Drop-off locations for dangerous goods

You can drop off dangerous goods at some, but not all, staffed FedEx locations. To find one in your area go to Find FedEx Locations; enter your location; then select “Dangerous goods shipping.” If not dropped off at a staffed location that accepts dangerous goods, your shipment must be tendered to FedEx Express via a scheduled pickup at the customer location. 

Dangerous goods shipments, including dry ice, are not allowed at FedEx^® Drop Box locations, FedEx Office^® Print and Ship Center locations, FedEx Authorized ShipCenter^® locations, FedEx OnSite locations, or FedEx ShipSite^® locations, with the following exceptions:

• Biological Substance, Category B (UN 3373) shipments can be placed in FedEx Drop Boxes in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. If FedEx Drop Boxes are not available at FedEx Office Print and Ship Center locations, UN 3373 shipments can be handed over the counter for acceptance. Contact your local FedEx Office Print and Ship Center location for service questions.
• Beginning April 19, 2021, Walgreens locations will accept UN 3373 packages for both hold and customer dropoff as part of the FedEx OnSite program.
  • This includes approved COVID-19 at-home test kit returns.
  • Other alliances (Dollar General, Albertsons and Target) will not be accepting UN 3373 shipments.
  • UN 3373 package guidelines can be found here. 
• FedEx Express^® shipments containing permitted IATA Section II lithium batteries are allowed at FedEx Office Print and Ship Center locations and may be placed in FedEx Drop Boxes.

Shipments containing accessible dangerous goods (ADG) and inaccessible dangerous goods (IDG) that are dropped off at staffed FedEx U.S. locations must be processed using a FedEx or third-party automation system, not paper airbills or air waybills. ADG and IDG shipments processed using paper airbills or air waybills may be tendered to FedEx Express via a scheduled pickup, however. For more information on items classified as ADG and IDG, see the Special Handling Fees section below. This change does not affect the following types of dangerous goods, which may be dropped off at staffed FedEx U.S. locations if processed using paper airbills or air waybills:

• Dry ice (UN 1845)
• Magnetized material (UN 2907)
• Excepted package radioactive materials (UN 2908, UN 2909, UN 2910 and UN 2911)
• IATA Section II lithium batteries (UN 3091 and UN 3481)
• Genetically Modified Micro-organisms and Genetically Modified Organisms (UN 3245)
• Biological Substance, Category B (UN 3373)
• Dangerous goods in excepted quantities

FedEx Ground^® hazardous materials shipments, including Limited Quantity shipments, cannot be dropped off at FedEx Express or FedEx Office locations. They must be picked up by a FedEx Ground driver.

Sometimes you may not recognize that the item you are shipping qualifies as dangerous goods and requires proper identification, classification, packaging, markings, labeling and documentation. However, it is your responsibility to correctly identify and classify these shipments.

The first step is for you to identify whether your shipment contains dangerous goods. This category includes aerosol sprays, airbags, ammunition, butane, car batteries, cologne, dry ice, fireworks, gasoline, jet fuel, lighters, lithium batteries, matches, nail polish, nail polish remover, nitrogen-refrigerated liquid, paint, perfume, solvents, some chemicals, and more.

If you are unsure whether your commodity meets the criteria for dangerous goods or which dangerous goods identification and classification applies to your shipment, contact the U.S. Department of Transportation at 1.800.467.4922. IATA regulations Section 2.2 also offers extensive information on the topic of hidden dangerous goods.

If you have further questions on shipment preparation, call our Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials Hotline at 1.800.463.3339 (say “dangerous goods”). Outside the U.S., call 1.901.375.6806.

Ground vs. Air Regulations

Some items may not be regulated as dangerous goods if they travel by ground but are regulated by IATA if they are offered for transportation via FedEx Express^® services. One common example is:

• Dry ice (carbon dioxide solid), UN 1845

There are limitations for dangerous goods shipments to many international destinations. Call 1.800.463.3339 (say “international services”) to check commodity acceptability. Please identify the destination city and country, and the hazard-class name (corrosive, toxic, etc.) when you call.

For an overview of FedEx^® service to individual countries, go to Countries Served: Overview of FedEx International Priority^® and FedEx International Economy^® services.

If you use paper air waybills rather than an electronic shipping solution to process dangerous goods shipments to international locations, you cannot use the standard FedEx^® International Air Waybill:

• If you're shipping via FedEx International First^®, FedEx International Priority^®, FedEx International Economy^®, FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution^®, FedEx International Priority^® Freight, FedEx International Economy^® Freight or FedEx International Priority DirectDistribution^® Freight, you must use the FedEx^® Expanded Service International Air Waybill.
• If you're shipping via FedEx International Premium^® or FedEx International Express Freight^®, you must use either the FedEx IATA (023) Air Waybill or IATA Neutral Air Waybill.

Commodity restrictions. When shipping the following commodities internationally, check to ensure that they are accepted by your chosen FedEx service for delivery to the destination country and city:

• Dangerous Goods in Excepted Quantities (IATA 2.6)
• Excepted Package Radioactives (10.5.8)

To check commodity acceptability to your destination, select Get Rates and Transit Times, enter your shipment details and then choose the Get Detailed Quote option. Use the closest keyword from among the choices provided for that hazard class. If you have questions, contact FedEx International Customer Service at 1.800.463.3339 (say “international services”).

Additional information

• Class 7 radioactives are accepted only between specified locations in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean (preapproval required). Call 1.800.463.3339 and say “international services” for information. Class 7 substances will not be accepted outside the U.S. without preapproval.
• Class 1.4 explosives are acceptable as FedEx Express^® shipments to Canada, France, Germany, Japan, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Note: United Arab Emirates allows only Class 1.4 explosives to be shipped via Hold at Location service to the FedEx Express facility in Dubai.
• For dangerous goods shipments picked up on Saturday and destined for any European city, one day will be added to the delivery commitment.
• Hold at Location service for dangerous goods shipments is available only at certain FedEx locations in Europe, Canada and Japan. Call our hotline for details.

As the shipper, you are responsible for identifying, classifying, packaging, marking, labeling and completing documentation for dangerous goods according to all national and international governmental regulations. Failure to do so could create dangerous conditions on the aircraft and result in the shipper being subject to governmental fines and penalties under applicable laws.

Packaging

FedEx^® packaging may not be used to ship dangerous goods (including dry ice), with the following exceptions:

1. Permitted IATA Section II lithium batteries, which may be shipped in FedEx boxes and tubes, as well as FedEx^® Paks with a rigid box inside, offered as per FedEx Express operator variation FX-06.
2. Biological Substance, Category B (UN 3373) shipments, which may be shipped in the FedEx^® UN 3373 Pak, the FedEx^® Medium Clinical Box, the FedEx^® Large Clinical Box or the following FedEx Temp-Assure^® cold shipping boxes: Small Cold Box Standard Duration, Medium Cold Box Standard Duration, Medium Cold Box Extended Duration, Large Cold Box Standard Duration and Large Cold Box Extended Duration.

Package Labels

For faster, more accurate shipment preparation, use our FedEx dangerous goods package labels. Simply apply the labels, which are designed for the type of dangerous goods you're shipping, to your packages rather than marking and labeling them by hand. We have specialized labels for undeveloped film and dry ice. To order them, call 1.800.463.3339.

Package Markings

Package markings must be permanently affixed to the package by the shipper. The markings can be handwritten on the package or applied in the form of a self-adhesive label. Attaching a pouch containing shipment information to the package does not meet this requirement.

IATA regulations, for example, require the shipper to mark the name and address of both the shipper and recipient on the package. Applying a peel-and-stick airbill or self-adhesive automation label meets this requirement; a paper airbill or paper automation bar code in a pouch does not.

Dry Shippers/Dry Dewars meeting the note in IATA Packing Instruction 202 should have an indication on the outer package that the shipment is a Dry Shipper or Dry Dewar.

Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods

• FedEx can accept Shipper's Declarations for Dangerous Goods only in typed or computer-generated formats, not handwritten (see FedEx Express variations FX-07 and FX-18 in the current IATA Dangerous Goods Manual for certain exceptions that apply, and other details).
• Most shipments to, from or transiting through the U.S. that require a Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods also require a 24-hour emergency-response telephone number. For exceptions to this rule, refer to current IATA regulations.
• FedEx electronic shipping solutions can accept different designations of dangerous goods for individual packages within a multiple-package shipment in the U.S. You must label each package appropriately and provide dangerous goods documentation for the entire shipment.
• If a mistake is made on the Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods form, the shipper may correct the form then handwrite their full signature next to the alteration or amendment. This must be the same signature used to sign the document. The most common reason for a rejected shipment is neglecting to sign the alteration or amendment with the same signature used on the document. See IATA 8.1.2.6 for information on alterations and amendments.

Fees that apply to shipments containing dangerous goods

There are special handling fees that apply to shipments containing dangerous goods. Surcharges are based on classification and type of special handling required, including whether the items need to be accessible during shipment.

Dangerous goods that are not assessed a surcharge

FedEx Express dangerous goods surcharges are not applied to certain types of dangerous goods:

1. Dangerous goods in Excepted Quantities (IATA 2.6)
2. Excepted package radioactive materials (IATA 10.5.8)
3. Biological Substance, Category B (UN 3373)
4. Shipments containing permitted IATA Section II lithium batteries
5. Genetically Modified Micro-organisms and Genetically Modified Organisms (UN 3245)
6. Magnetized Material, when there is no Shipper's Declaration required (UN 2807)
    

Dangerous Goods via FedEx Express Package Services — U.S.

Accessible Dangerous Goods Shipments

• Contain items that must be accessible during transit.
• May be shipped using only FedEx First Overnight^® and FedEx Priority Overnight^®  services.

Inaccessible Dangerous Goods Shipments

• May be shipped via most FedEx Express U.S. services.

Shipments Containing Dry Ice

• A special handling fee of $7.50 per package will be assessed.
• If a shipment contains both dry ice and dangerous goods (accessible or inaccessible), only dangerous goods charges are assessed. The dry-ice surcharge is not assessed.

Dangerous Goods via FedEx Express^® Freight Services — U.S.

Accessible Dangerous Goods Shipments

• Contain items that must be accessible during transit.
• May be shipped using only FedEx First Overnight^® Freight and FedEx 1Day^® Freight services.

Inaccessible Dangerous Goods Shipments

• May be shipped via FedEx First Overnight^® Freight, FedEx 1Day^® Freight, FedEx 2Day^® Freight and FedEx 3Day^® Freight.

Dangerous Goods via FedEx Express International Services

Accessible Dangerous Goods Shipments

• Contain items that must be accessible during transit.
• May be shipped using FedEx International Priority^®, FedEx International Priority^® Freight, FedEx International Premium^® or FedEx International Express Freight^® services.
• From the U.S. only, may be shipped using FedEx International Economy^® or FedEx International Economy^® Freight (except to Puerto Rico).
• Dangerous goods are not acceptable to all international locations. Call 1.800.463.3339 and say “international services” for details and assistance.

Inaccessible Dangerous Goods Shipments

• May be shipped via most FedEx international services.
• Dangerous goods are not acceptable to all international locations. Call 1.800.463.3339 and say “international services” for details and assistance.

Shipments Containing Dry Ice

• A special handling fee of $7.50 per shipment will be assessed ($7.50 per package for shipments to or from Puerto Rico).
• If a shipment contains both dry ice and dangerous goods (accessible or inaccessible), only dangerous goods charges are assessed. The dry-ice surcharge is not assessed.

Dangerous Goods via FedEx International Express Freight

FedEx International Express Freight consignments subject to IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations will be charged a special handling fee of $80 per UN article number, subject to a maximum charge of $300 per consignment. Please call FedEx Express Freight Services at 1.877.398.5851 for more information.