What you can and cannot send internationally
Check whether an item is accepted, requires prior approval, or is prohibited before you book. Rules vary by carrier, route and transport method. Shipping to Russia? Check the EU sanctions first: what you cannot send to Russia.
Quick decision: accepted, check first, or prohibited
Before booking, identify which category your item belongs to. The final decision depends on the carrier, selected service, route and destination rules.
Usually accepted
- Clothing, shoes, books and printed materials
- Household goods and personal belongings
- Toys and accessories without restricted components
- Clean spare parts with no fuel, oil or hazardous residue
Check before booking
- Batteries, power banks and electronic devices
- Liquids, cosmetics, perfume and aerosols
- Medicines, food and food supplements
- Plants, seeds, valuables and fragile goods
Prohibited
- Weapons, ammunition and explosives
- Illegal, toxic, infectious, corrosive or radioactive substances
- Counterfeit goods and items prohibited by law
This overview is practical guidance, not an exhaustive legal list. Carrier and customs restrictions always take priority.
Road and air rules are different
Road transport
Some items may be accepted by road under less restrictive conditions than by air. Depending on the service, this can include certain perfumes, cosmetics, liquids, aerosols and battery-powered goods.
Acceptance must be confirmed before booking. Restrictions can depend on composition, volume, quantity, packaging and destination country.
Air transport
Air services follow stricter safety rules. Perfume, aerosols, pressurised containers, flammable liquids, paints, solvents, chemicals, power banks, loose lithium batteries and devices with damaged batteries may be prohibited or restricted.
If a shipment contains a liquid, aerosol, battery or chemical, contact Topparcel before booking and review the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.
Items that require prior approval
Check these categories with Topparcel before paying:
- Medicines, medical products and biological samples
- Food, perishable goods and food supplements
- Liquids, cosmetics, perfume and aerosols
- Batteries, power banks and electronic devices
- Fragile or valuable items
- Plants, seeds and products of animal origin
- Alcohol, tobacco and tobacco products
- Goods that may require certificates, permits or customs documents
- Oversized goods, white goods and vehicle parts
We may ask for an exact product description, photographs, technical documentation or a safety data sheet. A price quote does not automatically confirm that an item can be carried.
What you cannot send
Regardless of the transport method, carriers do not accept illegal goods or items that present an unacceptable safety risk. This includes:
- Weapons, firearms, ammunition, explosives and essential components, including replicas, imitations and blank-firing weapons
- Explosive, flammable or pressurised substances
- Any item containing petrol or oil in liquid, gas or vapour form
- Lighter fluid, matches and fire extinguishers
- Illegal drugs and prohibited substances
- Toxic, infectious, corrosive or radioactive materials
- Hazardous and dangerous goods not accepted by the selected service
- Counterfeit or unlawfully distributed goods
- Live animals, human or animal remains, animal parts, livestock and insects
- Knives and other controlled weapons
- Items prohibited by the laws of the origin, transit or destination country
Carrier-specific exclusions may also apply to car body panels, bumpers, car seats, airbags, batteries for air transport, windows, windscreens, engines, fridges, freezers, washing machines and goods exceeding maximum dimensions. Contact Topparcel before booking any such item.
No-compensation items
Some items travel entirely at the sender's risk. If they are lost or damaged, Topparcel will not reimburse their value. This exclusion applies even when the shipment was insured or additional insurance cover was purchased.
This category may include:
- Televisions or graphical displays with screens exceeding 37 inches
- Antiques, artwork, works of art, fossils and stamps
- Glass, mirrors, light bulbs, ceramics, porcelain, pottery, stoneware and marble
- Precious metals and stones, including gold, silver and diamonds
- Cash, currency, bank cards, cheques, gift vouchers, travellers' cheques and money orders
- Important original documents and identity documents
- Foodstuffs, liquids, paints, inks and toners
- Military goods
- Microscopes
- Assembled furniture, including sofas, wardrobes and tables
- Other fragile, valuable or difficult-to-value items
These items are not always prohibited. Acceptance depends on the carrier, service and route. Contact Topparcel before payment.
The sender's responsibility
Describe the contents accurately
The sender must provide the exact product name, composition, quantity and value, and declare any batteries, liquids, aerosols or chemicals.
Use suitable packaging
Pack the item for the chosen service and route. Poor packaging can lead to damage and may invalidate a claim. Follow the Topparcel packing guide.
If a restricted item is found
The shipment may be held, returned, destroyed or handed to the competent authorities. Additional costs are charged to the sender, and no compensation is payable in these cases. Full details are in the Topparcel Terms and Conditions.
Not sure?
Contact Topparcel before payment. Send the exact product name, composition, quantity, volume and details of any batteries or liquids. We will check the available transport options for your route.