Limited Quantities Dangerous Goods
ADR Limited Quantities (LQ) allow certain dangerous goods to be transported in small quantities under simplified requirements. The permitted quantity is set in ADR Table A, Column 7a, and both the inner packaging limit and 30 kg gross outer-package limit must be met. LQ shipments generally do not require a full ADR transport document, ADR driver certificate, or vehicle hazard plates, but they still require correct packaging, classification, the LQ diamond mark, and communication of the total gross mass to the carrier.
Limited quantities (LQ) is the ADR Chapter 3.4 provision that allows certain dangerous goods packed in small consumer-type inner packagings to be transported by road under a simplified compliance framework — eliminating the ADR transport document, ADR driver certificate, and vehicle hazard plate requirements that apply to full dangerous goods shipments. The logic is proportionality: a 250 ml retail bottle of solvent presents a different transport risk from a 200-litre drum of the same substance, and the compliance obligations reflect that difference directly.
Where Do Limited Quantity Thresholds Come From?
ADR Table A, Column 7a contains the LQ threshold for every classified substance — the row for each UN number states the maximum net quantity allowed per individual inner packaging under the LQ provision. Values run from 0 (LQ not permitted) to 5 kg or 5 litres depending on the substance and packing group. A Column 7a value of 0 means the substance cannot use LQ regardless of package size — full ADR compliance is mandatory for that substance at any quantity.
The Go Trans logistics glossary documents the dangerous goods classification terms, ADR document requirements, and hazard class definitions used across European road freight. The hazardous freight definitions reference set covers UN numbers, hazard classes, and packing group criteria as applied in daily freight classification decisions across Belgium, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
Four entries from ADR Table A illustrate how the Column 7a threshold shifts with UN number, hazard class, and packing group:
UN 1203 Petrol, Class 3, PG II — maximum 1 litre per inner packaging UN 1950 Aerosols, Class 2 — maximum 1000 ml per inner packaging UN 1760 Corrosive liquid n.o.s., PG I — LQ not permitted (Column 7a = 0) UN 1760 Corrosive liquid n.o.s., PG III — maximum 5 litres per inner packaging
What Are the Two Quantity Limits That Must Both Be Met?
Two simultaneous limits must be satisfied — the inner packaging net quantity limit and the outer package gross mass limit. Satisfying one without the other does not qualify the consignment as LQ.
The packing group of the substance in ADR Table A determines which inner packaging limit applies within the class. PG I substances have the lowest Column 7a limits or 0. PG III substances carry the highest allowances. The inner packaging limit is the Column 7a value for that specific UN number and packing group — each individual container must hold no more than this net quantity of the substance.
The outer package gross mass limit is 30 kg. The completed outer package — inner containers, cushioning material, and outer packaging together — must not exceed 30 kg gross. For shrink-wrapped trays, the limit drops to 20 kg.
A consignment does not qualify as LQ when the outer package exceeds 30 kg gross — even if every inner container sits below the Column 7a threshold. Both limits apply simultaneously to every individual package in the consignment.
What ADR Requirements Are Reduced Under Limited Quantities?
Four significant ADR road transport obligations are eliminated for consignments consisting entirely of LQ goods.
No ADR transport document. The full ADR dangerous goods declaration — UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group — is not required for road transport when the entire load consists of LQ goods. The consignor must supply the carrier with the total gross mass of the LQ goods in a traceable form such as a delivery note or invoice. This gross mass communication is not the ADR transport document and does not carry dangerous goods classification fields.
No ADR driver certificate. The driver carrying an LQ-only load does not need an ADR dangerous goods driving certificate. General awareness training under ADR Section 1.3 still applies to all personnel involved in dangerous goods transport including LQ loads — but Section 1.3 is an awareness-level obligation, not a certificate-level qualification requiring examination and renewal.
No vehicle hazard plates. Orange Kemler plates, UN number panels, and ADR hazard placards on the vehicle are not required for LQ loads. For vehicles with a maximum permitted total mass exceeding 12 tonnes, the LQ mark must appear front and rear — but this requirement is waived even on those vehicles if the total LQ goods on board do not exceed 8 tonnes.
LQ goods excluded from the 1000-point calculation. When a vehicle carries both LQ goods and non-LQ ADR goods, LQ goods are excluded entirely from the 1000-point mixed load calculation. Non-LQ ADR goods continue to contribute to the point total.
What Requirements Still Apply Under Limited Quantities?
Four obligations remain for every LQ consignment regardless of the simplifications above.
Correct inner and outer packaging. Each inner container must hold the substance at or below the Column 7a threshold. The outer packaging must withstand normal transport conditions — drop resistance, stacking integrity, and leakproofness for liquids. UN-approved packaging is not required for LQ goods, but the packaging must meet the general performance standards set out in ADR Chapter 4.1 for limited quantity goods.
The LQ mark on every outer package. Every outer package must carry the LQ mark: a diamond shape (square placed on its tip), white background, black border, with the upper and lower sections of the diamond filled black. Minimum dimensions: 100mm × 100mm. On packages where this size is impractical, the mark may be proportionally reduced. The LQ mark replaces standard ADR hazard class diamond labels under ADR road transport — no separate hazard diamonds are required on LQ packages.
Gross mass information to the carrier. The consignor must supply the total gross mass of the LQ goods to the carrier in a traceable form before the vehicle departs.
Correct product classification. The substance must be correctly identified and classified under ADR before the LQ assessment begins. The ADR transport classification framework governs how each substance is classified — Column 7a can only be correctly applied once the UN number and packing group are confirmed from ADR Table A or SDS Section 14.
What Is the Difference Between Limited Quantities and Excepted Quantities?
Excepted quantities (EQ) apply to even smaller amounts of certain dangerous goods and carry fewer compliance requirements than LQ. EQ thresholds per inner packaging are always lower than LQ thresholds for the same substance — where LQ allows 1 litre per inner container for certain Class 3 flammable liquids, EQ for the same substance may allow only 30 ml per inner container.
EQ uses a different package mark: a circle with the hazard class number in the lower half and the consignor's or consignee's initials in the upper half — distinct from the LQ black-and-white diamond. Under EQ, the total number of packages on a single transport unit must not exceed 1000. LQ carries no equivalent package count ceiling for road transport.
The decision point is the per-inner quantity: EQ applies when the quantity falls within the Column 7b threshold. LQ applies when it exceeds the EQ threshold but stays within Column 7a. Full ADR compliance is required when it exceeds Column 7a — no exemption applies at that level.
How Does Go Trans Arrange Freight for LQ Consignments?
Go Trans arranges shipping hazardous goods across Europe through its carrier network, including international parcel delivery. Consignments of correctly marked LQ packages — inner quantities within Column 7a limits, outer package gross mass within 30 kg, LQ diamond displayed — move through Go Trans's European road freight carrier network on standard lanes alongside full ADR and non-dangerous goods consignments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can LQ goods travel on the same vehicle as full ADR dangerous goods?
A vehicle can carry LQ goods and full ADR dangerous goods simultaneously. LQ goods are excluded from the 1000-point mixed load calculation — only the non-LQ ADR goods contribute to the point total. If the non-LQ goods on their own require full ADR compliance, the driver certificate, transport document, and vehicle plates apply to the vehicle for those goods regardless of the LQ goods also on board. The LQ packages keep their LQ marks and are not counted in the 1000-point assessment.
Does the LQ mark have a Y in the centre for ADR road transport?
The Y inside the LQ diamond is an IATA air transport requirement — it identifies the package as complying with the IATA limited quantity packing instruction for air freight. For European road transport under ADR, the LQ mark is a diamond with black upper and lower sections and a black border on a white background, with no Y. A package marked only with the ADR LQ diamond is not automatically valid for air transport — IATA LQ thresholds differ from ADR for the same UN number and must be verified separately before any air movement.
Is a Safety Data Sheet still required for goods shipped under the LQ exemption?
The LQ exemption does not remove the SDS obligation. An SDS is required under REACH Regulation (EC) 1907/2006 for all CLP-classified hazardous substances regardless of transport quantity or mode. SDS Section 14 transport fields — UN number, hazard class, packing group — are the data used to verify Column 7a eligibility before classifying a consignment as LQ. Removing the ADR transport document requirement does not remove the REACH SDS obligation.
What happens if a package exceeds the 30 kg gross mass limit?
A package that exceeds 30 kg gross at any amount falls outside the LQ provision and is subject to full ADR dangerous goods requirements for that substance. There is no rounding allowance or tolerance in ADR Chapter 3.4. A package at 30.5 kg gross requires full ADR transport documentation, correct UN-approved packaging where applicable, and all other ADR requirements for that UN number and packing group. Shippers whose outer packages regularly approach 30 kg should weigh each completed package before despatch to confirm compliance.
What is the difference between LQ for road transport and LQ for air transport?
ADR Chapter 3.4 governs LQ for road; IATA DGR Packing Instruction 910 (Y) governs LQ for air — these are separate systems with different quantity thresholds, marking requirements, and eligibility rules. For many UN numbers the IATA inner packaging limit is lower than the ADR Column 7a limit, meaning a product qualifying as LQ on a Belgian road freight lane may not qualify as LQ on an air freight shipment for the same goods. Air LQ packages must carry the LQ mark with a Y inside the diamond; ADR road LQ packages do not include the Y. A shipper moving LQ goods by road and then air must verify eligibility and threshold compliance under each mode independently — the ADR LQ classification does not transfer to IATA compliance.