That $75,000 Fine? It’s Per Violation.

Last year, a small e-commerce company shipped lithium batteries via air without proper documentation. The DOT fined them $225,000—three violations at $75,000 each.

They didn’t know the batteries were regulated. They didn’t mean to break the rules. It didn’t matter.

If you sell products containing lithium batteries, aerosols, perfumes, nail polish, or dozens of other common items, you’re shipping hazmat. And every shipment without proper classification and documentation is a potential violation.

You’re Probably Shipping Hazmat Right Now

Here’s a partial list of regulated products that most sellers don’t realize are hazmat:

Product	Why It’s Regulated	Classification
Wireless earbuds	Lithium battery	UN3481, Class 9
Portable chargers	Lithium battery	UN3481, Class 9
Perfume/cologne	Flammable liquid	UN1266, Class 3
Nail polish	Flammable liquid	UN1263, Class 3
Hand sanitizer	Flammable liquid	UN1987, Class 3
Hairspray	Flammable aerosol	UN1950, Class 2.1
Spray paint	Flammable aerosol	UN1950, Class 2.1
Laptop batteries	Lithium battery	UN3481, Class 9
E-cigarettes	Lithium battery + liquid	Multiple
Certain supplements	ORM-D	Varies

If you sell any of these, every shipment needs proper handling.

What “Proper Handling” Actually Means

Hazmat shipping isn’t just slapping a label on a box. It requires:

1. Correct Classification

Every hazmat product needs:

• UN Number — The international identifier (e.g., UN3481)
• Proper Shipping Name — The official name (“Lithium ion batteries packed with equipment”)
• Hazard Class — Category 1-9 (flammable, corrosive, oxidizer, etc.)
• Packing Group — Severity level (I = most dangerous, III = least)

2. Carrier Compliance

Not every carrier accepts every hazmat:

• USPS won’t ship most aerosols
• Air carriers have strict lithium battery limits
• Ground carriers have quantity restrictions
• Some items require special contracts

3. Documentation

Depending on the shipment:

• Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods
• Hazmat handling labels on the package
• Emergency contact information
• Quantity declarations

4. Packaging Requirements

• Specific inner packaging for liquids
• Quantity limits per package
• Orientation requirements (“This side up”)
• Outer packaging specifications

Miss any of these, and you’re non-compliant.

How Most Companies Handle This (Badly)

The Spreadsheet Approach

Someone maintains a list of “hazmat products” in a spreadsheet. When an order comes in, the packer is supposed to check the list and… do something? Print a special label? Use a different carrier?

Problem: People forget. The spreadsheet gets outdated. New hires don’t know the process.

The “Hope for the Best” Approach

Ship everything the same way. If the carrier catches it, deal with it then.

Problem: Carriers don’t always catch it. When they do, your shipment is rejected. When they don’t, you’re liable.

The “Avoid Hazmat” Approach

Just don’t sell regulated products.

Problem: You’re leaving money on the table. Lithium battery products are everywhere. Aerosols are a huge category.

How Vectis Handles Hazmat

Product-Level Classification

When you add a product to Vectis, you specify its hazmat classification once:

Product: Wireless Earbuds Pro
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
☑ Contains Dangerous Goods

UN Number: UN3481
Proper Shipping Name: Lithium ion batteries 
                      packed with equipment
Hazard Class: 9
Packing Group: II
Air Eligible: Yes (with documentation)
Special Handling: None

This data lives with the product forever. You never have to remember it again.

Automatic Enforcement

When an order contains hazmat products, Vectis automatically:

1. Flags the order — Clearly identifies orders containing dangerous goods
2. Filters carriers — Shows carriers that accept this classification (select carriers supported)
3. Filters services — Excludes air if the product is air-prohibited
4. Displays quantity limits — Shows per-package limit information for compliance
5. Provides handling guidance — Shows required markings and handling instructions

Your packer sees clear guidance for hazmat orders. Vectis tracks classification so nothing slips through.

Carrier Intelligence

Vectis knows which carriers accept what:

Carrier	Lithium (packed with)	Lithium (standalone)	Aerosols	Flammable Liquid
FedEx Ground	✓	✓ (limited)	✓	✓ (limited qty)
UPS Ground	✓	✓ (limited)	✓	✓ (limited qty)
USPS Ground	✓	✗	✗	✗
FedEx Express	✓ (with docs)	Contract only	Limited	Limited
UPS Air	✓ (with docs)	Contract only	Limited	Limited

When you rate shop, you only see valid options. No more accidentally booking a USPS shipment for aerosols.

Compliance Data at Your Fingertips

Vectis stores and displays all the information you need for compliant shipments:

• Classification data — UN number, hazard class, packing group always visible
• Package marking guidance — What labels are required and where
• Handling instructions — Clear guidance for warehouse staff
• Carrier requirements — What each carrier needs for this shipment type

Note: You’ll need to generate Shipper’s Declarations through your carrier’s system or approved forms. Vectis provides the classification data to make this faster.

Real-World Example

Order: Customer buys wireless earbuds + phone case + charging cable

Without Vectis:

1. Packer doesn’t realize earbuds contain lithium battery
2. Ships via USPS Priority (cheapest option)
3. Package gets inspected at hub
4. Shipment rejected, returned to sender
5. Customer angry, you eat shipping costs
6. (Or worse: it goes through, and you’re liable)

With Vectis:

1. Order comes in
2. Vectis flags: “Contains hazmat: UN3481 lithium batteries”
3. Rate shopping excludes USPS air services
4. Packer sees: “Ship via FedEx Ground, apply lithium battery label”
5. Proper documentation prints with label
6. Package ships compliant

Time added: 30 seconds. Risk eliminated: $75,000+ fine.

The Compliance Checklist

Vectis helps you stay compliant with:

Requirement	How Vectis Helps
Product classification	Store UN numbers, classes, packing groups per SKU
Carrier selection	Filter to compliant carriers (select carriers)
Quantity limits	Warn when orders exceed limits
Classification lookup	Quick access to product hazmat data for documentation
Handling guidance	Display required markings and handling instructions
Record keeping	Audit trail of all hazmat shipments

Getting Started With Hazmat

1. Identify your hazmat products — Check Safety Data Sheets (SDS) from suppliers
2. Enter classifications in Vectis — UN number, class, packing group
3. Configure carrier rules — Which carriers you have hazmat contracts with
4. Train your team — DOT requires hazmat training (we can recommend resources)

Most hazmat setups are complete in 1-2 days.

See Compliant Shipping in Action

We’ll show you:

• How to classify your hazmat products
• How carrier filtering works in practice
• How Vectis displays compliance data for your documentation
• How to handle mixed orders (hazmat + non-hazmat)

Bring your product list. We’ll help you understand what’s regulated.

Schedule a demo →

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Common Questions

Do I need hazmat training to use Vectis?

Yes, for your team. DOT requires that anyone involved in hazmat shipping complete training. Vectis automates the software side, but you still need trained personnel. We can recommend training providers.

What if I’m not sure if my product is hazmat?

Check the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) from your supplier. Section 14 covers transportation classification. If it lists a UN number, it’s regulated. We can help interpret the classification.

Can I ship hazmat internationally?

International hazmat has additional requirements (IATA for air, IMDG for ocean). Vectis handles domestic DOT compliance. For international, you may need additional documentation and carrier contracts.

What about “limited quantity” and “excepted quantity” shipments?

Many products qualify for reduced requirements when shipped in small quantities. Vectis tracks these thresholds and applies the appropriate rules automatically.

What if I have a hazmat contract with a carrier?

Configure your carrier contracts in Vectis. If you have a FedEx hazmat agreement for standalone lithium batteries, Vectis will include those services in rate shopping.

How do I handle returns of hazmat products?

Returns are trickier—customers aren’t trained shippers. We can help you set up compliant return processes, including pre-paid labels with proper documentation.