# Excepted packages for radioactive instruments and articles.

**Citation:** 49 CFR 173.424  
**Type / status:** regulation / current  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** 2026-08-18  
**Published:** Not stated

A radioactive instrument or article and its packaging are excepted from requirements in this subchapter for specification packaging, labeling, marking (except for the UN identification number marking requirement described in § 173.422(a)), and if not a hazardous substance or hazardous waste, shippin

## Document text

A radioactive instrument or article and its packaging are excepted from requirements in this subchapter for specification packaging, labeling, marking (except for the UN identification number marking requirement described in § 173.422(a)), and if not a hazardous substance or hazardous waste, shipping papers and the requirements of this subpart if:

(a) Each package meets the general design requirements of § 173.410;

(b) The activity of the instrument or article does not exceed the relevant limit listed in Table 4 in § 173.425;

(c) The total activity per package does not exceed the relevant limit listed in Table 4 in § 173.425;

(d) The radiation level at 10 cm (4 in) from any point on the external surface of any unpackaged instrument or article does not exceed 0.1 mSv/hour (10 mrem/hour);

(e) The active material is completely enclosed by non-active components (a device performing the sole function of containing radioactive material shall not be considered to be an instrument or manufactured article);

(f) The radiation level at any point on the external surface of a package bearing the article or instrument does not exceed 0.005 mSv/hour (0.5 mrem/hour), or, for exclusive use domestic shipments, 0.02 mSv/hour (2 mrem/hour);

(g) The nonfixed (removable) radioactive surface contamination on the external surface of the package does not exceed the limits specified in § 173.443(a);

(h) Except as provided in § 173.426, the package does not contain more than 15 g of uranium-235; and

(i) The package is otherwise prepared for shipment as specified in § 173.422.

[69 FR 3675, Jan. 26, 2004]

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.ecfr.gov/on/2026-08-18/title-49/section-173.424>
- Source ID: `ecfr`
- SHA-256: `d56f6b2d53793aca9b17de42c3b23de2cf7a5a193402f63b46b2c50ff8b07b27`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T05:46:04.092Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T04:35:13.611Z
- Document slug: `49-cfr-173-424`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "cfrTitle": 49,
  "part": "173",
  "section": "173.424",
  "subpart": "Subpart I—Class 7 (Radioactive) Materials",
  "corpusVersion": "2026-08-18",
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```