Use an MSDS/SDS when the requester needs product hazard, handling and emergency information. Use a Non-DG statement when it wants a transport-classification conclusion. For courier or export shipping, you may need both: the SDS as supporting information and a separate carrier-specific declaration.
What is the difference between an MSDS and a Non-DG certificate?
| Question | MSDS / SDS | Non-DG certificate or declaration |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Communicates product hazards, safe handling and emergency measures. | Addresses whether a product is regulated as dangerous goods for a defined transport review. |
| Typical structure | Standard 16-section format. | No single universal format; the carrier or reviewer may prescribe wording or a form. |
| Main evidence | Complete formulation, ingredient hazard data and finished-product properties. | Transport classification, package details, mode, physical data and any relevant tests. |
| Typical requester | Buyer, workplace, warehouse, marketplace, importer or courier. | Courier, airline, freight forwarder, shipping line or customs broker. |
| Does it approve shipping? | No. | No. It supports review; final acceptance remains with the carrier or authority. |
“Certificate” is common business language, but a Non-DG document is often a statement, declaration, classification note or carrier form. Ask for the reviewer’s exact requirement before commissioning a document.
What does an MSDS or SDS prove?
An SDS identifies the supplied product and responsible company, then presents its classification, ingredients, first aid, firefighting measures, spill response, handling, storage, exposure controls, physical properties, stability, toxicology, ecology, disposal, transport and regulatory information.
The current term is Safety Data Sheet, or SDS, although many Indian buyers and courier teams still say “MSDS certificate.” The structure matters: official hazard-communication systems use 16 headings, and the MSDS format guide explains what belongs in each section.
Section 14 records available transport information, but the SDS is not a dangerous-goods declaration. It also does not replace compliant packaging, marks, labels, training or carrier documentation. For the wider file, read MSDS for export and shipping.
What does a Non-DG certificate or declaration mean?
A Non-DG document responds to a transport question: based on the evidence reviewed, is the defined product regulated as dangerous goods for the relevant mode and shipment context? Air, sea and road requirements are not identical, so a conclusion should not be copied blindly from one route to another.
There is no single universal “Non-DG certificate” that every courier must accept. One carrier may accept an SDS with clear Section 14 information; another may request a signed declaration, questionnaire, test result or its own template. Confirm the required title, signatory, date, product identity and route with the requesting party.
The shipper still owns the classification responsibility. PHMSA, for example, states in a U.S. transport interpretation that the shipper may use supplied information but must correct a classification it knows is wrong. The governing rules for an Indian shipment will depend on the transport mode and route, but the responsibility principle is useful: a document should be based on evidence, not a sales claim.
Why might a courier request both documents?
The two documents answer different questions. An SDS helps the reviewer understand the material; a Non-DG declaration gives the specific transport conclusion it needs for its process. Requesting both is especially common when the product name is vague, Section 14 is incomplete, the packaging creates another risk, or the carrier uses a fixed restricted-goods workflow.
| Shipment situation | Likely document path |
|---|---|
| Ordinary formulated liquid with clear, current evidence | SDS may be sufficient, but confirm the carrier’s policy. |
| Courier explicitly asks for “Non-DG” | Ask whether it needs its own form, a signed declaration, classification report or SDS plus declaration. |
| Product contains a lithium cell or battery | SDS alone is not enough; UN 38.3 evidence and configuration-specific shipping requirements may apply. |
| Aerosol or pressurised container | Review the finished package and transport rules; do not classify from the liquid formula alone. |
| Perfume, solvent, paint or alcohol product | Flash point, alcohol or solvent content and package quantity can be important. |
| Old SDS says “not regulated” without support | Update or rectify the SDS and review the underlying evidence. |
What evidence is needed before saying a product is Non-DG?
A product name is not enough. “Herbal,” “natural,” “water-based,” “non-toxic” and “food grade” are not transport classifications. A defensible review starts with the exact product and package.
- Complete formulation: ingredient identities and concentrations for the finished product.
- Reliable source documents: current supplier SDS files and specifications for raw materials.
- Physical properties: form, pH, flash point, boiling information, pressure or other relevant results.
- Package and quantity: inner container, aerosol or battery configuration, and quantity per package.
- Mode and route: air, sea or road, including origin, transit and destination where relevant.
- Supporting tests: product-specific test reports when classification cannot be supported from reliable data alone.
Testing is not automatically required for every SDS, but it may be needed when a physical property or transport conclusion lacks reliable support. See when laboratory testing may be required and the MSDS input document checklist.
What should you do when a courier asks for an MSDS or Non-DG certificate?
- Copy the exact request: ask for the carrier email, portal message or required template.
- Define the shipment: confirm product, formulation, package, quantity, route and transport mode.
- Check the current SDS: verify product identity, revision status, physical data and Section 14 consistency.
- Identify missing evidence: do not issue a Non-DG conclusion when the formulation or relevant properties are unknown.
- Prepare the requested output: SDS, carrier declaration or both, with consistent product and supplier details.
- Send the complete file: include tests, battery reports, packing information or other documents the carrier requested.
- Keep acceptance separate: the carrier reviews and decides whether it will accept the shipment.
Not sure whether the courier wants an SDS, a Non-DG declaration or both? Send the exact request and product details before ordering.
Get Document Recommendation →Which mistakes cause rejection or delay?
- Submitting an ingredient SDS instead of the finished-product SDS.
- Assuming “non-hazardous” under GHS automatically means Non-DG for every mode.
- Using one declaration for liquid, aerosol and battery-powered versions.
- Copying Section 14 from a competitor’s product.
- Ignoring the package size, pressure, flash point or battery configuration.
- Calling a self-declaration a government approval.
- Promising that a document guarantees courier, customs or airline acceptance.
Which official references support this guide?
These references explain the cited document structures and transport responsibilities. The applicable rules still depend on the product, mode, route and jurisdiction.
- OSHA Appendix D: information required in an SDS
- IATA: Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods
- FedEx India: how to ship dangerous goods
- PHMSA interpretation 23-0005: shipper classification responsibility
Frequently Asked Questions
No. An MSDS or SDS communicates product hazards and safe handling. A Non-DG statement addresses a transport-classification request for a defined product and shipment context.
Section 14 may support the review, but a courier or freight forwarder may request separate classification evidence or its own declaration.
The required signatory and format depend on the carrier, route and requesting party. The shipper remains responsible for correct transport classification.
Yes. Workplace hazard classification and transport classification use related but different criteria. Batteries, aerosols, pressure and other mode-specific provisions can change the transport result.
Use the complete formulation, physical properties, packaging details, transport mode and relevant test or supplier data. A product name or marketing claim is not enough.