The 1000 point rule
A mixed load below a thousand points is exempt from most of ADR. The arithmetic is simple and it is shown here rather than hidden behind a verdict, because you should be able to see why the answer came out the way it did.
| Transport category | Max per transport unit | Multiplier | What that means in practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | no exemption | Any quantity removes the 1.1.3.6 exemption. There is no points calculation for category 0. |
| 1 | 20 kg or litres | ×50 | 1000 points at 20 kg or litres |
| 1, note (a) | 50 kg | ×20 | UN 0081, 0082, 0084, 0241, 0331, 0332, 0482, 1005, 1017 only |
| 2 | 333 kg or litres | ×3 | 1000 points at about 333 kg or litres |
| 3 | 1000 kg or litres | ×1 | 1000 points at 1000 kg or litres |
| 4 | unlimited | not counted | Not counted, so the threshold cannot be reached on this category alone |
| Category | Quantity | Factor | Points |
|---|
0 points of 1000
The arithmetic is quantity multiplied by the factor for its transport category, summed across the vehicle. This is a working aid. The transport category comes from column 15 of table A and the official ADR text governs.
What the exemption actually removes
Staying under a thousand points does not make the load ordinary. The substance is still dangerous goods, the packaging rules still apply and the transport document still names it. What falls away is the vehicle marking, much of part 8 and the requirement for an ADR trained driver, which is why the threshold matters commercially.
The trap is that this is arithmetic on the vehicle, not on the consignment. Two consignments that are each comfortably exempt can be over the threshold the moment they share a trailer, and the carrier is the one who finds out.
Why the category matters more than the quantity
The factor is the whole story. Twenty litres in category 0 is a thousand points and a thousand litres in category 3 is the same thousand points. That fifty to one spread is why a small quantity of a category 0 substance can force full ADR on an otherwise unremarkable load.
The category comes from column 15 of table A, per UN number. It is not derivable from the class, which is the most common reason a load is misjudged.
Frequently asked
Does the rule apply to a full tank?
No. Tanks are outside the exemption. The rule is for packaged goods carried in one transport unit.
Where does the transport category come from?
Column 15 of table A, per UN number. It cannot be worked out from the class alone.
Does staying under 1000 points remove the transport document?
No. The document still names the substance, the UN number, the class and the packing group. What falls away is set out in 1.1.3.6 and the official text governs.
Related references
Multipliers and maximum quantities are from ADR 2025, 1.1.3.6.3 and 1.1.3.6.4. The transport category comes from column 15 of Table A. This is a working aid and the official ADR text governs.
Take the data
Source
The five transport categories and their multipliers are those of ADR sub section 1.1.3.6, as implemented in our German calculator and carried across unchanged. The calculator does quantity multiplied by factor and nothing else; it makes no judgement about packaging, classification or whether a substance may travel at all. It is a working aid and the official ADR text governs.
Cite this page
Vektor Group. The ADR 1000 point rule. 2026. https://vektorgroup.eu/adr-1000-point-rule
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