Prohibited Items Checker

No. InPost's list bans liquids of any kind and names perfume specifically, and Evri also refuses perfume and aftershave as flammable liquids. Royal Mail accepts perfumes and aftershaves in small quantities as restricted dangerous goods, provided each bottle is within its volume limit and wrapped and marked as its dangerous goods guidance describes; check the current page before booking.

No to all of them. InPost's prohibited items page says it cannot accept batteries 'loose or inside a device', so phones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches and vapes are out as well as power banks and spare batteries. This surprises sellers who read older guides saying built-in batteries were fine. Evri accepts devices with the battery installed (not loose batteries or power banks); Royal Mail accepts batteries only when packed with the equipment they power. For a phone or laptop use Royal Mail Special Delivery for its £750 of cover.

Flammable aerosols including deodorant sprays, dry shampoo, hairspray, and spray paint are prohibited by both InPost and Evri. These are banned because they're classified as pressurised flammable containers. If you're selling beauty products, check whether your specific item is flammable before booking. Non-flammable aerosols may be accepted in some circumstances; contact the courier directly to confirm.

No. E-cigarettes, vapes and e-liquid cartridges are prohibited by InPost (they contain lithium batteries and flammable liquid), Evri, and Royal Mail. Standard UK couriers do not accept vaping products under any circumstances. To ship these items legally, you would need a specialist dangerous goods courier that handles class 9 and flammable liquid classifications.

No. Nail polish and acetone are classified as flammable liquids and are prohibited by InPost and Evri. Royal Mail has specific restrictions for small quantities of certain flammable liquids, but nail polish is typically prohibited unless packaged as dangerous goods with the correct UN classification labelling. If selling nail products on eBay or Vinted, check each courier's flammable liquids guidance before booking.

If InPost identifies a prohibited item the parcel can be held, returned or disposed of, the label cost is not refunded and nothing is compensated. For dangerous goods such as batteries and flammable liquids there can be further charges. Check inpost.co.uk/prohibited-items before booking; the key bans are all batteries (including inside devices), all liquids, aerosols, flammables, tobacco and anything over 15 kg or 41 × 38 × 64 cm.

Not prohibited, but poorly covered. InPost's network maximum is £500 and it pays at most £50 for a second-hand item; Evri's standard cover is £20 (up to £999 if you add it when booking direct); Royal Mail Tracked includes £75. For anything worth over about £100, use Royal Mail Special Delivery (£750 of cover as standard, £1,000 or £2,500 for a small extra fee) or rely on marketplace protection (Vinted up to £500, eBay Simple Delivery from the first scan).

Not with InPost, because alcohol is a liquid and age-restricted goods are banned. Evri and Royal Mail accept alcohol only in limited quantities with the packaging their rules require, and Royal Mail caps it at 70% ABV; age-restricted goods need an age-verified delivery service. For anything more than the odd bottle, use a specialist courier licensed to carry alcohol.