How to Not Use Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes

There are many uses for a Priority Mail Flat Rate Box. Many people send multiple items in one of these boxes because it is cheaper than mailing each item individually. No matter why you are choosing to send a package using Priority Mail Flat Rate, the USPS mandates that there are certain things that you cannot use their service for.

• Chemicals: You cannot use priority mail to send any kind of chemicals through the mail. This is a safety hazard as sometimes packages travel on a plane and the pressurization of the cabin can cause the chemicals to explode. Even though most items are common such as nail polishes, pool cleaners, perfumes, flea collars, and paint on a plane or in a tightly confined space, they can be deadly.


• Foods: If you are shipping overseas or from Hawaii, there are restrictions placed by the United States Department of Agriculture that restrict many types of foods coming into the United States without being inspected. This helps to prevent invasive species coming into the country and ruining our crops. 


• Firearms: No firearms are allowed to be transported through the United States Postal Service whether they are loaded or not. This is a safety precaution that has been put into place by Homeland Security. There is no way for the post office to know whether a firearm was obtained illegally or whether they are going to a licensed gun owner, therefore, they cannot be sent at all.


• Illegal Contraband: This means that medications that come from other countries cannot be mailed through priority mail. You cannot send illegal drugs such as cocaine or marijuana, and other biological chemicals such as anthrax are also prohibited.