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Prohibited & Restricted Items

What you can and cannot send. Please check this before you book — you are responsible for the contents of your shipment.

Important: shipping a prohibited item can result in your parcel being seized, destroyed or returned at your cost, and no compensation is payable. Rules also differ by carrier and by destination country — if you are unsure about an item, ask us first.

🚫 Prohibited — never accepted

These items cannot be shipped under any circumstances.

Cash, currency & bearer instruments

Banknotes, coins, cheques payable to bearer, bonds

Explosives & fireworks

Including flares, detonators, party poppers and sparklers

Flammable liquids & solids

Petrol, paint, thinners, lighter fluid, matches

Compressed gases

Aerosols, camping gas, lighters, fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinders

Corrosives

Acids, alkalis, mercury, leaking or damaged batteries

Toxic & infectious substances

Poisons, pesticides, biological samples without approved packaging

Radioactive materials

Any material classified as radioactive for transport

Illegal drugs & narcotics

Including cannabis products and drug paraphernalia

Weapons & ammunition

Firearms, replicas, firearm parts, ammunition, knives as weapons

Counterfeit & pirated goods

Fake branded goods, unlicensed copies

Human remains & body parts

Including ashes, organs and blood products

Live animals

Including insects, fish and eggs

Protected species & ivory

Anything covered by CITES — ivory, furs, shells, exotic wood

Pornographic & obscene material

Anything illegal in the origin or destination country

⚠️ Restricted — allowed with conditions

These can usually be shipped, but need correct declaration, packing or paperwork. Tell us before booking.

Lithium batteries

Usually only accepted installed in a device, with quantity and labelling limits — declare them

Electronics containing batteries

Phones, laptops, power tools — must be declared and correctly packed

Perfumes, aftershave & nail polish

Alcohol-based, treated as flammable — limited quantities, often air-restricted

Alcoholic drinks

Licence and destination import rules apply; banned into many countries

Tobacco products

Heavy duties and quantity limits; banned into some countries

Medicines & pharmaceuticals

Prescription documentation and import permits usually required

Food & perishables

Health certificates may be required; short shelf life is at your own risk

Plants, seeds & soil

Phytosanitary certificate required for most destinations

Jewellery & precious metals

Accepted only up to declared value limits — carrier liability is capped

Artwork & antiques

May need export licences and specialist packing

Medical & diagnostic samples

Must meet UN packing instructions for biological substances

Documents needing legalisation

Passports, certificates — check destination requirements first

Your responsibility

By booking a shipment you confirm that its contents are legal in both the origin and destination country, accurately described, and correctly packed. Customs authorities may open and inspect any parcel.

This list is a general guide, not a complete legal list. The selected carrier's own prohibited items list and the destination country's import rules always take precedence. See our Terms of Service and Refund & Compensation Policy.