Prohibited and restricted items
Every carrier publishes what it won’t carry and what it takes only under conditions. The lists differ, and the rules of the carrier on your label are the ones that apply.
Checked against each carrier’s own list on
Short answer. Don’t ship dangerous goods, loose lithium batteries, flammable liquids or gases, explosives, firearms, ammunition, cannabis, prescription drugs, research chemicals and peptides, steroids, recalled products, counterfeits or anything illegal with a ProtonShip label. For alcohol, tobacco, perishables, cash, animals and fragile goods, each carrier has its own rule, listed below.
Never with a ProtonShip label
Our terms of service rule these out for every carrier, even where a carrier accepts them from shippers with a special agreement:
- Dangerous goods, including flammable liquids and gases and anything that needs a dangerous goods declaration
- Loose lithium batteries, and any damaged, defective or recalled battery
- Explosives, fireworks and ammunition
- Firearms
- Cannabis
- Prescription and investigational drugs
- Research chemicals and peptides, including anything sold as “research use only” or “not for human consumption”
- Anabolic steroids and hormones
- Recalled products
- Counterfeit goods, including counterfeit medical devices
- Anything that is illegal to ship
You’re responsible for packing, marking and declaring what’s inside correctly. We, the carrier or our shipping partners may ask for documents, such as a safety data sheet, a product licence number (NPN or DIN) or proof of ownership. A parcel that breaks the rules can be inspected, held, returned or disposed of, and the costs are charged to you.
What each carrier restricts
“Restricted” means the carrier allows it only with an agreement or pre-approval, or only under the conditions shown. A quote doesn’t check what’s in the box, so pick a carrier whose rules allow your goods.
| Item | Canada Post | UniUni | Purolator | UPS | FedEx |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | Permitted senders with a contract or a Solutions for Small Business account, with proof of age | Prohibited | Prohibited between provinces without written approval | Restricted to where provincial and federal law allow | Express: licensed distributors only. Ground: prohibited |
| Tobacco and vapes | Tobacco barred between provinces, with exceptions. Vapes by ground only, with proof of age | Prohibited, including vape cartridges | Tobacco prohibited between provinces | Restricted, pre-approval needed | Prohibited |
| Lithium batteries | Inside equipment by air or ground within limits. Loose or packed with equipment: ground only. Damaged or recalled: barred | No domestic rule published | Treated as dangerous goods | Damaged, defective or recalled: prohibited | Accepted within IATA Section II. Damaged or defective: not accepted |
| Perishables | At the sender's risk, with no coverage | Prohibited | Fresh or frozen fish, seafood and meat prohibited; others at the shipper's risk | Restricted, pre-approval needed | Express under its perishables rules. Ground at the shipper's risk |
| Cash | No claims paid for bank notes | Prohibited | Prohibited without written approval | Prohibited | Prohibited |
| Live animals | Only under an agreement, such as bees or chicks | Prohibited | Prohibited without written approval | Restricted, pre-approval needed | Prohibited, except live lobsters and crabs by Ground |
| Fragile items | No specific rule found | Glassware and porcelain prohibited | Glassware at the shipper's risk | Glass and crystal restricted | No specific rule found |
Things that catch people out
- UniUni has the strictest list of the five: it refuses all alcohol, all perishables, glassware and porcelain, knives and tasers.
- FedEx Ground refuses alcohol, while FedEx Express takes it only between licensed distributors.
- Canada Post refuses ammunition in every case.
- Canada Post and FedEx accept lithium batteries installed in a device, within their limits. Purolator treats any lithium battery as dangerous goods, even inside a device. Loose spares can’t go with a ProtonShip label at all.
The carriers’ own lists
Sources, checked October 11, 2026
Find the carrier whose rules fit
See every carrier that fits your parcel in one quote, then pick the one whose rules suit what you sell.