Shipping Paper Requirements for Radioactive Material

Why Shipping Papers Matter

Shipping papers are the legal backbone of every hazmat shipment. They travel with the package from origin to destination and serve three critical audiences: the carrier who needs to know what they're hauling, the emergency responder who needs to assess a spill or accident scene, and the DOT inspector who verifies compliance.

Incomplete or incorrect shipping papers are one of the most common DOT violations I see. A facility ships a Type A package with all the right labeling and packaging, but the shipping paper is missing the physical form or has the wrong activity units. That's a citable violation—even though the package itself was perfectly safe. The frustrating part is these are paperwork errors, not safety failures, but they carry real penalties.

Getting your shipping papers right the first time avoids carrier rejections, DOT fines, and shipment delays that cost far more than the time it takes to prepare accurate documentation.

Who Needs to Know This

This applies to anyone who:

• Prepares shipping papers for RAM shipments
• Signs the shipper's certification
• Reviews or approves outbound radioactive shipments
• Accepts RAM packages as a carrier
• Audits hazmat shipping documentation

Basic Shipping Paper Entries

Every hazmat shipping paper must include the basic description required by 49 CFR 172.202. These entries apply to all hazardous materials, not just radioactive:

1. UN Number

The four-digit UN identification number preceded by “UN”—for example, “UN2915.”

2. Proper Shipping Name

The exact name from the 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table. The proper shipping name for RAM is typically “Radioactive material, Type A package” or similar. You must use the name exactly as it appears in the table—no abbreviations or rewording.

3. Hazard Class

For all radioactive material, the hazard class is 7. Write it as “7” on the shipping paper.

4. Packing Group (If Applicable)

Most RAM entries in the hazmat table do not have a packing group assigned. If the table shows no packing group for your UN number, leave it blank—don't make one up.

5. Quantity

The total quantity of material by weight or volume. This is in addition to the activity (which is a RAM-specific requirement covered below).

RAM-Specific Entries Under 49 CFR 172.203(d)

In addition to the basic entries above, radioactive material shipments require specific additional information defined in 49 CFR 172.203(d). This is where most RAM shipping paper errors occur.

Radionuclide Name

The name of the radioactive isotope using the standard symbol—for example, “Cs-137” for Cesium-137 or “Co-60” for Cobalt-60. For mixtures, list each radionuclide that contributes significantly to the hazard.

Physical and Chemical Form

Describe the physical state (solid, liquid, gas) and the chemical form of the material. Examples: “solid, metal” or “liquid, solution in HCl.” For special form sources, state “special form.”

This is the entry I see missed most often. Shippers fill in everything else correctly, then leave the physical/chemical form blank or write something vague like “sealed source.” The regulation requires both the physical state and the chemical form. “Sealed source” describes the packaging, not the material.

Activity

The total activity in SI units (becquerels) or customary units (curies). You may use appropriate prefixes (GBq, MBq, mCi, etc.). The activity must be expressed in terms of the units, not just a number—write “3.7 GBq (100 mCi)” not just “100.”

Category of Label

State the label category applied to the package: “WHITE-I,” “YELLOW-II,” or “YELLOW-III.” For excepted packages, this entry is not required since excepted packages don't receive radioactive labels.

Transport Index

The Transport Index (TI) of each package. For WHITE-I packages, the TI is 0. For excepted packages, TI is not required on the shipping paper.

Fissile Material Entries

If the material is fissile, additional entries are required: the words “Fissile” (unless fissile-excepted) and the Criticality Safety Index (CSI).

Shipper's Certification

Under 49 CFR 172.204, the shipping paper must include a signed certification statement. The standard certification reads:

The person signing the certification must be the shipper or an authorized agent of the shipper. By signing, you are legally certifying that everything about the shipment complies with DOT regulations. This isn't just a formality—an incorrect certification can result in personal liability.

Air Shipments

For air transport, an additional certification statement is required: “This shipment is within the limitations prescribed for passenger and cargo aircraft” (or cargo aircraft only, as applicable). Air shipments use the IATA Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD) form, which has its own format requirements beyond the DOT shipping paper.

Emergency Response Information

Under 49 CFR 172.604, labeled RAM shipments must include a 24-hour emergency response telephone number on the shipping paper. This number must:

• Be monitored at all times the shipment is in transportation
• Reach a person knowledgeable about the material being shipped
• Be able to provide immediate emergency response information

Many shippers use a third-party emergency response service like CHEMTREC (1-800-424-9300) for this requirement. If you use your own number, make sure someone qualified actually answers—24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. I've seen companies list their main office line, which goes to voicemail after 5 PM. That doesn't meet the requirement.

Formatting and Sequence

The shipping paper description must follow a specific sequence per 49 CFR 172.202(b):

1. UN number
2. Proper shipping name
3. Hazard class (7)
4. Packing group (if applicable)

The RAM-specific information (radionuclide, activity, form, label category, TI) follows the basic description. While the order of the RAM-specific entries has some flexibility, keeping them consistent makes your shipping papers easier to review and less likely to trigger questions from carriers or inspectors.

Example: Type A Package

Example: Excepted Package

Notice how the excepted package example is much simpler. No activity, no form, no label category, no TI. This is why correctly classifying your package as excepted when it qualifies can save significant documentation effort.

Record Retention

Under 49 CFR 172.201(e), shippers must retain a copy of the shipping paper (or an electronic image) for a minimum of 2 years after the shipment is accepted by the initial carrier. Carriers must retain their copy for 1 year.

Keep your records organized. If DOT audits your shipping program, they'll ask to see shipping papers going back two years. Having them readily available shows a professional, compliant operation.

Common Shipping Paper Mistakes

After reviewing hundreds of RAM shipping papers, these are the errors I see most frequently:

1. Missing Physical/Chemical Form

The most common omission. Shippers list the radionuclide and activity but forget the physical and chemical description. “Solid, metal” or “liquid, aqueous solution” are examples of what's needed.

2. Wrong Activity Units

Writing activity without units or using non-standard units. Always include the unit: GBq, MBq, Ci, mCi. Including both SI and customary units (e.g., “3.7 GBq (100 mCi)”) is good practice and avoids confusion.

3. Incorrect Proper Shipping Name

Abbreviating or paraphrasing the proper shipping name. It must match the Hazardous Materials Table exactly. “RAM, Type A” is not acceptable—write the full name.

4. No Emergency Phone Number

Forgetting the 24-hour emergency contact for labeled packages, or listing a number that doesn't actually reach a knowledgeable person around the clock.

5. Unsigned Certification

The shipping paper is complete but nobody signed the shipper's certification. An unsigned shipping paper is an incomplete shipping paper.

How RadShip.com Helps

RadShip.com simplifies shipping paper preparation by:

• RAMcalc – Classifies your material and determines the correct UN number, proper shipping name, and package type automatically.
• LabelCalc – Calculates TI and label category so you have accurate values for your shipping paper.
• Consistent output format that includes all required RAM-specific entries—nothing gets missed.

The biggest risk with shipping papers isn't getting the format wrong—it's getting the classification wrong upstream. If your UN number is wrong, your proper shipping name is wrong, and your entire shipping paper is wrong from the first line. Starting with accurate classification eliminates the cascade of errors.

Let RAMcalc handle the classification, and your shipping papers start with the right foundation. Try it free for 7 days.

Common Questions

Can I use electronic shipping papers?

Yes, with conditions. Electronic shipping papers are permitted under 49 CFR 172.201(a)(5), but they must be immediately accessible to the driver during transport and to emergency responders in the event of an incident. Paper copies remain the most common and reliable method.

Do I need a separate shipping paper for each package?

No. Multiple packages can be listed on a single shipping paper. Each package gets its own line entry with the required information. This is common when shipping multiple RAM packages in the same vehicle.

What about international (air) shipments?

Use the IATA Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD). For air transport, the DGD replaces the DOT shipping paper and has its own specific format and requirements under the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. The DGD requires additional information beyond what DOT requires for ground transport.

Where does the driver keep the shipping paper?

Within immediate reach while driving, or in the driver's door pocket when away from the vehicle. Under 49 CFR 177.817, the driver must be able to access the shipping paper quickly. This ensures emergency responders can find it if the driver is incapacitated.

Shipping papers may not be the most exciting part of RAM shipping, but they're the part that DOT inspectors look at first. A clean, complete shipping paper signals a shipper who knows what they're doing. An incomplete one raises questions about everything else in your program.

Summary: Your Shipping Paper Checklist

Before releasing a RAM shipment, verify your shipping paper includes:

• ☐ UN number (with “UN” prefix)
• ☐ Proper shipping name (exact match from 172.101 table)
• ☐ Hazard class 7
• ☐ Radionuclide name (standard symbol)
• ☐ Physical and chemical form (for labeled packages)
• ☐ Activity with units (for labeled packages)
• ☐ Label category: WHITE-I, YELLOW-II, or YELLOW-III
• ☐ Transport Index
• ☐ 24-hour emergency response phone number (for labeled packages)
• ☐ Shipper's certification signed
• ☐ Copy retained for your records (2-year minimum)

Or use RAMcalc to generate the classification data your shipping paper needs.

Regulatory References

DOT Requirements:

• 49 CFR 172.200 – Applicability of shipping paper requirements
• 49 CFR 172.201 – Preparation and retention of shipping papers
• 49 CFR 172.202 – Description of hazardous material (basic entries)
• 49 CFR 172.203(d) – Additional description for radioactive materials
• 49 CFR 172.204 – Shipper's certification
• 49 CFR 172.604 – Emergency response telephone number
• 49 CFR 177.817 – Shipping papers accessibility during transport

IATA (Air Transport):

• IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, Section 8 – Dangerous Goods Declaration requirements
• IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, Section 10 – Radioactive material specific requirements