HazmatTable Guide
When Do I Put RQ on a Hazmat Shipping Description?
Use the RQ designation when the material meets the HMR hazardous-substance criteria and the applicable shipping-paper rules require the designation.
Short answer
Use the RQ designation when the material meets the HMR hazardous-substance criteria and the applicable shipping-paper rules require the designation.
Use the RQ designation when the material meets the HMR hazardous-substance criteria and the applicable shipping-paper rules require the designation.
Why this matters
The safe workflow is to establish the material’s classification and quantity first, rather than adding “RQ” merely because a chemical appears somewhere in Appendix A.
A better workflow
Identify the proper shipping description, determine whether the package contains the listed hazardous substance at or above its RQ, and then verify §172.203 and related requirements.
Check your material in HazmatTable
Search the table, compare the listed RQ, and see the source in seconds.
What HazmatTable helps with
- Search a chemical, synonym, waste code or radionuclide.
- See the listed RQ and units without scanning a long PDF.
- Preserve important Appendix A footnotes and source context.
- Compare an entered package quantity with the listed RQ.
- Continue into related shipping and classification guides.
Important: HazmatTable is a reference and workflow tool, not a legal certification of a shipment. The shipper must verify the current HMR and the actual material, quantity, packaging and mode.
Authoritative references: 49 CFR §172.101 / Appendix A and PHMSA hazmat guidance. PHMSA Hazmat · Appendix A source used for this database