What you cannot send with a traveler, and why

You cannot send anything with a traveler that is prohibited by the law of the departure, transit or destination country or by the airline's rules. Some items may go only with documents and within limits, and batteries and liquids have their own rules on a plane. Below are our list, the air travel rules from primary sources and how to check an item before the trip.

In short. Weapons, drugs, explosives, counterfeits, other people's documents and cash above the limit never go. Medicines, alcohol, tobacco, food and electronics go only within the limits and with documents. Power banks and spare batteries fly in carry-on baggage only. If anything is unclear, do not take it.

Why the rules are this strict

At the border, the person carrying the parcel answers for it. The traveler goes through customs and security personally, and under the customs laws of most countries "I did not know what was inside" is not a defense.

That is why on Parcelane the traveler must inspect the contents before the handover and does not accept anything sealed. The sender is responsible for what goes into the parcel and for describing it honestly. These rules are part of our Terms of Service.

What can never be sent

The list below comes from our Prohibited and Restricted Items rules. Trying to arrange transport of anything on it gets the account blocked without warning.

Drugs and precursors: narcotic and psychotropic substances, cannabis in any form, "designer" substances, drug paraphernalia.
Weapons and their parts: firearms, air guns, traumatic and cold weapons, ammunition, stun guns, pepper sprays, replicas that can be mistaken for weapons.
Explosive and dangerous substances: pyrotechnics, gas canisters, flammable liquids, oxidizers, toxic, radioactive and corrosive substances, mercury.
Human and animal materials: biological samples, blood, live animals, birds and insects.
Protected species: products of CITES-protected species (ivory, coral, exotic leather, rare plants), hunting trophies.
Counterfeit and stolen goods: brand fakes, pirated copies, items without proof of lawful origin.
Other people's documents and identity: passports, ID cards, bank cards, SIM cards, blank forms, seals and stamps.
Money above the limits: cash and securities above the amount that may be carried without a declaration, and any cash that belongs to a third party.
Anything sealed or hidden that the sender refuses to open and show.

What may go only with documents and within limits

These items can be carried lawfully, but the traveler needs to know the rules of every country on the route, and the sender must hand over the documents in advance. Each country sets its own limits.

Medicines: in the original packaging, with a prescription and a doctor's note in a language understood on the route. Controlled and psychotropic medicines are often prohibited even with a prescription.
Alcohol and tobacco: only within the destination country's duty-free allowance, only for adults, nothing for resale.
Food and plants: meat, dairy, honey, seeds, fresh fruit and plants are restricted or banned in many countries.
Electronics and batteries: within the airline's rules; no damaged or swollen batteries. Drones and radio equipment may need permits.
Cash and jewelry: within the limits of the departure and destination countries, declared where required; jewelry with receipts.
Cultural property: antiques, art, coins, icons and old books usually need an export permit.
Many identical items: if there are more than one person would need, customs may treat them as a commercial shipment.

Batteries and power banks on a plane

Power banks and spare lithium-ion batteries fly in carry-on baggage only. The limits depend on the capacity in watt-hours (Wh), which is marked on the battery case.

The figures below come from the IATA guidance for passengers travelling with lithium batteries, revised for the 2026 regulations (based on the 67th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and the 2025–2026 ICAO Technical Instructions).

Up to 100 Wh

Device with a battery (phone, laptop, camera): in carry-on or checked baggage, no airline approval needed. In checked baggage the device must be fully switched off, not in sleep mode. No more than 15 devices per person.
Spare batteries: carry-on only, no more than 20 per person, each in its original packaging or with the terminals taped over.
Power banks: carry-on only, no more than two per person.

From 100 to 160 Wh

Device with a battery: carry-on or checked, with airline approval only.
Spare batteries: carry-on only, with airline approval, no more than two per device.
Power banks of this capacity are forbidden for passengers.

Above 160 Wh

These batteries cannot travel in passenger baggage at all, only as cargo under the IATA dangerous goods rules.

Power banks on board

IATA describes these as measures airlines are adopting early, before the regulations change:

do not recharge a power bank from the aircraft's power supply;
do not put it in the overhead locker;
do not use it to charge other devices during taxi, take-off and landing.

Airlines may set stricter rules. If staff cannot verify a battery's capacity from its marking or documentation, the airline may refuse it.

E-cigarettes and vapes travel in carry-on baggage only and must not be recharged on board.

Liquids in carry-on baggage

At EU airports, liquids in carry-on baggage are limited: each container holds no more than 100 ml, and all of them fit into one transparent resealable bag of up to 1 litre. Containers over 100 ml go into checked baggage.

The volume limit does not apply to medicines and baby food. Duty-free liquids may be carried if the purchase and the receipt stay inside the sealed shop bag until the end of the journey.

In other countries, screening rules are set by the national authorities and sometimes by individual airports. Check them on your airport's website before you fly.

Self-defense sprays

Pepper sprays and other disabling devices are forbidden on planes in both carry-on and checked baggage. IATA's rules for passengers say so, and they are on our prohibited list too.

Rules of the destination country

Each country sets its own duty-free allowances and rules for medicines, food and cash. Check them on the customs website of the country you are entering.

An example: you may bring into Serbia 1 litre of spirits or 1 litre of sparkling and liqueur wine, plus 1 litre of other wine; one perfume up to 50 ml and one eau de toilette up to 25 ml; 50 cigarettes. Food of animal origin is limited to 1 kg, provided its import from the country of origin is not banned. More on that route in the article on how to send a parcel from Russia to Serbia.

How to check an item before the trip

Before you agree on a handover, run three checks. They take ten minutes and save you from a refusal at security or trouble at customs.

Compare the item with our list of prohibited and restricted items.
Check your airline's rules on baggage, batteries and liquids.
Check the customs website of the destination country for allowances and import bans.

If any doubt remains at any step, do not take the item. A traveler may refuse a parcel at any moment, even at the meeting. The handover itself is covered in the article on how to send a parcel with a traveler.

Sources

Parcelane Prohibited and Restricted Items and Terms of Service, checked Oct 27, 2026.
IATA: Passengers Travelling with Lithium Batteries, Guidance Document revised for the 2026 Regulations, checked Oct 27, 2026.
IATA: Dangerous goods guidance for passengers, checked Oct 27, 2026.
Your Europe (European Union): luggage restrictions, checked Oct 27, 2026.
European Commission: liquids, aerosols and gels, checked Oct 27, 2026.
Customs Administration of Serbia: personal luggage, checked Oct 27, 2026.