substances are far more restricted.
Accepted to most countries but blocked or heavily inspected by several (e.g. China, India).
The destination, not just FedEx, decides what arrives. A package FedEx accepts in the U.S. can still be seized at the border. Common country-level blocks include used clothing, drones and satellite phones, political or religious materials, gambling items, and certain medicines. Our country shipping guides list the prohibited and restricted items for each major destination — start there before you book, and cross-check the universal prohibited items list that applies to every carrier.