Limited and excepted quantities
Four regimes, from a package that needs almost nothing to a tank that needs everything. This page puts them side by side so you can see which one a load falls into before you commit to a carrier.
| Regime | Rests on | Marking | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limited quantity, LQ | Chapter 3.4 | Black and white LQ diamond | Small retail and mail order packages |
| Excepted quantity, EQ | Chapter 3.5 | EQ mark carrying the class number | Very small quantities, laboratory and samples |
| The 1000 point rule | Sub section 1.1.3.6 | None, while the load stays under 1000 points | Mixed loads below the quantity threshold |
| Full ADR | The whole of ADR | Class labels and the orange plate | Tanks and larger quantities |
The mistake is thinking these are degrees of the same thing
They are not a sliding scale. LQ and EQ are exemptions built into the packaging: the substance is inside small enough receptacles that most of ADR falls away, and the marking is the LQ diamond or the EQ mark rather than a class label. The 1000 point rule is different in kind, because it exempts a load rather than a package, and it is arithmetic done per vehicle.
The practical consequence is that you can lose the 1000 point exemption by adding one more pallet, and you cannot lose an LQ exemption that way, because the LQ status belongs to the package and travels with it.
Where this decision actually gets made
Usually too late. By the time a vehicle is at the loading bay the packaging is fixed and the regime is fixed with it. If a consignment is close to a threshold the time to look is when the order is placed, because moving a product into LQ packaging is a purchasing decision, not a transport one.
We flag it at quotation for that reason. A load that sits just over 1000 points and could sit just under is worth knowing about before the truck is booked, not after.
Frequently asked
Does an LQ load still need a driver with an ADR certificate?
Generally no, which is much of the point of the regime. The obligations that fall away are set out in chapter 3.4 and the official text governs.
Is the 1000 point rule the same as a limited quantity?
No. A limited quantity is a property of the package. The 1000 point rule is arithmetic on the whole vehicle load and can be lost by adding another pallet.
Which regime does a tank fall into?
Full ADR. Tanks are outside the exemption regimes entirely.
Related references
Take the data
Source
The four regimes and the provisions they rest on are taken from ADR chapters 3.4 and 3.5 and sub section 1.1.3.6, as recorded in our German reference dataset. The English wording is our translation of that dataset. This page lists the regimes and what distinguishes them; it does not reproduce the quantity limits or the packaging requirements, and the official ADR text governs any individual case.
Cite this page
Vektor Group. Limited and excepted quantities. 2026. https://vektorgroup.eu/limited-and-excepted-quantities
Not sure which regime your load falls into?
Send the UN number, the quantity and the packaging. We say which regime applies before we talk about price.
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