Prohibited Items Checker

    Before you pack, find out whether an item can fly in carry-on, checked baggage, or at all — under the rules of your departure region. Covers TSA (USA), the EU, UK, Australia, and Canada.

    1. Where are you departing from?

    2. What are you packing?

    Pick an item above to see whether it's allowed in carry-on or checked baggage.
    Rules change. This checker is a planning aid built from official sources, but final screening decisions are made by the officer at your departure airport, and airlines can impose stricter limits than the national authority. Always verify with the official authority and your airline before flying — especially for batteries, medication, and anything you can't easily replace.

    How to use this checker

    Start by selecting your departure region — security rules apply to the airport you're leaving from, not your destination. Then search the item list for what you plan to pack. The result card shows whether the item is allowed in your carry-on, in checked baggage, or banned outright, plus the quantity limit (e.g. the 100 ml liquids rule) and a short explanation of why the rule exists.

    A handful of items behave differently depending on the situation: lithium batteries and power banks must travel in carry-on only because cabin crew can reach a fire; medically necessary liquids are exempt from the 100 ml limit if you declare them; duty-free liquids over 100 ml are allowed only in a sealed STEB tamper-evident bag with the receipt visible. The result card flags these conditions in the Limit and Note rows.

    This tool is a planning aid built from official sources (TSA, the EU Commission, gov.uk, TravelSECURE, CATSA), last reviewed in May 2026. Airlines can be stricter than the national authority, and the screening officer at the gate has the final word — so always cross-check with your carrier and the linked official page before flying with anything unusual.

    Heading abroad? Pair this with our Smartphone Travel Checklist and the Packing List builder so nothing gets pulled aside at security.