What can't be forwarded: the list of items banned from international parcels

The rules don't come from us. They come from air transport regulations, which ban from cargo holds anything that can catch fire, explode, leak or corrode, and from our carriers, who add refusals of their own. A parcel containing one of these items can't leave, whatever the destination — and a carrier that finds it en route pulls it out of the network, with no refund.

The list below is the one our carriers apply. Your destination country may ban more — it's up to you to check with its customs before you order.

Refused, whatever the destination

• Aerosols and gases — hairspray, spray deodorants, foams, spray paint, gas cartridges, lighters. Anything under pressure.
• Flammables — nail polish, remover, pure alcohols, fuels, firelighters, some glues and paints.
• Lithium batteries shipped on their own — power banks, spare batteries, loose lithium cells. A battery installed in the device is different: see below.
• Corrosives and toxics — concentrated cleaning products, acids, pesticides, mercury.
• Explosives, ammunition, weapons — including replicas, knives whose sale is regulated, and weapon parts.
• Radioactive items — rare in a private parcel, but some old objects contain them (vintage luminous watches and dials, for instance).
• Narcotics and counterfeits — the latter are seized on arrival and can bring the recipient a fine.
• Animals, plants and seeds — live or not, most countries ban their import without a certificate.
• Perishable food — cheese, charcuterie, anything that needs cold or spoils within a week.
• Cash, banknotes, jewellery and valuables, works of art — refused by our carriers, whose insurance doesn't cover them. Costume jewellery or an ordinary watch go through; gold, stones and collectible coins don't.
• Glass and mirrors not packed for transport, funeral ashes, obscene material.

Under conditions, depending on the destination

These items aren't banned as such, but their transport depends on the carrier, the quantity and the arrival country. When you have some delivered, tell us: we check before building the box, not after.

• Perfume and eau de toilette — they contain alcohol, so they're flammable. Some carriers accept small quantities on some routes, others refuse them. Check with us before buying a gift set.
• Alcohol — wine and spirits go through to some countries, within quantity limits, with excise duties on arrival; they're banned in others, whatever the quantity. It's the typical case where the rule depends entirely on the destination.
• Medicines — even sold over the counter in France, they may need a permit or be banned from import elsewhere. Don't count on a parcel for that.
• Tobacco — accepted to some countries with excise duties, refused to others.
• Motorbikes, heavy appliances — beyond our carriers' weight and size limits, or subject to special formalities.

Batteries, the case that keeps coming up

A phone, a laptop, a smartwatch, a camera: their battery is installed, and they travel without a problem, within the limit of four cells or two lithium batteries per parcel (20 Wh per cell, 100 Wh per battery). It's loose batteries that are refused — the power bank, the spare battery bought separately, the loose lithium cell. If you buy a device sold with a spare battery in the box, tell us: we separate what can go from what can't.

What happens if a parcel arrives with something that can't ship

We tell you immediately, with photos, and look for a solution together: return the item to the seller if possible, take it out of the box and ship the rest, or keep it on hold while you decide. What never happens: the parcel won't be handed to the carrier with a banned item inside. A carrier that finds one en route destroys it, without compensation, and it can engage our liability as well as yours.

Frequently asked questions