# Excepted packages for radioactive instruments and articles.

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 49 CFR 173.424
- **title:** Excepted packages for radioactive instruments and articles.
- **source type:** regulation
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** current
- **official:** true
- **published on:** Not available
- **effective on:** 2026-08-18
- **summary:** 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
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/49-cfr-173-424.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/49-cfr-173-424.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/49-cfr-173-424
- **source url:** https://www.ecfr.gov/on/2026-08-18/title-49/section-173.424
**body:**

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]
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- **body characters:** 1613