🚫 UPS Prohibited Items
What UPS won't carry abroad, what needs an approved contract, and the dangerous-goods rules to know
UPS separates "prohibited" from "restricted." Prohibited articles are not accepted. Restricted articles ship only with a contract, special service or the correct dangerous-goods paperwork. International shipments add a third layer: the destination's own import bans. Confirm your item on the official UPS prohibited and restricted items page and the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service before booking. Pages differ by origin country.
Not Accepted From the U.S. to Other Countries
UPS's U.S. page lists these as not accepted for transportation to countries outside the United States:
Export prohibited
- Ammunition
- Bank bills, notes and currency other than coin
- Corpses and cremated or disinterred remains
- Fireworks
- Hazardous waste
- Ivory
- Letters of credit shipments
- Marijuana, including medical
- Postage stamps
Prohibited across UPS services
- Vaping products and e-cigarettes, within, to or from the U.S., regardless of nicotine content
- Cigarettes and little cigars to consumers
- Non-domesticated animal products unless approved
- Counterfeit goods
- Anything illegal at origin or destination
- Live animals, apart from narrow approved programs
UPS Restricted Items for International Shipping
These can ship only on stated conditions:
| Item | Condition |
|---|---|
| Alcoholic beverages | Only licensed shippers with a UPS agreement. Not private individuals. |
| Dangerous goods | UPS accepts small-package international DG only from approved customers on approved routes, with trained staff and a Shipper's Declaration. |
| Perfume and nail polish | Usually Class 3 flammable liquids, so the dangerous-goods conditions above apply for international air. |
| Tobacco | Licensed and authorized shippers only. |
| Jewelry | Restricted for export. UPS's international terms set special limits on jewelry (not costume jewelry) worth over $500 per package. Read them before declaring value. |
| Articles of unusual value | Restricted, and limited for declared value. See shipping insurance. |
| Perishables | Accepted at the shipper's risk. UPS does not provide protection from heat or cold. |
| Plants and seeds | Restricted, requiring a UPS account. Phytosanitary rules at the destination usually apply. |
| Biological substances | Category B and exempt specimens need proper packaging and an approved shipper. |
| Firearms | Not for the general public. Export also needs a government licence. |
Lithium Batteries on UPS
UPS's published operator variations separate batteries by how they are packed:
- Installed in or packed with equipment (UN3481 and UN3091, Section II): no UPS dangerous-goods agreement needed, within the regulatory limits.
- Standalone batteries and power banks (UN3480 and UN3090): Section II is not accepted on UPS air services. They need fully regulated handling under an agreement, and standalone lithium metal also needs separate UPS Airlines pre-approval.
- Damaged, defective or recalled batteries: do not offer these by air. Ask UPS.
International Adds Country Rules
The destination's customs authority can block items that UPS itself would carry. Used clothing, drones, certain medicines, political material and food are common bans. UPS's own pages note that not every commodity can go to every country. Our country guides cover the main restrictions for each major destination, and the four-carrier comparison shows how UPS differs from FedEx, DHL and USPS on common items.
For high-duty goods, see duties and taxes as well. An item can be legal to import and still cost more than expected.
UPS Restricted Countries: Where UPS Won't Ship at All
Separate from the item lists, UPS restricts or suspends service to entire destinations. Three different things get bundled under "UPS restricted countries":
Embargoed: no service
Places under comprehensive U.S. sanctions are off the standard network. Sanctioned regions within a country can be affected too. See OFAC for current programs.
Documents only
Some destinations accept letters and documents but no merchandise. A parcel with declared commercial value is refused at booking or returned.
Suspended temporarily
Conflict, disasters or a customs outage can pause a lane with little notice. These are the most common reason a booking that worked last week fails today.
Embargo lists and suspensions change with policy and events, so treat any published list, including ours, as out of date. Check the country in the UPS booking tool before you pack. If the destination does not appear or the service list comes back empty, the lane is closed. USPS sometimes reaches places the couriers do not, but it has suspensions of its own and stricter item rules.
💡 Before you ship UPS
- Describe contents specifically on the customs form. Vague descriptions cause holds and returns.
- If a battery, fragrance or aerosol is involved, assume it's a dangerous good until you confirm otherwise.
- If UPS won't take it, compare FedEx, DHL and USPS. Restricted lists are not identical.