What this is
What is a dangerous goods shipment declaration?
What is a dangerous goods shipment declaration?
It's the shipping document and record confirming that a single consignment has been classified, packed, marked and documented correctly under the TDG Regulations before it leaves the site. It captures the UN Number, Proper Shipping Name, Transport Hazard Class, Packing Group and Mode Of Transport, signed by a trained shipper and countersigned by trade compliance.
What is the difference between the Transport Hazard Class and the Packing Group?
Transport Hazard Class (Class 1 through 9) describes the type of danger a substance presents — explosive, flammable, toxic, corrosive and so on. Packing Group (I, II or III) describes how severe that danger is within the class, and it's the packing group that fixes which certified packaging may be used. Two substances can share a class and still need different packaging because their packing groups differ.
Why does Mode Of Transport change what this declaration has to satisfy?
Sea shipments answer to the IMDG Code and air shipments to the ICAO Technical Instructions, both of which can set stricter limits on quantity, marking or packaging than domestic road or rail carriage. Recording the mode isn't administrative; it decides which code actually governs the packing and marking checks that follow.
Scope
When is a dangerous goods shipment declaration required?
This record is one step in a larger programme. Using it for work belonging to a neighbouring template produces records that are hard to report on later.
Use this template when
- A specific consignment containing dangerous goods is being classified, packed and prepared for handover to a carrier
- A substance already listed in the Chemical Register is being shipped and its declaration needs to exist against this shipment
- The workspace is being set up, or the substance or training register needs an entry added or retired
- You are running the Trade and Customs Compliance programme and this is one of its steps
- A linked record needs this one to exist: it links the Chemical Register and Export Documentation
Do not use it for
- Dangerous Goods Shipment Record, the fleet-side record of a dangerous goods movement, not the shipper's own classification and declaration.
- Import Documentation Check, which checks that an inbound shipment carries the documents customs and the regulator will ask for.
- Export Documentation Check, which checks that an outbound shipment carries the correct classification, certificates and declarations.
- Customs Broker Instruction, which instructs the broker on clearing the shipment rather than declaring the dangerous goods inside it.
- Safety Data Sheet, the source classification document this declaration should be taken from, not a substitute for completing it.
Compliance mapping
Which TDG Regulations requirements does this satisfy?
The declaration satisfies a small number of regulatory requirements, and each lands in a different section rather than one combined sign-off.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| TDG Regulations, Part 2 — Classification | Class, UN number, proper shipping name and packing group must be determined from a current source, not carried over from a previous shipment | Classification |
| TDG Regulations, Part 3 — Documentation | A shipping document accompanies the consignment showing the UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group and quantity | Header |
| TDG Regulations, Part 3 — Documentation | The shipping document carries emergency contact information able to give shipment-specific advice for the duration of transport | Outcome |
| TDG Regulations, Part 4 — Dangerous Goods Safety Marks | Packages, overpacks and containment carry the correct labels, marks and placards for the class and quantity shipped | Packing and marking |
| TDG Regulations, Part 5 — Means of Containment | Only packaging certified for the substance's class and packing group, within its certification period, may be used | Packing and marking |
| TDG Regulations, Part 6 — Training | Anyone who classifies, packs, marks, documents or loads the consignment holds current training, or works under direct supervision of someone who does | Competence and documents |
| TDG Regulations, Part 1 — General Provisions | Copies of the declaration are retained for the period the regulations set and can be produced on request | Outcome |
What it does not cover
- Classification Taken From The Data Sheet, scored Yes against a sheet never checked for a newer revision before the substance was packed.
- Packing Group left at 'Not assigned', passing the packing check while the packaging actually loaded was never matched to a real packing group.
- Approved Packaging Used marked Yes with Packaging Within Its Certification Date answered N/A rather than checked against the drum's stamped expiry.
- Carrier Accepts This Class, treated as confirmation the declaration is correct when it only confirms the carrier is willing to load it.
- Training Records Current answered Yes with no Training Record ID entered anywhere, leaving the signature unsupported the moment it's questioned.
Global
Dangerous Goods Shipment Declaration requirements by country
TDG sets the domestic baseline, but the mode of transport and any border crossing bring other instruments into play, and the declaration has to survive whichever one applies.
TDG Regulations (SOR/2001-286)
The baseline the declaration is built against — classification, documentation, safety marks, containment and training all sit under its Parts.
Every field satisfies a specific Part of TDG; the declaration is only as defensible as the weakest of those Parts on the day it's signed.
49 CFR Parts 171–180 (US Hazardous Materials Regulations)
A shipment crossing the border needs a declaration valid under both TDG and the US HMR, not whichever the shipper is more familiar with.
Placarding thresholds and shipping paper content differ enough that Carrier Accepts This Class in one country is not proof the same load clears the other.
IMDG Code (sea) and ICAO Technical Instructions / IATA DGR (air)
Selecting Sea or Air in Mode Of Transport hands the packing and marking rules to a modal code TDG itself defers to.
A Transport Hazard Class and Packing Group correct for road carriage can still be wrong once the same consignment moves by sea or air, since quantity thresholds differ by mode.
How to complete it
How to complete a dangerous goods shipment declaration, step by step
Filling in every field correctly doesn't by itself make the declaration defensible — that comes down to judgement calls the form can't make for the signer.
Classification Taken From The Data Sheet is scored Yes or No, but nothing checks whether the sheet consulted was the current revision. A classification correct six months ago against an older sheet isn't the same claim as one checked today.
Packaging Within Its Certification Date and several other fields accept N/A alongside Yes and No. That's correct when the item genuinely doesn't apply — it's different when N/A avoids checking a date that was actually due.
Carrier Accepts This Class records a real fact, but it isn't evidence the classification, packing or marking behind it is correct. Treating a Yes here as closing out the declaration is where a bad declaration survives long enough to travel.
Training Records Current offers Yes, Mostly and No, and Mostly still scores a partial pass. A certificate expiring next week is a different risk to one that expired last month, and the field alone doesn't distinguish them.
What auditors find
Most common dangerous goods shipment declaration findings
The same weaknesses turn up across audited declarations, most invisible from a percentage score alone.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Packing Group left at 'Not assigned' for a substance whose data sheet specifies I, II or III | TDG Regulations, Part 2 | Require a packing group entry whenever the data sheet assigns one; treat 'Not assigned' as defensible only when the data sheet itself leaves it unassigned |
| Approved Packaging Used scored Yes while Packaging Within Its Certification Date is answered N/A | TDG Regulations, Part 5 | Block N/A on the certification-date field whenever approved packaging is in use; require the actual expiry instead |
| Declaration Signed by someone other than the Trained Shipper or Trade Compliance named on the record | TDG Regulations, Part 6 | Enforce that the signature belongs to whichever of the two named roles the declaration attributes it to |
| Emergency Contact Provided marked Yes against a generic switchboard number rather than one tied to the SDS ID | TDG Regulations, Part 3 | Link the emergency contact directly to the substance's SDS ID, not any phone number on file |
| Mode Of Transport recorded as Sea or Air with no cross-check against IMDG or ICAO-specific marking and quantity limits | IMDG Code / ICAO Technical Instructions | Add a modal-specific verification step triggered whenever Mode Of Transport is anything other than Road or Rail |
| Records Retained marked Yes with no retention location or end date captured anywhere on the record | TDG Regulations, Part 1 | Capture where copies are held and until when, not a bare Yes with nothing behind it |
Case in point
Case in point: the carrier's acceptance was the only check that actually happened
A Class 3 flammable liquid, Packing Group II, was classified against a data sheet two revisions old. Packaging Within Its Certification Date was marked N/A rather than checked against the drum's stamped expiry, and Carrier Accepts This Class was recorded Yes without anyone querying the classification behind it.
The packaging's certification had lapsed six weeks earlier. The gap surfaced only when the receiving site queried a mismatched mark on arrival — by which point the same batch had already gone out on two further shipments, each signed off the same way.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
5 sections
- Reference
- LOG-038
- Archetype
- Record
- Record ID
- DGD-2026-000
- Scoring
- Declarations correct
- Direction
- High is good
- Singleton
- Yes
- Basis
- TDG Regulations
- Links
- Links Chemical Register and Export Documentation
- Tags
- Customs, Dangerous goods
- Sections
- 5
- Fields
- 53
- Follow up fields
- 3
- Repeating sections
- 0
- Links out
- 6
Header
16 fieldsDeclaration ID*
Auto sequence. Format DGD-2026-000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Date and Time*
Completed By*
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Substance
Substance ID
Links to FDN-006 Substance ID
UN Number*
Proper Shipping Name*
Transport Hazard Class*
Packing Group
Mode Of Transport*
Quantity*
SDS ID
Links to SAF-176 SDS ID
Undeclared Is A Criminal Matter
Shipping dangerous goods without declaring them is not a paperwork error. It is an offence, and it is committed by whoever signed the document rather than whoever packed the box.
Classification
6 fieldsClassification Taken From The Data Sheet*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Correct For The Mode Of Transport*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Limited Or Excepted Quantity Considered*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Segregation Requirements Checked*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Quantity Thresholds Checked*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Special Provisions Applied*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Packing and marking
6 fieldsApproved Packaging Used*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Packaging Within Its Certification Date*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Marks And Labels Applied Correctly*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Overpack Marked Where Used*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Placards Provided To The Carrier*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Emergency Information Provided*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Competence and documents
6 fieldsPacked By A Trained Person*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Declared By A Trained Person*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Training Records Current*
- Yes3 pts
- Mostly1 pt
- No0 pts
Carrier Accepts This Class*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Declaration Signed*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Copies Retained For The Required Period*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Outcome
19 fieldsShipment Compliant*
- Yes3 pts
- After correction2 pts
- No0 pts
Any Item Rejected By The Carrier*
- Yes0 pts
- No2 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Training Record ID
Links to TRN-020 Matrix ID
Emergency Contact Provided*
- Yes2 pts
- No0 pts
- N/Aexcluded from denominator
Export Check ID
Links to LOG-037 Check ID
Records Retained*
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Items Assessed*
Excludes anything marked N/A.
Items Failed*
Score Percent*
Calculated on submission. High is good. N/A items leave the denominator.
Result Band*
- Pass3 pts
- Caution1 pt
- Fail0 pts
Completeness Percent*
How much of the template was actually answered. A high score on a half completed form is not a high score.
Action Required*
Raise the action record, then enter its reference here.
- No2 pts
- Yes0 pts
Priority
- High0 pts
- Medium1 pt
- Low3 pts
CAPA ID
Format CAPA-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-014 CAPA ID
Action Owner
Trained Shipper*
Signature*
Trade Compliance*
Second Signature*
LOG-038 · record IDs look like DGD-2026-000 · Links Chemical Register and Export Documentation
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The form is the easy part. Keeping classification current, matching packaging to packing group, and holding training evidence together is the work that actually slips between shipments.
Holds the declaration against the shipment and Chemical Register, keeps SDS ID and Training Record ID pointing at real linked records, and flags Carrier Accepts This Class of Yes sitting next to an unresolved classification check.
Feeds the current data sheet and hazard classification through to Classification Taken From The Data Sheet, so the declaration is checked against today's revision, not whatever was last on file.
Tracks packaging certification dates and training expiry against the regulatory calendar, so Packaging Within Its Certification Date and Training Records Current reflect an actual date, not a habitual Yes.
Coordinates the crew across the shipper, trade compliance and the carrier, rolls exceptions like a rejected item or expired certification into one view, and holds every write for approval before it touches a record.
This template lives in KnowLogistics — supply chain execution. Inbound, outbound, inventory, yard, claims, supplier lifecycle and customs.
Glossary
Dangerous Goods Shipment Declaration definitions and key terms
- UN Number
- The four-digit number assigned to a dangerous substance under the UN Model Regulations, identifying it consistently across every mode of transport and country's dangerous goods rules.
- Proper Shipping Name
- The name for the substance drawn from the dangerous goods list, used on the shipping document instead of a trade name so the carrier and emergency responders know exactly what they're handling.
- Packing Group
- A Roman-numeral rating (I, II or III) attached to certain hazard classes, indicating the degree of danger presented and fixing which certified packaging performance level it may be shipped in.
- Overpack
- An enclosure, such as a box or pallet wrap, containing one or more packages during transport. TDG requires it to carry the same marks and labels as the packages inside unless those marks remain visible.
- Segregation
- The requirement to physically separate incompatible dangerous goods classes during storage and transport, so a leak or reaction in one package isn't made worse by what's loaded next to it.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about dangerous goods shipment declaration
Who is allowed to sign a dangerous goods shipment declaration?+
Packed By A Trained Person and Declared By A Trained Person both require current training, or supervision by someone who holds it. Trained Shipper and Trade Compliance then name the two signatures the record carries.
What does Any Item Rejected By The Carrier tell you that Shipment Compliant doesn't?+
Shipment Compliant is the shipper's own assessment. Any Item Rejected By The Carrier records whether the carrier separately refused to load it — a shipment can be marked compliant and still be turned away.
Why does the template ask for Quantity as well as a Packing Group?+
Limited and excepted quantity provisions can exempt a shipment from some requirements, but only below thresholds that vary by class and packing group. Recording Quantity is what lets Limited Or Excepted Quantity Considered be checked rather than assumed.
What happens when Shipment Compliant is 'After correction' rather than Yes?+
It scores lower than a straight Yes but higher than No, reflecting that a problem was found and fixed before the shipment moved. Action Required and Priority then route any lasting concern to a CAPA.
Does this declaration replace the Safety Data Sheet?+
No. SDS ID links out to the Safety Data Sheet that Classification Taken From The Data Sheet should be checked against. The declaration records that the classification was taken from it — it isn't a substitute for it.
Why is this template a singleton rather than one record per class shipped?+
Singleton means one workspace-level record type set up once and reused per shipment, not one lifetime record for the whole workspace. Declaration ID auto-sequences per shipment, so each consignment still gets its own declaration.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Trade and Customs Compliance
Dangerous Goods Shipment Record
Records the shipping documents, placarding and segregation for a dangerous goods load
Import Documentation Check
Checks that an inbound international shipment has the documents customs and the regulator will ask for
Export Documentation Check
Checks that an outbound international shipment carries the correct classification, certificates and declarations
Country of Origin Verification
Verifies and evidences the origin claimed for a material or product, which drives duty, labelling and customer claims
Customs Broker Instruction
Instructs a broker on how a shipment is to be entered, and records what was actually filed
Safety Data Sheet
Holds the full sixteen section safety data sheet for one substance, in the order fixed by GHS and adopted by WHMIS 2015 and OSHA 1910
More in Trade and Customs
Import Documentation Check
Checks that an inbound international shipment has the documents customs and the regulator will ask for
Export Documentation Check
Checks that an outbound international shipment carries the correct classification, certificates and declarations
Country of Origin Verification
Verifies and evidences the origin claimed for a material or product, which drives duty, labelling and customer claims
Customs Broker Instruction
Instructs a broker on how a shipment is to be entered, and records what was actually filed
Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- TDG Regulations (SOR/2001-286)
- 49 CFR Parts 171–180 — US Hazardous Materials Regulations
- IMDG Code — International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
- ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Doc 9284)
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.