What you cannot ship.
Some things cannot travel by air whoever is shipping them. Aerosols, perfume, vapes, loose lithium batteries, weapons, frozen food and raw meat are refused everywhere, while chilled and fresh food travels at your own risk, since boxes are not temperature controlled. A few things people never expect are refused too, such as Christmas crackers, nail varnish and bank cards. A handful of other items depend on where your box is going.
Refused everywhere
These cannot go in a box to any destination.
- Aerosols and pressurised cans. Deodorant, hairspray, spray paint, air fresheners.
- Perfume and flammable liquids. Anything alcohol based, including nail varnish and remover.
- Vapes and e-cigarettes. Refused because of the battery and the liquid together.
- Loose lithium batteries and power banks. Lithium cells can only travel built into a device. See shipping items with batteries.
- Weapons and blades. Including replicas and anything sold as a collectible.
- Frozen food, raw meat and fish. No temperature control means no way to carry them safely.
Things people do not expect
This is where most surprises happen, because none of it feels dangerous.
Anything wrapped or sealed will be opened. Customs and air freight rules mean we cannot ship a parcel whose contents cannot be verified, so wrapped gifts get unwrapped and sealed envelopes get opened. If you are sending a present, send it unwrapped and ask us to note it as a gift.
Christmas crackers and party poppers. They contain a small explosive charge, which puts them in the same category as fireworks. Nobody expects this one.
Nail varnish and remover. Flammable liquids, so they are refused in the same way as perfume. A useful rule of thumb: if the bottle or can carries a flammable symbol, assume it cannot fly. It is worth checking before you buy, not after.
Bank cards, cash and travellers cheques. Debit and credit cards, bank notes, coins and legal tender of any kind cannot be sent.
Trackers such as AirTags. Active shipment trackers and loggers are refused because they transmit in the hold.
Valuables and collectables
Some things are allowed but capped by value rather than banned outright. Jewellery, watches and precious metals are limited by the total value of the shipment, as are commemorative coins, medals and collectables. Loose gemstones, cut or uncut, cannot be sent at all, and neither can bullion. Fine art and antiques above a high individual value are also refused.
If you are shipping something genuinely valuable, ask us before you order and take a look at shipping insurance, because the courier's standard cover will be nowhere near the value of the item.
Anything living, or once living
Live animals, including insects, are refused, as are flowers and plants. So are animal parts and trophies, including ivory, furs and animal remains. Human remains and ashes cannot be sent in any form. Clinical and biological samples, and testing kits new or used, are also refused.
Illegal and counterfeit goods
This part is straightforward. Counterfeit goods, illegal drugs, offensive weapons and pornography cannot be shipped, and attempting to send them is a matter for customs rather than for us.
Depends on your destination
Other items are perfectly fine for one country and refused by another. Alcohol is the clearest example, banned outright for some destinations while allowed elsewhere. Some countries also restrict particular foods, supplements or cosmetics, and a few limit quantities rather than the item itself.
Because these change by country, the live list for your destination is worth checking before you order rather than after. For anything border-sensitive such as alcohol, the final word is your country's customs authority, not a shipping company.
Pick your country on the restricted items list to see exactly what is refused and what is restricted for your destination, kept up to date rather than written out here.
Why the rules exist
They are air freight and customs rules, not ours. A shop can legally sell you a power bank or a can of hairspray and still be unable to fly it anywhere, because the risk in a cargo hold is different from the risk on a shelf. Customs then adds a second layer, which is why the answer changes by country.
What happens if something restricted arrives
We hold it, photograph it and tell you. It never goes quietly into your box and it is never disposed of without asking you first. From there you choose. It can go back to the retailer, or on to a UK address, with the usual return fee.
The photo matters here. You see exactly what turned up and can decide with it in front of you.
Good to know.
What cannot be shipped at all?
Aerosols, perfume and flammable liquids, vapes and e-cigarettes, loose lithium batteries and power banks, weapons and blades, frozen food, raw meat and fish. These are air freight rules rather than ours. Chilled and fresh food is not banned, but it travels at your own risk; our boxes are not temperature controlled.
Who decides what cannot be shipped?
Airlines and customs authorities, not Bringbox. Air freight rules are stricter than shop rules, which is why something sold freely on the high street can still be refused for a flight.
Can I ship a can of deodorant or hairspray?
No. Aerosols are pressurised, so they cannot travel by air at all. The same applies to spray paint and air fresheners, however small the can.
Can I send a wrapped gift?
Not wrapped. Contents have to be verifiable, so wrapped gifts are unwrapped and sealed envelopes are opened. Send presents unwrapped and ask us to note the parcel as a gift.
Can I ship Christmas crackers?
No. Crackers and party poppers contain a small explosive charge, which puts them in the same category as fireworks.
How do I know if something is flammable?
Check the bottle or can for a flammable symbol before you buy. If it has one, assume it cannot travel by air. This covers nail varnish, remover, perfume and many cleaning products.
Start shopping the UK today.
Your UK address takes a minute to set up and it is free. You only pay when you ship.
Get started ›