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Permitted and Prohibited Items

Some articles are not
permitted in your carry-on
or checked baggage

Items such as pointed scissors and
ice skates are examples of articles that are
not permitted in your carry-on baggage. Unidentifiable

liquids, such as homemade wine, are also not permitted in your carry-on baggage.

Food products, such as fruit cakes are permitted in your baggage. However, we suggest that you place all food items in your carry-on baggage, given certain items may require secondary searches of your checked baggage, which can cause delays. If you plan to bring any kitchen utensils with your food products, please ensure these are packed in checked baggage. If you are travelling outside the country, you should check with your airline or Canada Border Services Agency’s website at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca regarding bringing foreign products into Canada, as some restrictions may apply.

Other items, such as strike-anywhere matches, are prohibited in both your carry-on or checked baggage.

Effective April 26, 2005, CATSA will intercept lighters at United States pre-clearance areas at Canadian airports. For more information, please click on the links below.

News Release from Transport Canada and CATSA
Media Advisory from Transport Canada
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Website

Permitted and non permitted items are regulated by Transport Canada. The chart is not intended to be all-inclusive and is updated as necessary.  To ensure everyone's security, the screener may determine that an item not on the prohibited items chart is prohibited. In addition, the screener may also determine that an item on the permitted chart is a dangerous good and therefore may not be brought through the security checkpoint. With all cases, it is the responsibility of the screening officer to assess the risk of the item and act accordingly.

The chart applies to flights originating within Canada. Please check with your airline or travel agent for restrictions at point of departure outside of Canada.

Permitted and Non Permitted Items - Categories
Firearms, Real Ammunitions and Cartridges
Knives
Incapacitating sprays, Liquids or Powders
Martial Arts Weapons
Other Weapons
Explosives and Improvise Explosive Devices
Sporting Goods
Dangerous Articles / Sharp Objects
Dangerous Goods

Heat producing articles
Lighters and matches
Flammables
Medical Items
Sporting Goods
Aerosols
Toiletries / personal items

Other Dangerous Goods
Contraband

Permitted and Non-Permitted Items
Carry-On
Checked
Firearms, Real Annumitions and Cartridges
No
No*
* Some firearms, ammunitions and cartridges may be permitted in checked baggage if approved by air carrier
KNIVES
Belt Buckle knives (Constant Companion)
No
No
Butterfly knives
No
No
Comb knives
No
No
Concealed knives of any length
No
No
Lipstick knives
No
No
Pen knives
No
No
Push daggers
No
No
Swichblade knives
No
No
Throwing knives
No
No
Hunting knives
No
Yes
Jacknife (e.g. Swiss army knife)
No
Yes
INCAPACITATING SPRAYS, LIQUIDS OR POWDERS
Mace
No
No
Pepper spray (including bear and dog sprays)
No
No
Tear gas
No
No
MARTIAL ARTS WEAPONS
Billy clubs and blackjacks
No
Yes
Bladed or spiked finger rings
No
No
Brass knuckles
No
No
Spiked collars or wristbands or any similar device
No
No
Kiyoga (steel) batons
No
No
Kubasuant (with knife blades)
No
No
Kubatons
No
No
Kusari (handgrip and chain)
No
No
Morning stars
No
No
Numchucks
No
No
Nunchaku sticks
No
No
Shuriken
No
No
Throwing stars
No
No
Yaqua Blowguns
No
No
OTHER WEAPONS
Arrows and darts used in crossbows
No
No
Blowguns
No
No
Crossbows (length not exceeding 500 mm)
No
No
Electric stun guns (except defibrillators that are required for medical purposes or that are part of aircraft equipment)
No
No
Catapults
No
No*
Kubasuant (without knife blade)
No
No*
Pick-in-handle umbrellas
No
No*
Slingshots
No
No*
Sword canes
No
No*
* May be permitted in checked bags if approved by air carrier
EXPLOSIVES AND IMPROVISE EXPLOSIVE DEVICES
Fake ammunition including belts made with fake bullets and bullet key chains
No
Yes
Black and smokeless powders
No
No
Bombs (pipe, mortar, etc.) including replicas
No
No
Detonators (electric and non-electric)
No
No
Distress flares
No
No
Dynamite
No
No
Fireworks
No
No
Hand grenades (including replicas)
No
No
Molotov cocktails
No
No
Nitroglycerin
No
No
Plastic explosives (C4, SEMTEX, TNT, sheet explosives, etc.)
No
No
SPORTING GOODS
Arrows and darts for archery (sport use)
No
Yes
Billiard cues
No
Yes
Bolt cutters
No
Yes
Bowling balls
No
Yes
Golf clubs
No
Yes
Hockey sticks
No
Yes
Hunting knives
No
Yes
Ice axes
No
Yes
Ice picks
No
Yes
Ice skates
No
Yes
Lacrosse sticks
No
Yes
Lawn darts
No
Yes
Sabers
No
Yes
SCUBA knives
No
Yes
Ski poles
No
Yes
Sport bats (such as baseball and cricket bats)
No
Yes
Swords
No
Yes
Fishing poles (no hooks)
Yes*
Yes
Parachute
Yes*
Yes
Skateboards
Yes*
Yes
Sports raquets
Yes*
Yes
Miniature sports equipment
Yes*
Yes
Whips
Yes*
Yes
* Air carriers may permit provided certain conditions are met
DANGEROUS ARTICLES / SHARP OBJECTS
Axes
No
Yes
Belt buckles sharped like a gun and any similar items
No
Yes
Box cutters
No
Yes
Cigar cutters without removable blades
Yes
Yes
Corkscrews, other than those with attached knives
Yes
Yes
Cutting instruments (e.g. paring knives)
No
Yes
Cuticle cutters
Yes
Yes
Disposable razors
Yes
Yes
Digital meat thermometer
No
Yes
Hatchets
No
Yes
Items that look like weapons (e.g. perfume bottles shaped like a grenade)
No
Yes
Kitchen forks (plastic and metal)
Yes
Yes
Knitting needles
Yes
Yes
Laser pointers
Yes
Yes
Meat cleavers
No
Yes
Nail clippers
Yes
Yes
Nail files (of all types)
Yes
Yes
Pins for attaching all medals and pins on broches
Yes
Yes
Penetrating objects (including scissors with pointed tips)
No
Yes
Razor blades (not in a cartridge)
No
Yes
Razor blades cartridges
Yes
Yes
Restraining devices (including handcuffs or other devices used by air carrier crew or police officers)
No
Yes
Sewing kits containing small sewing needles
Yes
Yes
Straight razors (including cigar cutters that when pulled apart have an exposed blade)
No
Yes
Tools such as hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, drills, saws, crow bars and heavy tools
No
Yes
Toy transformer robots in the form of a firearm
No
Yes
Toy weapons (e.g. water gun, squirt gun, toy grenade)
No
Yes
Tweezers
Yes
Yes
DANGEROUS GOODS - Heat producing articles

Underwater torches
Yes*
Yes

Soldering irons
Note: The heat producing component, or the energy source, must be removed so as to prevent unintentional functioning during transport.

Yes*
No
Hand warmers
No
No
Oxygen generators
No
No
* Air carriers may permit provided certain conditions are met
DANGEROUS GOODS - Lighters and matches
Lighter fuel and refills
No
No
Lighters shaped like guns or grenades
No
No
Strike anywhere matches
No
No
One lighter intended for personal use and not containing unabsorbed liquid fuel when carried on the person, except at PBS checkpoints where US pre-clearance is in place
Yes
No*
One book of safety matches intended for personal use when carried on the person
Yes
No
* Including Zippo
DANGEROUS GOODS - Flammables
Aerosols marked as flammable that are not considered toiletry items such as static guard and aerosol laundry starch
No
No
Gas refills
No
No
Gas torches
No
No
Insecticides (except those to be used by crew members for disinfection purposes AND one canister of insect repellent aerosol for personal use)
No
No
Liquids marked as flammable (e.g. gasoline, kerosene, lighter fluid and turpentine)
No
No

Paint (including enamel, lacquer, liquid filler, paint thinner, stain, shellac, varnish and liquid lacquer base, solvent-based paint, spray paint)
Note: Watercolour paint is permitted because it is not considered dangerous goods
No
No
Tubes of oil based paint
No
No*
* Air carriers may permit tubes of oil-based paint used by artists provided certain conditions are met
DANGEROUS GOODS - Medical Items
Oxygen cylinders, including chemical oxygen generators and liquid oxygen
No
No

Small gaseous oxygen or air cylinders for medical use
Note: Passenger must show to the Screening Officer the air carrier's approval
Yes*
No

Medical kits carried by health care professionals if the medical kit does not include sharp or cutting instruments and if the name and medical license of the health care professional or his or her name and company identification are provided

Yes
Yes

Syringes, hypodermic needles and biojectors for personal medical use, if the needle guard is in place, and the person possesses medication that is to be administered by means of the syringe or needle, and if that is in a container that bears the name of the medication and the name of either the pharmacy that dispensed the medication or the manufacturer of the medication
Yes
Yes

Batteries: Wheelchairs and other battery-powered mobility aids (personal)
Note: Passenger must show to the Screening Officer the air carrier's approval
Yes*
Yes*

Medical or clinical thermometer (one small medical or clinical thermometer that contains mercury, for personal use, when in a protective case)

Yes
Yes
Small CO2 cylinders worn for the operation of mechanical limbs and spare cylinders of similar size required to ensure an adequate supply during travel
Yes
Yes
* Air carriers may permit provided certain conditions are met
DANGEROUS GOODS - Sporting goods

Equipment designed to contain a flammable liquid and containing dangerous goods (e.g. camping stoves and canisters)
Note: The Air Carrier may offer to transport by air as cargo in accordance with the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR)
No
No
Paintball gun and cylinders
No
Yes*
Scuba tanks
No
Yes*
Carbon dioxide (CO2) cylinders or cartridges (except those required for medical purposes; those to be used for aircraft maintenance or for aerodrome maintenance or construction; or those used for self-inflating life-jackets)
No
No

CO2 cylinders for self-inflating life-jacket
Note: No more than two small CO2 cylinders or two cylinders of other suitable non-inflammable, non-poisonous gas when fitted into a self-inflating life-jacket for inflation purposes, plus no more than two spare cartridges per passenger
Yes*
Yes*
* Air carriers may permit provided certain conditions are met
OTHER DANGEROUS GOODS

Batteries for consumer electronic devices containing lithium or lithium cells or batteries when carried for personal use. They must be individually protected and each spare battery must not exceed:
- for lithium metal or lithium alloy batteries, a lithium content of not more than 2 grams; or
- for lithium ion batteries, an aggregate equivalent lithium content of not more than 8 grams.

Yes
No
Fire extinguishers
No
No

Mercury barometers or thermometers carried by a representative from government weather bureau or similar official agency
Yes*
No
Dry ice not exceeding 2 kg per person used for packaging perishables
Yes*
Yes*
Caustic materials such as liquid bleach and chlorine
No
No
Consumer electronic devices containing lithium or lithium cells or batteries when carried for personal use (e.g. laptop, cellular phone, camcorder)
Yes
Yes
One gas-operated hair curler per person provided that the safety cover is securely fitted over the heating element. Gas refills for such curlers are prohibited
Yes
Yes
* Air carriers may permit provided certain conditions are met
DANGEROUS GOODS - Aerosols

Non-flammable, non-poisonous aerosols for sporting and home use (e.g. Reddi Whip)
Note : Maximum limit of 500 ml or 500 g per container, with a total net quantity not to exceed 2 L or 2 kg per person
No
Yes
DANGEROUS GOODS - Toiletries / personal items

Insect repellent, limit of one canister of aerosol

Yes
Yes

Medicinal or toilet articles or aerosols including hair spray

Yes
Yes

Non-radioactive medicinal or toilet articles for personal use, nail polish remover

Yes
Yes

Perfume, cologne, and medicine containing alcohol including rubbing alcohol
Yes
Yes

3% hydrogen peroxide found in drug stores to clean cuts
Note: Maximum limit of 500 ml or 500 g per container, with a total net quantity not to exceed 2 L or 2 kg per person for all of person's carry-on and checked baggage for all items above
Note: Release valves on aerosols must be protected by a cap or other suitable means to prevent inadvertent release of the contents
Yes
Yes
4.5 CONTRABAND

Intoxicants
No
No
Money
No
No

Firearms, real ammunition and cartridges are not permitted in carry-on baggage under any circumstances. Certain may be transported in checked baggage if properly packaged and approved by the air carrier. All firearms, ammunitions and cartridges must be declared to the air carrier during check-in process. For more details on how to transport these items in your checked baggage, please contact your air carrier.

Passengers may also contact the Canada Firearms Centre at 1-800-731-4000.

Crossbows (including arrows and darts) are not permitted in either carry-on or checked baggage under any circumstances.

Bows and arrows for sporting use are not permitted in carry-on baggage under any circumstances. They may be transported in checked baggage as long as all sharp objects are securely wrapped to prevent Screening Officers and baggage handlers from injury.

List of airports with US Pre-Clearance operations:

Calgary
Edmonton
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto
Vancouver
Winnipeg

Dangerous articles/sharp objects: Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and security screeners.

Dangerous Goods: For more information, please visit the Transport Canada Website

Hunting equipment, including knives, hunting rifles and bows and arrows for sporting use, is not permitted in carry-on baggage under any circumstances, but may be transported in checked baggage as long as all sharp objects are securely wrapped to prevent Screening Officers and baggage handlers from injury and guns are unloaded and securely locked and have been declared at the air carrier check-in counter.

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    Last Modified: 2005-11-24
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