Dangerous Goods Screener
Find out at quoting time — not at the terminal — whether what you are shipping is regulated for air transport, and which class it falls under.
This is an early-warning lookup, not a compliance determination. The IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations are the authority: they carry the packing instructions, quantity limits per package, UN numbers, and the state and operator variations that decide whether a specific commodity may fly. Shipping dangerous goods by air requires current DGR training and a Shipper's Declaration. Nothing on this page substitutes for either — when in doubt, declare it and let the carrier confirm acceptance.
The nine classes
21 classes and divisions. Air freight's own troublemakers — lithium batteries, dry ice, magnetised material — all live in Class 9.
Explosives
Substances and articles that can explode, project fragments or burn energetically.
Explodes as a whole.
e.g. Blasting explosives, Detonating cord
Projects fragments without mass explosion.
e.g. Certain munitions
Burns energetically, minor blast.
e.g. Propellant, Display fireworks
Effects largely confined to the package.
e.g. Safety cartridges, Small-arms ammunition
1.4S is the only division routinely accepted on passenger aircraft, and only within DGR limits.
Insensitive but mass-explosion capable.
e.g. Blasting agents
No mass-explosion hazard.
e.g. Specialist articles
Gases
Compressed, liquefied, refrigerated or dissolved gases.
Ignites in air at low concentration.
e.g. Butane lighters, Aerosols (flammable), Propane
Asphyxiant or oxidising, not flammable.
e.g. Nitrogen, Helium, Fire extinguishers, Carbon dioxide cylinders
Toxic or corrosive by inhalation.
e.g. Chlorine, Certain fumigants
Flammable liquids
Liquids with a flash point at or below 60 °C.
Gives off ignitable vapour at ambient temperature.
e.g. Paint, Solvents, Perfume and alcohol-based cosmetics, Adhesives
Packing group drives the quantity limit — PG I is far more restricted than PG III.
Flammable solids
Solids that ignite readily, self-heat, or react with water.
Readily combustible or may cause fire through friction.
e.g. Matches, Sulphur, Metal powders
Self-heats or ignites on contact with air.
e.g. White phosphorus, Oily rags, Some fishmeal
Emits flammable gas on contact with water.
e.g. Calcium carbide, Sodium, Some battery cores
Oxidisers and organic peroxides
Substances that yield oxygen and intensify a fire, or are thermally unstable.
Feeds a fire even without air.
e.g. Hydrogen peroxide solutions, Ammonium nitrate fertiliser, Pool chemicals
Thermally unstable, may need temperature control.
e.g. Hardeners, Curing agents
Some types require temperature control in transit and are forbidden by air entirely.
Toxic and infectious substances
Substances harmful by ingestion, inhalation or skin contact, and biological material.
Poisonous to humans.
e.g. Pesticides, Arsenic compounds, Cyanides
Contains or may contain pathogens.
e.g. Category A and B diagnostic specimens, Clinical waste, Cultures
Category A infectious substances have their own packaging and notification requirements.
Radioactive material
Material with an activity concentration above the DGR exemption threshold.
Excepted, Type A, Type B or fissile packages.
e.g. Medical isotopes, Industrial gauges, Radiopharmaceuticals
Transport index and criticality safety index limits govern how much can go on one aircraft.
Corrosives
Substances that attack skin, metal or other cargo.
Destroys living tissue or corrodes metal.
e.g. Battery acid, Sodium hydroxide, Some cleaning agents, Wet cell batteries
Miscellaneous dangerous goods
Regulated hazards that do not fit classes 1 to 8 — the class most shippers meet without expecting to.
Anything presenting a hazard in air transport not covered elsewhere.
e.g. Dry ice (UN1845), Magnetised material, Aviation-regulated liquids, Engines and machinery containing fuel
Lithium ion (UN3480/UN3481) and lithium metal (UN3090/UN3091) cells and batteries.
e.g. Power banks, Laptops and phones, E-bike and scooter batteries, Battery-powered equipment
The single most common reason a shipment is stopped at acceptance. Standalone lithium ion (UN3480) is cargo-aircraft-only and must be shipped at a state of charge not exceeding 30%. Batteries in or with equipment follow different rules again.
Frequently asked
Does an empty result mean my cargo is not dangerous goods?
No. This screener matches keywords against a class summary and a handful of examples. Plenty of regulated commodities are not in that list, and classification depends on the substance, its concentration and its packing — not on its name. The safety data sheet and the IATA DGR decide, not this page.
Can I ship dangerous goods by air at all?
Most classes can fly, within limits. Some divisions are cargo-aircraft-only, some are forbidden outright, and every acceptance depends on the operator and the states along the route. A declaration and correctly marked, certified packaging are mandatory.
Do I need training to ship dangerous goods?
Yes. Preparing a dangerous goods shipment for air transport requires current, role-specific training under the IATA DGR. An untrained shipper cannot legally complete a Shipper’s Declaration, and getting it wrong carries real liability.
Why are lithium batteries such a problem?
They are the most common regulated item shippers do not realise is regulated, and they behave badly in a fire. Standalone lithium ion batteries (UN3480) are cargo-aircraft-only and must ship at a state of charge no higher than 30%. Batteries inside or packed with equipment follow different rules again, which is where most mistakes happen.
Shipping regulated cargo? IATA DGR classified cargo with declaration and packing checks.
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