Limited quantities (LQ) are 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. This can remove requirements that apply to full ADR consignments, including the ADR transport document, ADR driver certificate, and certain vehicle marking requirements. The principle 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.
Where Do Limited Quantity Thresholds Come From?
ADR Table A, Column 7a contains the LQ threshold for each classified substance. The row for each UN number states the maximum net quantity allowed per individual inner packaging under the LQ provision. Values range from 0, meaning LQ is not permitted, to quantities such as 5 kg or 5 litres, depending on the substance and its classification.
A Column 7a value of 0 means the substance cannot use the LQ provision regardless of package size. Full ADR requirements therefore apply to 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 dangerous goods reference set covers UN numbers, hazard classes, and packing group criteria applied in freight classification decisions across Belgium, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
Examples from ADR Table A illustrate how the Column 7a threshold can vary according to the 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. Meeting one limit without the other does not qualify the package for the LQ provision.
The packing group shown in ADR Table A helps determine the applicable requirements within the relevant hazard class. The actual inner packaging limit is the Column 7a value assigned to the specific UN number. Each individual inner container must remain within that limit.
The standard outer package gross mass limit is 30 kg. The completed outer package — including inner containers, cushioning material, and outer packaging — must not exceed 30 kg gross. For shrink-wrapped trays, the limit is 20 kg.
A package does not qualify as LQ when its applicable outer-package gross mass limit is exceeded, even if every inner container remains below the Column 7a threshold. Both limits must be satisfied.
What ADR Requirements Are Reduced Under Limited Quantities?
Four significant ADR road transport obligations are reduced or removed for consignments consisting entirely of LQ goods.
No Standard ADR Transport Document
The full ADR dangerous goods declaration — including the UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group — is generally not required for an LQ-only road consignment. The consignor must nevertheless provide the carrier with the total gross mass of the LQ goods in a traceable form, such as a delivery note or invoice. This information is not a substitute ADR dangerous goods transport document and does not need to reproduce the full dangerous goods classification.
No ADR Driver Certificate for LQ-Only Loads
A driver carrying an LQ-only load does not require an ADR dangerous goods driving certificate solely because of the LQ goods. However, ADR Section 1.3 awareness training still applies to personnel involved in the transport of dangerous goods, including LQ consignments. Section 1.3 awareness is distinct from the certificate-based qualification required for drivers of applicable full-ADR loads.
Reduced Vehicle Marking Requirements
Orange plates and standard ADR vehicle placarding requirements applicable to full dangerous goods loads do not generally apply to LQ-only loads. However, vehicles subject to the relevant LQ vehicle-marking provision may need the LQ mark at the front and rear. For vehicles with a maximum permitted mass exceeding 12 tonnes, the marking requirement is subject to the applicable ADR threshold, including the 8-tonne total LQ quantity exemption.
LQ Goods and the 1000-Point Calculation
When a vehicle carries both LQ goods and non-LQ ADR goods, qualifying LQ goods are excluded from the 1000-point calculation. The non-LQ dangerous goods continue to contribute to the calculation under the applicable ADR provisions.
What Requirements Still Apply Under Limited Quantities?
The LQ provision does not mean that dangerous goods can be packaged or handled without controls. Several requirements continue to apply.
Correct Inner and Outer Packaging
Each inner container must hold the substance at or below the applicable Column 7a threshold. The outer packaging must be suitable for normal transport conditions and provide adequate protection against damage and leakage. The specific ADR packaging requirements for limited quantities must be followed; the absence of a general UN packaging approval requirement does not mean that ordinary unsuitable packaging can be used.
The LQ Mark on Outer Packages
Qualifying outer packages must normally display the LQ mark: a square-on-point diamond with a black border and black upper and lower sections separated by a white centre.
The standard minimum dimensions are 100 mm × 100 mm. Where package dimensions make this impracticable, the mark may be reduced proportionally in accordance with ADR requirements.
The LQ mark identifies the package as containing dangerous goods transported under the limited quantity provisions. It replaces the standard ADR hazard labels that would otherwise be required on the outer package for the relevant full-ADR transport.
Gross Mass Information to the Carrier
The consignor must provide the carrier with information about the total gross mass of LQ goods before transport, in a traceable form.
Correct Product Classification
The substance must first be correctly identified and classified under ADR before the LQ assessment begins. The ADR transport classification framework determines the applicable UN number, hazard class, packing group where applicable, and Column 7a quantity.
The applicable information should be verified against the current ADR Table A and, where appropriate, the manufacturer's current Safety Data Sheet, particularly 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 provide a different set of exemptions from LQ. EQ limits are determined under ADR Chapter 3.5 and use the applicable Column 7b value in ADR Table A.
For substances eligible for both provisions, the EQ quantity per inner packaging is generally lower than the corresponding LQ quantity. For example, where LQ permits up to 1 litre per inner packaging for a particular Class 3 substance, the applicable EQ limit may be substantially lower.
EQ packages use a different identification mark from LQ packages. The EQ mark incorporates the applicable hazard class or division and the consignor or consignee identification, making it visually distinct from the black-and-white LQ diamond.
Under the EQ provisions, the number of packages on a single transport unit is subject to a maximum of 1,000. LQ transport does not use the same package-count ceiling.
The decision therefore depends on the applicable quantity thresholds:
- Within Column 7b: Excepted Quantity provisions may apply.
- Above Column 7b but within Column 7a: Limited Quantity provisions may apply.
- Above Column 7a: Full ADR requirements generally apply unless another specific ADR exemption is available.
How Does Go Trans Arrange Freight for LQ Consignments?
Go Trans arranges shipping hazardous goods across Europe through its carrier network. Consignments of correctly marked LQ packages — with inner quantities within the applicable Column 7a limits, compliant outer packaging, and the required LQ marking — can move through the Go Trans European road freight network alongside full ADR and non-dangerous goods consignments.
Get a quote: Get an LQ freight quote from Go Trans