Alcohol / USPS
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I'm pretty sure you can- I think most shippers will take it ground, but airmail may be a different story.
It is apparently illegal to ship ethyl alcohol (booze) via USPS, but their may be an exception for isopropyl or methyl alcohol that isn't concentrated enough to be flammable. Or the box wasn't labeled properly and a federal offence was just commited.
It is legal to ship grooming related products with alcohol via USPS Parcel Post only and it must be marked ORM-D.
I just looked this up yesterday. It's a little confusing to me which flashpoint applies, so do your own due diligence, but...
Intoxicating liquors having 0.5 percent or more alcoholic content are nonmailable. http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_006.htm
I think this covers most other forms of alcohol.
http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c3_018.htm
Flammable Liquid means a liquid that has a flashpoint of not more than 141° F (60.5° C), or any material in a liquid phase that has a flashpoint at or above 100° F (38° C).
From Wikipedia: "The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest temperature at which there can be enough flammable vapour to ignite, when an ignition source is applied."
The flashpoint of Ethyl Alcohol (drinkable) is 55.4F (100% pure, or 200 proof). After shaves and colognes usually use denatured ethyl alcohol, which is just "poisoned" vodka (or everclear). Since no sane person would drink the stuff, it's not classified as intoxicating.
For other proof alcohol: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethanol-water-d_989.html
192 proof (96%) 63F This is as high as you get if it's been exposed to air
100 proof (50%) 75F
80 proof (40%) 79F
Flashpoint Above 20° F (–7° C) but not more than 100° F (38° C)
Acceptable (with restrictions) for domestic mail via surface transportation only. Follow requirements for Packaging Instruction 3A in Appendix C, as applicable.
Appendix C Instruction 3A
http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxc_011.htm
International Mail and APO/FPO: Prohibited.
Domestic Mail: Permitted only via surface transportation sent as Standard Mail or Parcel Post. Prohibited by air.
Below about 18% (36 proof) the flash point reaches 100F and it might be reclassified as combustible, but I don't think it can go by air. That needs a flash point of 141F, which is about 5% alcohol.
The most interesting part is the packing requirements say "Only one primary receptacle is permitted per mailpiece".
Intoxicating liquors having 0.5 percent or more alcoholic content are nonmailable. http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c4_006.htm
I think this covers most other forms of alcohol.
http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c3_018.htm
Flammable Liquid means a liquid that has a flashpoint of not more than 141° F (60.5° C), or any material in a liquid phase that has a flashpoint at or above 100° F (38° C).
From Wikipedia: "The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest temperature at which there can be enough flammable vapour to ignite, when an ignition source is applied."
The flashpoint of Ethyl Alcohol (drinkable) is 55.4F (100% pure, or 200 proof). After shaves and colognes usually use denatured ethyl alcohol, which is just "poisoned" vodka (or everclear). Since no sane person would drink the stuff, it's not classified as intoxicating.
For other proof alcohol: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ethanol-water-d_989.html
192 proof (96%) 63F This is as high as you get if it's been exposed to air
100 proof (50%) 75F
80 proof (40%) 79F
Flashpoint Above 20° F (–7° C) but not more than 100° F (38° C)
Acceptable (with restrictions) for domestic mail via surface transportation only. Follow requirements for Packaging Instruction 3A in Appendix C, as applicable.
Appendix C Instruction 3A
http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52apxc_011.htm
International Mail and APO/FPO: Prohibited.
Domestic Mail: Permitted only via surface transportation sent as Standard Mail or Parcel Post. Prohibited by air.
Below about 18% (36 proof) the flash point reaches 100F and it might be reclassified as combustible, but I don't think it can go by air. That needs a flash point of 141F, which is about 5% alcohol.
The most interesting part is the packing requirements say "Only one primary receptacle is permitted per mailpiece".
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You can't ship anything alcohol based PRIORITY or EXPRESS because USPS uses commercial airliners to ship via air.
It is apparently illegal to ship ethyl alcohol (booze) via USPS, but their may be an exception for isopropyl or methyl alcohol that isn't concentrated enough to be flammable. Or the box wasn't labeled properly and a federal offence was just commited.
NO
I'm starting to get tired of all the misinformation that is being spewed around here lately.
I work at the Post Office and have always been kind of peeved I couldn't ship beer. Have you ever tried to light a beer on fire?
Lately?I know tons of homebrewers who have shipped beer via USPS. Sort of a "don't ask, don't tell" policy in their minds...
Yeah, that makes sense. But if I, as an employee, shipped beer and got caught. Well.......
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