The Dangerous Goods Declaration: How to Get It Right

The Dangerous Goods Declaration is the document by which you, the shipper, certify that the goods are correctly classified, packed, marked, labelled and in a fit condition to travel. It is a legal statement, it is signed by a named trained individual, and carriers reject them constantly.

The rejections are rarely about the hazard. They are about format. A DGD is a rigidly structured document and cargo acceptance staff check it against the regulations line by line.

The proper shipping name and its element order

This is where most declarations fail. The description must appear in a fixed order, and the order is not negotiable:

1. UN number, prefixed with UN
2. Proper shipping name, exactly as it appears in the dangerous goods list
3. Primary hazard class or division, with any subsidiary hazard in brackets
4. Packing group, in Roman numerals, where one is assigned

So: UN 1263, Paint, 3, II. Not "Paint, UN1263, Class 3, PG2". Not "UN1263 Paint Class 3 Packing Group II". Small differences, routine rejections.

Two rules catch people out. Where the proper shipping name is a generic or "n.o.s." entry, meaning not otherwise specified, the technical name of the substance must be shown in brackets after it. And the proper shipping name is the one in the list, not the commercial product name: your product is not "SuperClean Degreaser", it is whatever the dangerous goods list calls it.

The rest of the required fields

• Shipper and consignee, full names and addresses
• Number and kind of packages, and the net or gross quantity per entry
• Packing group and, for sea, the flashpoint in degrees Celsius for flammable liquids
• Marine pollutant annotation where applicable
• EmS emergency schedule numbers for sea
• UN specification packaging marks, where the packaging is performance tested
• The 24 hour emergency contact number in the jurisdictions that require it
• The certification statement and signature, with the name and status of the signatory and the place and date

For air, the IATA Shipper's Declaration adds the aircraft type limitation (passenger and cargo aircraft, or cargo aircraft only), the packing instruction number and the authorisation reference where one applies.

The container packing certificate

For sea freight, a DGD is normally accompanied by a container or vehicle packing certificate, confirming that the unit was clean, properly loaded, secured, segregated, marked and placarded. It is often combined with the DGD on the same form and it is signed by whoever packed the container, who may not be you. Make sure someone actually signs it. See cargo securing inside the container.

The usual reasons for rejection

1. Element order wrong in the shipping description.
2. Technical name missing from an n.o.s. entry.
3. Flashpoint omitted on a Class 3 sea shipment.
4. Quantity stated per package instead of in total, or the units left off.
5. Emergency contact number that is a switchboard closed at night. It must be answered 24 hours by someone with access to the technical information.
6. Signature by an untrained person, or a training certificate that has expired.
7. Correction fluid or handwritten amendments. A DGD may not be altered. Reissue it.
8. Mismatch with the packing list or bill of lading on package counts or weights.

Electronic declarations

Paper is still dominant but electronic dangerous goods data is now accepted by a growing number of carriers and handlers through IATA's electronic DGD standard, which exchanges the data as a structured message rather than an image of a form. It removes the transcription errors that cause many rejections. Ask your forwarder whether the origin station supports it before assuming you must produce paper.

Practical advice

1. Build the declaration from the safety data sheet, section 14, not from the last shipment's paperwork.
2. Have it checked before the truck leaves. A DGD failure at the terminal is a rolled booking, storage, and often a repacking charge.
3. Keep training current. Dangerous goods training expires, and an expired certificate invalidates the signature.
4. Do not let the forwarder sign it for you. Some will prepare it as a service, but the shipper is the party certifying, and the legal responsibility stays with you.

General guidance. The exact fields and formatting are set by the current IMDG Code for sea and IATA DGR for air, and some states add national requirements. Work from the regulation in force.