A Step-by-Step Guide to Shipping Hazardous Materials

Hazardous materials incidents can have serious consequences—not only for the environment, health, properties and surrounding communities but also for your organization’s reputation and legal liability.

In the U.S., shippers are responsible for properly classifying and packaging hazardous materials, as well as preparing essential documentation before shipment. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the hazmat shipping process efficiently and in compliance with regulations.

Step 1: Invest in Training and Certification

Anyone involved in handling, packaging, or transporting hazardous materials— including transport and warehouse personnel—must complete HAZMAT training within 90 days of employment or a job function change. Additionally, they must undergo refresher training every three years to remain compliant with DOT regulations.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) offers training programs through its Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS):

DOT Hazardous Materials Training Programs

Step 2: Classify the Hazardous Material

Proper classification is crucial for compliance and safety. To classify a hazardous material, follow these steps:

1. Check for an Updated Safety Data Sheet (SDS) SDS Overview

2. Identify Key Classification Information, such as

• Four-digit ID number

• Proper shipping name

• Hazard class

• Packing group

3. Verify Classification in the Hazardous Materials Table Hazardous Materials Table

Since proper classification determines packaging, marking, labeling, and shipping paper requirements, accuracy is critical. Additionally, your SDS must include emergency contact information in compliance with regulations. HAZMAT Line can assist by providing 24-hour emergency response phone services and SDS review.

Step 3: Prepare the Packaging

Hazmat packaging must meet strict regulatory requirements based on the material being shipped. Common types include:

• Single packaging (e.g., pails, drums, kegs)

• Combination packaging (inner packages secured within an outer package)

• Composite packaging (integrated layers that cannot be separated)

Since shippers are responsible for proper packaging, ensure compliance with DOT’s performance packaging codes:

DOT Packaging Guide

Step 4: Label Your Package

Hazmat packages must display specific labels and markings, such as:

• Orientation arrows

• Shipper’s information

• Identification number and proper shipping name

• Hazard class labels

For a full breakdown of labeling and hazard communication requirements, refer to:

Hazard Communication Requirements

Step 5: Prepare the Shipping Paper

The shipping paper must contain key information, including:

• Hazmat description

• UN identification number

• Proper shipping name

• Hazard class

• Packing group

• Quantity and type of packages

• Emergency response contact information

• Shipper’s certification

Additional documentation may be required depending on the specific material being transported.

Step 6: Select a Carrier and Provide Emergency Response Information

Before handing off your shipment, coordinate with your carrier to confirm any additional requirements. The shipper must provide a 24-hour emergency response phone service compliant with DOT regulations. DOT regulation 49 CFR 172.604

By following these steps, your organization can improve compliance, mitigate risks, and streamline the hazmat shipping process. Need a 24-hour emergency response phone support? HAZMAT Line is here to help you!

Step 7: Use Preliminary Screening Tools and Product-Specific Resources

The six steps above are the compliance backbone of any hazmat shipment. But especially for e-commerce and small-parcel sellers — who often ship regulated products like perfume, aerosols, cleaning chemicals, or lithium batteries without a dedicated compliance team — a smart first move is to screen the shipment before committing to a classification or a carrier.

CanWeShip is one free, educational resource worth knowing. It's a browser-based, rule-driven pre-checker for U.S. domestic shipments: you answer a few product-specific questions — for batteries, the configuration, chemistry, watt-hours, and condition; for regulated liquids, the SDS and flash-point details — and it evaluates those facts separately against the current USPS, UPS, and FedEx rule sets, then shows each carrier's preliminary status, applicable requirements, warnings, and clearest next step. Its battery route finder is particularly useful for lithium-battery sellers, and it flags damaged, defective, swollen, or recalled batteries that need special handling. CanWeShip also publishes plain-language guides covering flammable liquids and cosmetics, aerosols and pressurized products, and household chemicals and coatings.

One important caveat — one CanWeShip states clearly itself: these tools are preliminary, educational screens, not carrier approval and not a substitute for formal hazmat classification or professional compliance advice. Use them to orient yourself early and avoid obvious dead ends, then confirm the details against the Hazardous Materials Table, each carrier's published requirements, and, where needed, a qualified hazmat professional.