Dry ice is dangerous goods: what UN 1845 means at the paperwork desk

Dry ice is Class 9 dangerous goods under UN 1845. By air it needs package marks, a label and an air waybill entry; by road, ADR 5.5.3 requires a warning sign and a transport document entry.

25 April 2023Updated 28 September 2026

Short answer

UN 1845 is the dangerous-goods number of dry ice (Class 9). By air it needs package marks, a Class 9 label, venting, no more than 200 kg per package and a UN1845 entry on the air waybill; by road, ADR 5.5.3 requires a warning sign and a transport document. A package with eutectic plates and no dry ice needs none of these marks or entries.

Dry ice is neither toxic nor flammable, but because it turns into gas in a closed space and creates pressure and asphyxiation risk, it is Class 9 dangerous goods under UN 1845. Even when sent by air with non-dangerous goods, IATA DGR 2026 has the package vent gas (Packing Instruction 954), hold no more than 200 kg net of dry ice and carry UN1845, the words "Dry ice", shipper and consignee addresses, the net weight and a Class 9 label; the air waybill also shows UN1845, the number of packages and the net weight.

By road, ADR 5.5.3 applies: if the load compartment is not well ventilated, a "CARBON DIOXIDE, SOLID, AS COOLANT" warning goes on the doors, the transport document carries the same wording with UN 1845, and the driver is trained.

A package with eutectic plates and no dry ice carries no such mark or entry. To decide, time the paperwork per shipment and multiply by the annual number of shipments: the hours that result are a cost not included in the price per kilo of dry ice.