What can't I send with InPost?

Last updated 16 May 2024

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Prohibited Items list

A list of the items you can't send through InPost

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While we’d love to accept every parcel for delivery through our network, we are serious about ensuring the safety of both your parcels and our people. We therefore restrict or prohibit the sending of Prohibited Items which are listed below. 

You should never send a Prohibited Item through our network. However, in the event that you do:

  1. we take no responsibility for the handling of that item and will in no circumstances be liable for any loss of, damage to, or destruction of that item; and
  2. you will be fully responsible and shall compensate us in full for any liability, cost, damage or expense incurred by us as a result of handling the Prohibited Item.

Where a Prohibited Item is delivered into our network we also reserve our right to suspend and/or terminate our services to you.

Where we become aware of a Parcel which does not comply with our Packaging Requirements, or which contains a Prohibited Item, we also reserve the right (at our sole discretion) to:  (a) open such Parcel for examination; (b) refuse to handle such Parcel; (c) accept such Parcel for handling provided that we shall not be responsible or liable in any way for handling of your Parcel; and / or (d) destroy or dispose of your Parcel without liability. 

Our list of Prohibited Items is set out below.  We reserve our right to amend this list from time to time. It is important that you regularly familiarise yourself with our Prohibited Items in full before using any InPost service.

If you have any questions, or are in any doubt about what you can send, please contact [email protected].

Our limitation of liability

As a reminder we limit our liability to the lower of the cost value of the items within your Parcel or to a maximum of £20.00. When you use our services, you acknowledge that any Parcel containing items above this value is sent at your own risk.

Items which are too large or poorly packaged

Prohibited

Illegal or age restricted items:

Prohibited

  • Any items, the carriage or distribution of which is illegal (including age restricted items where delivery to the recipient would be illegal).
  • Tobacco products and smoking paraphernalia (including e-cigarettes or similar).
  • Goods made in foreign prisons.
  • Counterfeit or contraband material of any kind.
  • Furs or items containing fur.
  • Teeth whitening products.
  • Firearms, imitation firearms (but excluding toys), weaponry or parts thereof or ammunition.
  • Sharp objects or bladed items.
  • Items bearing words, marks, or designs which are unauthorised and which may reasonably lead the recipient to believe that such item has been sent on His Majesty’s Service.

Dangerous items:

Prohibited

  • Dangerous goods as defined by applicable law, including the European Agreement concerning the internal Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road.
  • Pressurised containers (including aerosols, oxygen tanks or fire extinguishers).
  • Oxidising substances and organic peroxides (such as disinfectants) which may cause or contribute to the combustion of other substances (including bromides, chlorates, components of fibreglass repair kits; disinfectants; nitrates; per chlorates; permanganates and peroxides).
  • Pathogens which can cause disease (including clinical, environmental, and medical waste, Covid-19, Ebola and Anthrax).
  • Poisonous, toxic and infectious substances (including arsenic; beryllium; cyanide; fluorine; hydrogen selenide. Substances containing micro-organisms or their toxins which are known to cause, or are suspected of causing, disease, death or injury if not handled with special care including: mercury, mercury salts, mustard gas, nitrobenzene, nitrogen dioxide, pesticides, serum and vaccines).
  • Radioactive material and samples that are classified as radioactive using table 2–12 of the latest edition of the International Civil Aviation Organisations’ (ICAO) Technical Instruction (including fissile material, (uranium 235, etc), radioactive waste material, thorium or uranium ores).
  • Corrosive materials.
  • Magnetised material.
  • Pesticides.
  • Inflammable (flammable) or incendiary materials, explosives or explosive material (including lighters and matches of any kind).

Cash, precious metals, or other items conveying value:

Prohibited

  • Money, currency, cash or cash equivalents, credit or debit cards, or any items of any kind purporting to convey value or which can be exchanged by themselves or with any other item for money, goods or services (including pre-paid cards, cheques, postal orders, coupons, vouchers, tokens, bonds, bearer securities or stamps).
  • Lottery tickets, scratch cards or similar items which facilitate gambling of any kind.
  • Banderols and tax stickers.
  • Bullion of any precious metal.

Unique, valuable, or sentimental items:

Prohibited

  • Tickets (including those for travel and events).
  • Art, watches, antiques or heirlooms.
  • Medical, identification, employment, property or commercial records or negotiable documents of any kind.

Drugs, and other medical and waste items:

Prohibited              

  • Drugs (whether medicinal, narcotic or psychoactive).
  • Waste products (including environmental, clinical and medical waste) or asbestos.
  • Medical samples or biological substances.

Gasses and liquids of any kind:

Prohibited

  • Gasses of any kind whether or not contained in a pressurised container (including flammable gas, toxic gas and non-flammable / non-toxic gasses).
  • Liquids of any kind whether in liquid or frozen form (including gels, pastes, lotions, oils, solvents, paints, inks, varnish (excluding nail varnish) and enamel) or items containing liquids.

Electronic items and household goods:

Prohibited

  • Mobile phones, laptops, tablets, computers, game consoles, TV’s, monitors or other electrical devices.
  • Cameras, lenses, glasses and optical equipment (including telescopes or binoculars).
  • Light equipment and light bulbs.
  • Batteries.
  • Sim cards.

Human and plant samples:

Prohibited

  • Flowers and plants, which are not originating and sourced in the UK.
  • Animals or livestock.
  • Human or animal remains (or any part thereof) or ashes.
  • Animal skins, ivory or products containing ivory.

Items with particular handling requirements:

Prohibited

  • Glass and ceramic (perishable) goods.
  • Items that require temperature control.

Marked items:

Prohibited

Any other item marked with any of the following labels (or combination of them) are prohibited:

Marked items - what can't I send through InPost