Shipment conditions
International rules for sending post and parcels
Some goods and substances may not be sent abroad. Keep in mind the international rules. This prevents customs from seizing or destroying your post.
Do you ever send goods abroad using a stamp? From 1 January 2020, this will no longer be possible regardless of the value of the product. Due to changes in international regulations we have to start distinguishing strictly between goods and letters. This means it is no longer possible to send an item in an envelope with stamps. From now on, you need to send it as a parcel without track & trace. That way, there will always be a shipping label including a barcode.
On 15 March 2020, a regulation was published by the European Commission banning the export of personal protective equipment for the time being. For consumers and businesses, this means that sending personal protective equipment to countries outside the EU via PostNL is no longer allowed until further notice.
The following goods and substances are prohibited by law to ship in every country:
- perfume and aftershave
- lithium (batteries)
- aerosols (e.g. deodorants, air fresheners, hairspray and whipped cream)
- aerosols (e.g. deodorants, air fresheners, hairspray and whipped cream)
- gas canisters
- lighters
- fire-extinguishing equipment
- perfume and aftershave
- nail polish, lacquer, varnish and paint
- petrol and spirit
- glue and adhesive
- removal agents or thinners for paint, lacquer and varnish
- alcoholic beverages containing more than 24% alcohol
- all matches and fire igniters
- cellulose nitrate films
- disinfectants
- hair and textile dye
- bleach
- crop protection agents and pesticides
- infectious organisms (e.g. bacteria, viruses and parasites)
- medical samples and examination samples
- clinical waste
- cleaning fluids
- rust removal and prevention agents
- mercury and gallium
- lead-acid batteries
- medicines
- soft drugs (e.g. cannabis, CBD oil and qat)
- hard drugs (e.g. cocaine and ecstasy)
- magnets (stronger than 0.159A/m)
- loose lithium batteries
- used batteries and oils
- cigarettes
- cigars
- (pipe) tobacco
- (automatic) firearms
- fake weapons
- (ballistic) knives
- knuckle dusters
- blackjacks
- electric shock weapons
- pepper spray
- ammunition
- fireworks fuses and ignition equipment
- primers for counterfeit
- weapons
- airbags
- videos and printed matter
- child pornography
- excrements
- tissue
- blood
Many countries made additions to the general list of prohibited goods and substances. Below you will find these additions for the countries where most post is sent to. It also says what can be sent under certain conditions.
It is prohibited to ship the following goods to the United States:
- alcoholic beverages
- lottery tickets
- narcotics, unless these are permitted as controlled substances. More information can be found on the website of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
- tobacco products such as cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco and snuff
- shipments containing food products, including food supplements and beverages. These must be reported online with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prior to shipment. To do so, you must first register at Registrar Corp. Did you receive a registration number? Make this Prior Notice Number clearly visible on the shipping document of the parcel. Please note: you do not need to report gift shipments of food products sent by you as consumer-to-consumer.
- shipments of lithium batteries.
Ask the local postal service or the embassy under which conditions these goods can be sent.