A Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD) is a document the shipper of hazardous materials must provide to the carrier certifying that the shipment has been properly classified, packaged, marked, labeled, and is in proper condition for transport. The DGD is required by every major hazmat regime:
- Ocean — IMDG Code (International Maritime Dangerous Goods)
- Air — IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), implementing ICAO Technical Instructions
- Surface (U.S.) — 49 CFR Parts 171–180 (Hazardous Materials Regulations)
A typical DGD includes:
- Shipper and consignee information
- UN number (e.g., UN1950 for aerosols, UN3480 for lithium-ion batteries)
- Proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group
- Quantity and packaging type per package
- Packing instruction (IATA/IMDG-specific code)
- Emergency contact with 24/7 telephone number
- Shipper's signature and certification under penalty of perjury
For air shipments, the DGD must be signed by a person who has completed initial and recurrent IATA DGR training (recurrent every 24 months).
A defective DGD is one of the most costly mistakes in international shipping. Carriers will refuse loads with missing or incorrect declarations, and the consequences of a hazmat misdeclaration in transit — particularly an undeclared lithium battery on a passenger aircraft — include criminal penalties under 49 U.S.C. § 5124.
For products with hazmat content, the DGD is paired with a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) so the carrier, consignee, and emergency responders have technical information available.