🚫 International Shipping Prohibited Items
The same item can be banned by USPS, allowed by UPS under contract, and blocked by the destination. Compare all four carriers below.
Three separate checks decide whether something can ship: the carrier's own rules, dangerous goods law (mostly aviation rules), and the destination's import law. An item has to pass all three. This page compares the carriers on the items people most often ask about, then shows how to run the other two checks. Carrier lists change, so treat the table as a starting point and confirm on the carrier's own page before you pack.
Carrier Comparison: Common Items
What each carrier's published rules say for a typical shipper sending from the U.S. "Agreement" means a prior contract or account approval with that carrier, which most one-off senders do not have.
| Item | USPS | UPS | FedEx | DHL Express |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lithium batteries | Only new batteries installed in the device they power, within cell and Wh limits. Spares and power banks are not mailable. | Installed or packed with equipment (Section II) can move without a DG agreement. Standalone batteries need fully regulated handling. | Installed or packed with equipment accepted under Section II. Standalone batteries and power banks must ship as fully regulated DG. | Pre-approved account holders only, and not every battery type is accepted. |
| Perfume and cologne | Prohibited if it contains alcohol | Dangerous goods. Agreement needed for international air. | Class 3 dangerous goods. DG-approved shipper. | Restricted as dangerous goods. DHL approval needed. |
| Alcoholic drinks | Nonmailable | Licensed shippers under agreement only | Approved, licensed shippers only | Not on DHL's headline list. Ask DHL first, and expect licensing limits. |
| Food | Perishables at your own risk. The country listing often bans them. | Perishables restricted, and carried at shipper's risk | Packaged non-perishables usually fine. Perishables need the right service and packing. | Depends on the destination's food import rules |
| Medicine | Prescription drugs by DEA-registered distributors only. Some OTC drugs are limited too. | Business shippers with documents. Often refused by the destination. | Licensed entities with documents. Controlled substances far tighter. | Cold-chain products and vaccines restricted. Destination rules vary widely. |
| Cash and banknotes | Valuable article: Priority Mail International only, if the destination allows it | Not accepted (banknotes and currency other than coin) | Prohibited | Prohibited |
| Jewelry and watches | Priority Mail International only, not Express. Many countries restrict it. | Restricted. Special limits on international jewelry over $500 per package. | Accepted, with declared value normally capped at $1,000 | Restricted above €10,000. Loose precious stones prohibited. |
| Aerosols | Prohibited | Dangerous goods. Agreement needed. | Class 2 dangerous goods. DG-approved shipper. | Restricted as dangerous goods |
| Used electronics | Used devices containing a lithium battery are prohibited, unless manufacturer-certified refurbished | Accepted under battery rules. Some destinations ban used goods. | Accepted under battery rules. Some destinations block or inspect them. | Accepted under battery rules. Damaged batteries are a problem on any carrier. |
| Tobacco and vapes | Cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and vapes nonmailable. Cigars only to countries that allow them. | Vaping products prohibited to or from the U.S. Tobacco for licensed shippers only. | Listed among prohibited items for ordinary shippers. Ask FedEx about licensed exceptions. | Restricted. E-cigarettes need DHL approval. |
Summarized from carrier pages reviewed October 2026. Red means generally refused; amber means possible with conditions. Neither color means the destination will accept the item.
Full rules by carrier
Each guide covers that carrier's prohibited list, restricted items, and how to check a destination:
What Every Carrier Refuses
These are refused across the board for ordinary shippers, whichever carrier you ask:
Illegal or dangerous by nature
- Explosives, fireworks and ammunition
- Illegal drugs, including marijuana
- Counterfeit or pirated goods
- Hazardous waste
- Ivory and other protected wildlife products without permits
Refused unless a narrow exception applies
- Firearms: licensed exporters only, and export licensing applies
- Live animals: a few narrow programs
- Human remains: USPS accepts cremated remains by Priority Mail Express International; the couriers generally do not
- Infectious substances: trained and approved shippers only
- Damaged, defective or recalled lithium batteries: refused by air
Why Dangerous Goods Are a Separate Check
Many ordinary products count as dangerous goods for transport: perfume, nail polish, hand sanitizer, paint, aerosols, adhesives, dry ice, and anything with a lithium battery. USPS refuses nearly all of them in international mail. The private carriers can carry them, but only from a shipper with the right account, training and paperwork, so walking into a retail counter with a bottle of cologne rarely works on any carrier. The FedEx dangerous goods guide explains the nine hazard classes and how to check a specific lane.
Check the product's Safety Data Sheet (section 14) if you are unsure. It states the UN number and hazard class, which is what every carrier will ask for.
Destination Bans Override the Carrier
A carrier accepting your parcel does not mean the destination will. These are recurring patterns, not complete lists:
| Destination | Typical problem items | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Food, seeds, plant and wood products, soil (strict biosecurity) | BICON import conditions |
| China | Used goods, printed political or religious material, some food | Country guide, carrier destination rules |
| India | Satellite phones, drones, maps showing disputed borders, used clothing | Country guide, carrier destination rules |
| Germany and the EU | Nazi-era symbols (Germany), certain knives, meat and dairy from outside the EU, goods without required product marking | Country guide |
| Japan | Many medicines and supplements in quantity, some food, counterfeit goods | Country guide |
| UAE and the Gulf | Alcohol, pork products, adult material, gambling items | Country guide, carrier destination rules |
For USPS, the "Prohibitions and Restrictions" section of the Individual Country Listing is the most detailed free source for any destination, and it is useful even if you end up using a courier. Sanctions are a further layer: see the note on restricted countries in the UPS guide.
What Happens If You Ship It Anyway
Depending on the item, a parcel can be returned, held, seized or destroyed, usually with no refund of postage and no insurance payout, since coverage excludes prohibited contents (see shipping insurance). Undeclared dangerous goods are a safety violation rather than a paperwork mistake: USPS states civil penalties from $250 up to $100,000 for knowingly mailing dangerous materials, plus cleanup costs and possible criminal charges, and the couriers can also close your account.
A vague description makes things worse. Customs authorities and carriers expect specific contents on every customs form, and "gift" or "documents" written over a restricted item is misdeclaration.
How to Check an Item in Five Minutes
- Identify the item properly. Does it contain alcohol, a battery, a compressed gas, or a flammable solvent? If it does, treat it as dangerous goods until shown otherwise.
- Check the carrier's own page: USPS international restrictions, UPS prohibited and restricted items, FedEx global restrictions, or DHL Express prohibited and restricted items.
- Check the destination in our country guides and the USPS country listing.
- Check whether the lane is open. USPS suspends acceptance to a changing list of countries: see its international service alerts.
- Ask before you pay. If the answer is still unclear, contact the carrier with the exact product name and destination, and keep the reply.