Government rules are the floor. Carriers set the ceiling.
A shipment can be fully customs-compliant and still be refused by FedEx. Dutiful surfaces carrier-specific prohibited and restricted items alongside government rules - so you catch issues before booking, not at the depot.
The problem
Carriers have their own rules-and they don't always match the law
FedEx, DHL, UPS, TNT, and DPD each maintain independent prohibited and restricted items lists. These are based on carrier liability, safety policy, and insurance-not government regulation. They change more frequently than customs law and vary by route.
Lithium batteries
Laptops, phones, e-bikes-heavily restricted by all major carriers even where legally permitted, due to fire risk during air freight. Rules vary by carrier and service level.
Aerosols & perfumes
Flammable goods restrictions vary by carrier and route. A perfume collection that's perfectly legal to import may be refused by your carrier of choice.
High-value items
Carriers impose their own declared value caps. A shipment within government de minimis thresholds may exceed what a carrier will insure or transport.
How it works
Carrier restrictions surfaced automatically alongside government rules
When you query a route in Assist or via the API, Dutiful will automatically include relevant carrier-specific restrictions for the major carriers serving that route. No separate lookup required - it's part of the same answer.
For API customers, a dedicated /v1/carriers/{carrier}/restrictions endpoint enables pre-booking compliance checks that no current competitor provides.
Carrier restrictions · UK → Australia
Know what the carrier will accept-before you book
Carrier restrictions are coming in Phase 2. Start with government customs data today.