Hazardous Items That Moving Companies Will Not Ship

There will be certain items of a hazardous nature that you will not be able to ship if using a commercial carrier for your move. Federal regulations prohibit certain items from being shipped unless they are packed and shipped according to the Department of Transportation(D.O.T.) regulations.

Consequently private moving companies will not ship these items. They often fall under the title of “Non-Allowables”. You will have to make other arrangements for the transport of these items. Otherwise heavy fines can be imposed on trucking companies and individuals.

Other issues to be concerned with independent of the above regulations should be materials that could cause damage to your shipment or items that could void your insurance coverage in the event of an accident.

Hazardous Materials include Items that are Flammable, Corrosive, Poisonous, or Explosive

Examples include:

• Matches
• Kerosene
• Gasoline
• Charcoal & charcoal lighter fluid
• Sterno
• Lamp oils
• Cleaning solvents
• Ammonia
• Liquid bleach
• Paints
• Paint thinner
• Propane & propane tanks
• Fireworks
• Ammunition
• Gun powder
• Aerosols
• Fire extinguisher
• Nail polish
• Nail polish remover
• Household batteries
• Car batteries
• Chemistry sets
• Darkroom chemicals
• Pool chemicals
• Motor oil
• Fertilizer
• Pesticides
• Poisons(weed killers, etc.)
• Detergents

These regulations may also require you to drain gasoline from your lawn mower or other gasoline operated equipment.

You will be able to transport many of these items in a private vehicle. These items are called “consumer commodities” which are consumed by individuals for purposes of personal care or household use. In other words you won’t get busted for carrying a can of bug spray or a few quarts of motor oil in your private vehicle. Quantity is also key regarding these regulations.

On the other hand if you are transporting hazardous items of commerce used in your business to your new home destination these items will fall under the DOT regulations. For instance, if you are in a pest control business and will be carrying large quantities of pesticides on the highway you must comply with DOT regulations.

If space is limited for carrying these materials or you just prefer to avoid issues with them you can either use them up in advance of your move or leave them behind for the new tenant.

Note that airline operators have different sets of rules with respect to carrying some of these items even for personal use. Many are either restricted or not permitted. Check the Transportation Safety Administration(TSA) website for prohibited and allowable items for both carryon and checked baggage.

authored by Lon Britton

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