Ship dangerous goods and hazmat: declarations and carrier API flags
domain: logistics-general · 6 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
Sampled — shipped under file-level sampling, not individually fact-checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Steps
Classify the material using the UN hazardous materials database: obtain the UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class/division, packing group (I/II/III), and applicable transport regulation (IATA for air, IMDG for ocean, DOT 49 CFR for US ground).
Determine the quantity threshold: many items qualify as excepted quantity or limited quantity which have relaxed packaging and documentation requirements — confirm applicability before applying full dangerous goods procedures.
In the carrier API (EasyPost, FedEx Ship API, UPS Shipping API), set the shipment-level hazmat or dangerous goods flag and supply the required fields: UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group, quantity, net weight, and packaging type; IATA Section II exempt lithium batteries have a separate declaration path.
Generate the required shipper's declaration or dangerous goods form — as of January 1, 2025 the IATA DGR Section 8 formatting layout for computerized Shipper's Declarations is mandatory for air shipments; use a compliant template or a DG management software that auto-generates the form.
Ensure packaging is certified for the hazard class (UN-specification packaging); attach the correct labels and placards; carriers will reject DG shipments at tender if external markings do not match the declaration.
Note that EasyPost's API does not support Accessible Dangerous Goods (ADG) or Fully Regulated Dangerous Goods (FDG) through its standard label flow — fully regulated DG shipments must be booked directly with the carrier or through a specialist DG freight forwarder.
Known gotchas
EasyPost's hazmat support covers exempt and limited quantities (e.g., IATA Section II lithium batteries) but not fully regulated dangerous goods — attempting to pass fully regulated DG through EasyPost's standard API will result in a carrier rejection at the manifest or tender stage, not at API call time.
Carrier APIs accept the DG declaration fields but do not validate regulatory correctness — an incorrect packing group or wrong UN number is accepted by the API and only discovered at physical inspection, at which point the shipment may be seized or returned.
Employees involved in DG shipment preparation must hold current IATA or DOT DG training certification; the shipper's declaration is a legal document and errors constitute regulatory violations independent of whether the carrier or API accepted the data.
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