Package Types Explained: Excepted, Type A, Type B, and Industrial

Why Package Type Matters

Choosing the wrong package type can result in regulatory violations, shipment rejections, and potential safety hazards. An under-packaged shipment puts carriers and the public at risk. An over-packaged shipment wastes money and resources—Type B containers can cost tens of thousands of dollars while an excepted package might ship in a cardboard box.

I've seen facilities spend thousands of dollars on Type A containers when their shipments actually qualified as excepted packages. A little check source that could have shipped in a padded envelope ended up in a $500 spec container with full labels and shipping papers. On the flip side, I've also seen shipments rejected at the carrier because someone assumed their material was excepted when it actually required Type A packaging. Both mistakes are costly—one in dollars, the other in delays and compliance headaches.

Understanding package types is essential because it connects directly to your A1/A2 calculation. Once you know your material's activity relative to A1 or A2, the package type almost determines itself.

Who Needs to Know This

This applies to anyone who:

• Ships radioactive material by any mode of transport
• Prepares shipping papers and package certifications
• Procures packaging for radioactive material shipments
• Receives and inspects incoming radioactive shipments
• Manages radiation safety programs at shipping facilities

The Four Package Types

The regulations define four categories of packages for radioactive material, each designed for different activity levels and material types. Here's how they break down under 49 CFR 173.411-173.477.

1. Excepted Packages

Excepted packages are for materials with such low activity that they pose minimal radiological hazard during transport. They are "excepted" from most marking, labeling, and placarding requirements that apply to other radioactive shipments.

Excepted package categories include:

• Limited Quantity (49 CFR 173.421): Activity below the limits in Table 4 of 49 CFR 173.425
• Instruments and Articles (49 CFR 173.424): Devices like smoke detectors, check sources, and calibration sources
• Articles Manufactured from Natural or Depleted Uranium (49 CFR 173.426): Such as depleted uranium counterweights or shielding
• Empty Packages (49 CFR 173.428): Previously contained radioactive material but now below contamination limits

The most common excepted packages I see are check sources and calibration sources—small sealed sources used to verify that radiation detection equipment is working properly. These typically contain microcurie quantities of Cs-137 or Co-60, well below the excepted limits. Smoke detectors containing Am-241 are another common one. If you're shipping these types of items, always check the activity against Table 4 first. You might save yourself a lot of packaging expense and paperwork.

2. Type A Packages

Type A packages are designed to withstand normal conditions of transport—rough handling, stacking, and minor accidents that might occur during everyday shipping. They are appropriate when the activity is:

• Up to A1 for special form material (sealed/encapsulated)
• Up to A2 for normal form material (liquids, powders, etc.)

The tests a Type A package must pass are defined in 49 CFR 173.465 and include:

• Water spray test (simulating rain)
• Free drop test (from 1.2 meters)
• Stacking test (five times package weight for 24 hours)
• Penetration test (6 kg bar dropped from 1 meter)

The biggest mistake I see with Type A packages is reusing containers that have been damaged or degraded. A Type A package must meet specific performance standards, and a container that's been dropped, dented, or has deteriorated foam inserts may no longer qualify. I've also seen people use containers that were never actually certified as Type A in the first place—just because a box looks sturdy doesn't mean it meets the regulatory requirements. Always verify your container is a genuine Type A package and inspect it before each use.

3. Type B Packages

Type B packages are engineered to withstand severe accident conditions including fires, impacts, and immersion. They are required when activity exceeds A1 (special form) or A2 (normal form).

The additional tests required for Type B packages under 49 CFR 173.467 include:

• 9-meter drop test onto an unyielding surface
• 1-meter drop onto a steel punch bar
• 30-minute fire test at 800°C
• Immersion test at 15 meters for 8 hours

Type B packages include massive casks for spent fuel, heavily shielded containers for high-activity sources, and specialized containers for medical isotope production. These packages can weigh thousands of pounds and cost anywhere from $50,000 to several million dollars.

Most RAM shippers will never need to deal with Type B packages directly—the quantities involved are typically handled by specialized carriers and large facilities. But I've seen situations where a facility accumulated multiple sources over the years and suddenly needed to dispose of them all at once. Individually, each source was Type A. Combined in one shipment? They exceeded A2 and suddenly required Type B packaging that cost more than the disposal itself. The lesson: if you're disposing of multiple sources, work with your waste broker early to plan the shipments properly. Sometimes splitting material across multiple Type A shipments is far more cost-effective than one Type B shipment.

4. Industrial Packages (IP-1, IP-2, IP-3)

Industrial packages are specifically for Low Specific Activity (LSA) material and Surface Contaminated Objects (SCO). These materials have low activity concentration, meaning even large quantities don't present a significant hazard.

There are three types of industrial packages:

Common examples of LSA shipments include contaminated soil from remediation projects, uranium ore concentrates, and low-level radioactive waste.

How to Choose the Right Package Type

The decision tree is straightforward once you understand your material:

Step 1: Determine if your material is LSA or SCO

If your material meets the LSA or SCO definitions, you'll use industrial packages (IP-1, IP-2, or IP-3) based on the material category and physical form.

Step 2: Check excepted package limits

If your activity is below the limits in 49 CFR 173.425 Table 4, or if your material qualifies as an instrument/article, you can use excepted packaging.

Step 3: Calculate your A1/A2 ratio

For everything else, calculate your activity as a fraction of A1 (special form) or A2 (normal form):

• Activity ≤ A1 or A2: Use Type A package
• Activity > A1 or A2: Use Type B package

My process is to start at the bottom and work up. First, I check if the material qualifies as excepted—that's the easiest and cheapest option. If not, I look at whether it's LSA or SCO, which would put me in industrial package territory. For everything else, I calculate the A1/A2 ratio to determine Type A or Type B. This “start simple” approach ensures I'm not over-packaging when a simpler option is available. Of course, RAMcalc does all of this automatically—enter your nuclide and activity, and it tells you exactly what package type you need.

Package Type Comparison

How RadShip.com Helps

RadShip.com simplifies package type selection by:

• RAMcalc – Automatically determines package type based on your nuclide, activity, and form. No manual A1/A2 lookups needed.
• LabelCalc – Enter your measured dose rate and it determines your label category with proper TI rounding.
• Complete shipping paper generation with the correct certifications for your package type.

Package type selection involves multiple regulatory tables, A1/A2 lookups, LSA calculations, and excepted package limits—all of which must be applied correctly every time. A manual process means looking up values in 49 CFR, performing calculations by hand, and hoping you didn't miss a step. An automated tool like RAMcalc eliminates these opportunities for error, ensures consistency across all your shipments, and produces documentation you can review and archive. For facilities that ship regularly, the time savings alone are significant—what takes 15-20 minutes manually is done in seconds.

Or skip the manual work and use RAMcalc to handle all of this automatically. Try it free for 7 days.

Common Questions

Can I use a Type B package for Type A quantities?

Yes, but it's usually unnecessary. You can always over-package, but Type B packages are expensive and heavy. Use the package type that matches your activity level.

What if my activity is exactly at the A1 or A2 limit?

Type A is sufficient. The limit is "up to and including" A1 or A2. Only when you exceed A1 or A2 do you need Type B.

Are there different requirements for air transport?

Yes. IATA has additional restrictions. Some Type A packages acceptable for ground transport may require additional approvals for air. Always check the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) for air shipments.

What about fissile material?

Fissile material adds complexity. In addition to activity limits, you must address criticality safety. This often requires Fissile Class designations and may require a Type B(U)F or Type B(M)F package.

The most important thing to understand is that package types exist on a spectrum of cost and complexity. Excepted packages are cheap and simple. Type B packages are expensive and heavily regulated. Your job as a shipper is to find the right level—enough protection to be safe and compliant, but not so much that you're wasting resources. Always start by checking if your material qualifies for the simplest option, then work your way up only as far as the regulations require.

Summary: Your Package Selection Checklist

Before selecting a package type, ensure:

• ☐ You know your nuclide(s) and total activity
• ☐ You've determined if material is special form or normal form
• ☐ You've checked if material qualifies as LSA or SCO
• ☐ You've checked excepted package limits (Table 4)
• ☐ You've calculated the A1/A2 ratio for Type A vs Type B determination
• ☐ You have valid certification if using Type B

Or skip the manual work and use RAMcalc to handle all of this automatically.

Regulatory References

DOT Requirements:

• 49 CFR 173.403 – Definitions (including LSA, SCO, A1, A2)
• 49 CFR 173.411 – General design requirements
• 49 CFR 173.415 – Authorized Type A packages
• 49 CFR 173.416 – Authorized Type B packages
• 49 CFR 173.425 – Table 4 (excepted package limits)
• 49 CFR 173.435 – Table of A1 and A2 values
• 49 CFR 173.465 – Type A packaging tests

NRC Requirements:

• 10 CFR Part 71 – Packaging and transportation of radioactive material

IATA (Air Transport):

• IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, Section 10 – Radioactive material