Can You Ship Aerosols? Yes, Here’s How to Do It Right

Aerosols often contain chemical compounds classified as hazardous materials, requiring careful handling and storage to ensure safety.

Aerosols might look harmless. Just a little haispray, right? Not quite.

From a shipping perspective, aerosols are one of the most tightly regulated product categories in eCommerce.

Why? Because they usually carry a two-in-one hazmat threat: pressurized containers and flammable ingredients. That combination makes them high risk and subject to strict rules from carriers and regulatory agencies.

If your brand sells anything in a spray can like dry shampoo, room mist, or setting spray, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through:

• What common products qualify as an aerosol
• How to ship aerosols legally and safely, and
• What common pitfalls to to avoid so your packages don’t get flagged, delayed, or fined.

Let's jump in!

Ever ask, “Is dry shampoo considered an aerosol?” or “Does spray deodorant count?”

If your product lives in a pressurized container and releases a mist, foam, or spray when you press the nozzle, it almost certainly qualifies. That includes a lot of common eCommerce goods like:

• Dry shampoo & texturizing sprays
  
• Hairspray & makeup-setting sprays
• Spray deodorant
• Room sprays & air fresheners
• Spray paint & craft sealants
  
  

But not all sprays are aerosols. Trigger-pump spray bottles (think all-purpose cleaners or facial mists) aren’t hazmat unless the container is pressurized or the liquid itself is flammable. The key difference is internal pressure.

Short answer: nearly always. Under U.S. DOT and IATA rules aerosols typically fall into:

• Class 2: Gases because they’re pressurized
• Class 3: Flammable Liquids if they contain alcohols or solvents

Even products that feel harmless like hair mousse or linen sprays can’t be shipped freely if they fall under either or both of these categories.

If you’re unsure whether your product is hazmat, assume it is and check the Safety Data Sheet from your supplier or manufacturer - that’s your compliance bible. Look for Sections 2 and 14 that spell out the correct hazard class.

Regulating bodies you’ll see referenced:

• DOT or Department of Transportation for US ground shipping
  
• IATA or International Air Transport Association for air shipping
  
• OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration for labeling and safety data sheets

“Limited Quantity” is a hazmat shortcut for consumer-size aerosols: If each can is less than or equal to 1L (33.8oz) and the entire box stays under 30kg (66lb) gross, you’ll have a lot less work ahead of you if you ship ground. But if you exceed either of those limits, or ship air, you’ll graduate to full hazmat rules.

• Strong outer packaging like fiberboard boxes
  
• Inner packaging t to prevent cans from shifting or damage
  
• A Limited Quantity diamond label (white/black) on at least one side
  
• Ground transport only.
  

• Certified UN-rated packaging
  
• Inner packaging to prevent cans from shifting or damage.
• Hazmat labels for Class 2.1 and/or Class 3 and orientation arrows.
  
• A completed Shipper’s Declaration of shipping by air
  
• Hazmat-trained and certified fulfillment staff

Ground shipping gives you more wiggle room if your aerosols stay within Limited Quantity limits. Smaller cans, lower risk, fewer rules. But the moment an aerosol gets on a plane, things get strict fast.

You’ll need tougher packaging, accurate paperwork, and trained staff that know the IATA rules. Even one small slip, like a missing label or an incomplete SDS, can hold up your shipment.

That’s why it’s so important to understand the difference. Just because something ships fine on the ground doesn’t mean it’s good to go by air. If you’re sending products to places like Hawaii, Alaska, or internationally, air shipping is likely part of the route.

• USPS Ground & Parcel Select Ground, UPS Ground, and FedEx Ground allow aerosols to be shipped under Limited Quantity (LQ) exception without special packaging and labeling
• If you’re over the LQ limit, you can still ship UPS Ground and FedEx Ground with proper UN-spec packaging and hazmat labels.

You can only ship aerosols through carriers that offer a dedicated “Dangerous Goods” (DG) air-service, AKA, FedEx Express, UPS Air, or DHL Express (No USPS, sorry).

However, there are a lot more hoops you’ll have to jump through:

• Packages must follow IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations including UN-spec packaging and Class 2.1 or 2.2 labels.
• Receive prior DG account approval (FedEx) or sign a Dangerous Goods Contract (UPS) before shipping
  Provide proof of properly IATA trained and certified fulfillment staff
• Stay within strict carrier quantity limits
  
  

Bottom line? If you’re a DTC brand, stick to ground at any cost. It's way simpler.

Yes, but the rules are different depending on the platform. Here’s what you need to know:

Amazon’s Dangerous Goods review is mandatory to sell aerosols on their site. You’ll need to submit a Safety Data Sheet and go through a hazmat review. Some products that are labeled as dangerous goods will need special storage, which can come with extra fees.

Etsy & eBay place the compliance burden on you. If you ship something that’s not packed properly and violates carrier policy, your listing could be removed without warning.

Walmart Marketplace follows DOT/IATA rules and may request your hazmat documentation during onboarding. The safest move is to read each marketplace’s guidelines before listing your product. If you skip that step and something goes wrong, you could get your listing removed or even have your account flagged.

We get it. Hazmat compliance sounds like a lot. The rules feel complicated, the labels are confusing, and the paperwork? Not exactly fun.

But trying to guess your way through it can really come back to bite you. Here’s what can go wrong if you don’t cross your T’s and dot your I’s:

If your label or packaging isn't right, shipping companies will spot it fast. That can mean delays, returns, or even having your shipment destroyed.

Regulators like the Department of Transportation and IATA are serious about safety. If your shipment breaks the rules, you could end up with a fine on your hands.

If you sell on Amazon, Etsy, or anywhere else, one mistake could trigger an account review or even a suspension. Platforms do not mess around with hazmat violations.

Aerosol cans under pressure can be dangerous if they are not packed properly. That could damage other packages or put someone at risk during delivery.

If this all feels like a lot, you’re not alone. That’s why so many brands choose a fulfillment partner with hazmat capabilities.

At Nice Commerce, we help brands ship regulated products like aerosols, candles, perfumes, and nail polish on the reg and take a lot of logistic headaches off brand plates in the process. 

Our dedicated and IATA certified shipping team handles the nitty-gritty like:

• Hazmat paperwork from SDS to declarations
• Carrier approvals and Dangerous Goods contracts
• UN-rated and LQ labels stocked in-house
• Automated routing rules for ground vs. air shipments
• Marketplace compliance and stockout protection
  
  

TL;DR? While you focus on growing your brand, we’ll nerd out on the paperwork, labels and ever-changing compliance regulations. Want to ship hazmat the easy way? Let's Chat!