40 CFR 302.4 · 49 CFR 172.101 App. A

Reportable quantity (RQ) lookup

Put RQ on the shipping paper when the package needs it.

Enter a chemical and the package it ships in to get the CERCLA RQ, the concentration test in 49 CFR 171.8, and whether the letters RQ belong on the paperwork.

Last updated 2026-09-28. Math runs in your browser, no data leaves your computer.

Look up one chemical at a time. The RQ comes from Table 302.4, and the name the DOT appendix uses is shown beside it, because that is the name the shipping paper has to carry.

Add the package details if you want the check. Leave them blank and you still get the RQ and the concentration floor for it.

A CAS number from SDS Section 3 is the surest match, since the DOT appendix itself carries names only and the CAS number comes from the EPA table.

Enter the net contents of one drum, bag, tote or tank, since 49 CFR 171.8 tests the RQ in one package, not across the load.

Pick a volume unit only if you also enter the specific gravity, because the RQ is set by weight.

Take it from SDS Section 9, since a gallon of a dense acid weighs far more than a gallon of water.

Use the weight percent from SDS Section 3, and leave 100 for a pure substance, because the concentration test and the weight both depend on it.

Before the booking, screen the name on the invoice. Shipment pre-check is on the paid plans, from USD 59 a month.

General guidance only. Verify against the cited primary sources before you commit to a shipment, declaration, or contract.

How the package check works

A material is a hazardous substance in transport only when all three parts of the 49 CFR 171.8 definition are met. It has to be listed in Appendix A, one package has to hold its RQ or more, and a mixture has to be at or above the concentration the definition sets for that RQ: 10 percent for 5,000 lb, 2 percent for 1,000 lb, 0.2 percent for 100 lb, 0.02 percent for 10 lb and 0.002 percent for 1 lb.

The tool converts the package to pounds, multiplies by the weight percent to get the substance in the package, and compares that with the RQ. It reads the RQ against the listed substance, the same way 40 CFR 302.6(b) counts each hazardous constituent of a released mixture, and it also shows the whole package weight so you can see both numbers before you decide.

When the answer is yes, 172.203(c) puts the letters RQ on the shipping paper, with the hazardous substance name in parentheses if the proper shipping name does not already name it, and 172.324 puts RQ on a non bulk package.

Worked example. Same acid, drums then totes

The booking. A distributor ships 98 percent sulfuric acid in 55 gallon drums, SG 1.84 from the SDS. One drum holds 55 × 1.84 × 8.3454 = 844.6 lb of product, or 827.7 lb of acid, which is under the 1,000 lb RQ, so the paperwork goes out without RQ and that is right. The customer then asks for 275 gallon totes on the same paperwork template, which looks fine on paper.

The failure. One tote holds 275 × 1.84 × 8.3454 = 4,222.8 lb of product, or 4,138.3 lb of acid, and 98 percent is far above the 2 percent floor for a 1,000 lb RQ. Every tote is now a hazardous substance under 49 CFR 171.8, and a shipping paper without RQ is a violation on each load. The choice is the one it always is: fix the template, or keep shipping drums.

The fix. The distributor runs the tote through this tool, gets the yes, and adds RQ to the basic description on the tote template. The same 1,000 lb figure goes into the site spill plan, because a release of that much acid in 24 hours has to be phoned in to the National Response Center.

Storing those totes before they ship? The Tier II threshold checker shows that sulfuric acid is also an extremely hazardous substance, with a 500 lb reporting threshold for the site.

Frequently asked

What does reportable quantity mean in hazmat shipping?

A reportable quantity is the amount of a CERCLA hazardous substance that triggers extra rules. Under 49 CFR 171.8 a material is a hazardous substance in transport when it is listed in Appendix A to 172.101, one package holds its RQ or more, and a mixture meets the concentration set for that RQ. The shipping paper then carries the letters RQ under 172.203(c), and a non bulk package is marked RQ under 172.324.

What is the reportable quantity for sulfuric acid?

Table 302.4 of 40 CFR 302.4 sets it at 1,000 lb (454 kg), under CAS numbers 7664-93-9 and 8014-95-7, and the DOT appendix lists the same figure. Because 1,000 lb is the RQ, a solution also has to be at least 2 percent sulfuric acid by weight before the package counts, which almost every commercial grade is.

What is considered a reportable spill?

Under 40 CFR 302.6, the person in charge of a facility or vessel has to notify the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 as soon as they know of a release of an RQ or more within any 24 hour period. For a mixture, the rule counts the quantity of each hazardous constituent released, which is why the tool works out the substance weight from the concentration.

Why do some names show no CAS number or no RQ?

Table 302.4 includes broad classes such as "Chromium and compounds" that carry no CAS number and no RQ of their own, because each specific compound is listed with its own RQ. The DOT appendix also carries a few names that the tool could not tie to a single EPA row, and those are shown with the DOT RQ and no CAS number rather than a guessed one.

Does the RQ rule apply to petroleum products?

The definition of hazardous substance in 49 CFR 171.8 excludes petroleum, including crude oil or any fraction of it, unless the substance is otherwise specifically listed in Appendix A. Benzene and toluene are listed by name, so a fuel blend can still carry an RQ for them if the package holds enough.

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Sourzi shows what official files say. It is not customs or legal advice. For a binding answer, ask a licensed customs broker, a CBP ruling or an Australian Border Force Tariff Advice.

File dates and links are on Data sources.