# 2026-15817: Your home fridge gets a hazmat shipping fast-pass

2026-15817, Hazardous Materials: Adoption of Department of Transportation Special Permit 21287, is a Federal Register rule from Transportation Department, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration published 2026-08-04, effective 2026-08-19; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15817
- As of: 2026-08-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-15817
- Title: Hazardous Materials: Adoption of Department of Transportation Special Permit 21287
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Transportation Department; Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 49310
- Published: 2026-08-04
- Effective: 2026-08-19
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 2137-AG15
- Last updated: 2026-08-11

## In one line

Your home fridge gets a hazmat shipping fast-pass

## Summary

This final rule removes undue regulatory burdens by adopting the provisions of U.S Department of Transportation (DOT) special permit (SP) 21287 to streamline the transportation of refrigerating machines-- including common household appliances like refrigerators, window- mounted air-conditioning units, and dehumidifiers--that contain small quantities of certain low flammability refrigerant gases.

## Effects PRIA read

- Transport Exception for Small Refrigerating Machines: benefit, medium. If you make, ship, or carry refrigerators, window air conditioners, or dehumidifiers that contain small amounts of certain low-flammability refrigerants, you can transport them by highway or rail without a special permit. The exception applies when the machine contains 20 kg (44 pounds) or less of…
- New Official Standards for Eligible Refrigerants: benefit, low. PHMSA incorporated by reference ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34-2024 and the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) 9th Edition (2021) to determine which refrigerants qualify for the exception. Starting August 19, 2026, businesses must use these referenced standards to identify Category 1B or Group A2L refrigera…
- Special Permit Paperwork Reduced: benefit, low. The rule removes the need for some special permits and reduces paperwork. PHMSA estimates an annual decrease of 12 respondents, 12 responses, and 17 annual burden hours for OMB Control No. 2137-0051, with an estimated decrease in annual burden cost of $0.
- Air and Vessel Shipments Still Restricted: cost, low. The exception does not apply when refrigerating machines are offered or transported by air or vessel. PHMSA will continue to require case-by-case special permits for air and vessel transport, which may complicate shipments to remote areas (for example, certain areas in Alaska) where air is the only…

## Related documents

- [2026-13805](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-13805): Pipeline Safety: Repair Criteria for Hazardous Liquid and Gas Transmission Pipelines, 2026-07-08
- [2026-10969](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-10969): Pipeline Safety: Breakout Tank Inspection Rule, 2026-06-02
- [2026-10782](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-10782): Pipeline Safety: Class Location Change Requirements; Correction, 2026-05-29
- [2026-08144](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-08144): Administrative Rulemaking, Guidance, and Enforcement Procedures, 2026-04-27
- [2026-08058](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-08058): Pipeline Safety: Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines: MAOP Reconfirmation, Expansion of Assessment Requirements, and Other Related Amendme…, 2026-04-24
- [2026-06323](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-06323): Pipeline Safety: Class Location Change Requirements; Response to Petition for Reconsideration, 2026-04-01

## Sources
- [2026-15817 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/04/2026-15817/hazardous-materials-adoption-of-department-of-transportation-special-permit-21287)
- [2026-15817 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-04/pdf/2026-15817.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-15816, Hazardous Materials: Adoption of Department of Transportation Special Permits 1…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15816)
- [Next: 2026-15818, Hazardous Materials: Adoption of Department of Transportation Special Permit 21…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15818)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15817 (as of 2026-08-11).