What things cannot be mailed

There are several things that cannot be mailed through the United States Postal Service (USPS) or other postal services due to safety, security, or regulatory concerns. Here are some examples:

  1. Hazardous materials: Items that are flammable, explosive, corrosive, or toxic cannot be mailed. This includes things like fireworks, gasoline, bleach, and pesticides.
  2. Perishable items: Fresh food, live animals, and plants cannot be mailed due to concerns about spoilage and the potential for disease transmission.
  3. Liquids and gases: Liquids and gases that are flammable, corrosive, or toxic cannot be mailed. This includes things like paint, cleaning supplies, and compressed gases.
  4. Live animals: While some live animals can be shipped through the USPS, such as birds and small mammals, others like reptiles, amphibians, and fish are not allowed.
  5. Human remains: Human remains cannot be mailed, and it is illegal to do so.
  6. Firearms and ammunition: Firearms and ammunition are regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and cannot be mailed.
  7. Explosives: Explosives, including fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices, cannot be mailed.
  8. Radioactive materials: Radioactive materials, including nuclear waste and radioactive isotopes, cannot be mailed.
  9. Biological agents: Biological agents, including viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms, cannot be mailed.
  10. Illegal substances: Illegal drugs, including controlled substances and illegal pharmaceuticals, cannot be mailed.
  11. Counterfeit items: Counterfeit items, including fake currency, credit cards, and identification documents, cannot be mailed.
  12. Stolen goods: Stolen goods, including stolen property and stolen identity information, cannot be mailed.
  13. Obscene materials: Obscene materials, including child pornography and other illegal sexual content, cannot be mailed.
  14. Copyrighted materials: Copyrighted materials, including music, movies, and software, cannot be mailed without permission from the copyright holder.
  15. Confidential documents: Confidential documents, including financial information and personal identification documents, cannot be mailed without proper authorization and security measures.
  16. Mail bombs: Mail bombs, including packages containing explosives or other dangerous materials, cannot be mailed.
  17. Chemicals: Certain chemicals, including those that are toxic, corrosive, or flammable, cannot be mailed.
  18. Paints and coatings: Certain paints and coatings, including those that are flammable or toxic, cannot be mailed.
  19. Batteries: Certain types of batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, cannot be mailed due to safety concerns.
  20. Electronic devices: Certain electronic devices, including those that contain hazardous materials or are prohibited by international regulations, cannot be mailed.

It's important to note that this is not an exhaustive list, and there may be other items that cannot be mailed due to specific regulations or safety concerns. It's always best to check with the USPS or other postal services for specific guidelines on what can and cannot be mailed.