CO2 cartridge

Can I take CO2 cartridge across a border? Yes in many places, with conditions. Of the (no rules indexed) country-rules we've indexed for CO2 cartridge, 0 are allowed (often with limits), 0 are restricted (permit, declaration, or quantity cap), and 0 are prohibited outright. Customs rules depend on the destination, the purpose (travelling, posting, importing personally, or importing commercially), and the quantity.

Pressurised CO2 cartridges (life jackets, soda streams, paintball, cycle-tyre inflation). Class 2.2 non-flammable gas. Limited carry-on permitted under IATA DGR for personal-use accessories. The personal-use IATA exemption typically covers up to two small cartridges (each ≤50 ml water capacity) for self-inflating life jackets, inflators, or paintball guns when carried with the device. Bicycle-tyre and SodaStream-style cartridges are permitted in carry-on or checked baggage under the same exemption. Commercial-quantity cartridges ship under UN 1013 (CO2) with full dangerous-goods documentation. Importation classified under HS 2811.21. Postal carriage is generally prohibited under the Universal Postal Convention except for clearly-marked surface-mail consignments declared as Class 2.2.

Common mistakes with CO2 cartridge

• Assuming the rules at the origin apply at the destination — they don't. The destination customs authority is the binding rule.
• Travelling and posting are treated differently: an item you can carry may be prohibited by post (and vice versa).
• Personal vs commercial intent: above a quantity threshold, customs may treat your shipment as commercial regardless of intent.
• Undervaluing on the customs declaration to avoid duty — treated as fraud in most jurisdictions.
• Vague item descriptions on CN22/CN23 — biggest single cause of postal customs holds.
• Lithium batteries in checked baggage (must be in carry-on) or above the watt-hour limit without airline approval.
• Missing required certificates (phytosanitary, veterinary, CITES, prescription, product compliance).

Always verify against the destination's customs authority before acting. Not legal advice.

General notes